1 00:00:00,302 --> 00:00:01,556 Why Chinese readers begin the life of the Buddha 2 00:00:01,622 --> 00:00:03,536 with a novel by a Vietnamese monk 3 00:00:04,222 --> 00:00:05,357 Let me ask you a question 4 00:00:05,742 --> 00:00:07,221 How many times has the story of Shakyamuni Buddha 5 00:00:07,222 --> 00:00:09,496 been told over the past twenty five hundred years 6 00:00:10,141 --> 00:00:13,416 The Collected Life of the Buddha The Genealogy of Shakyamuni The Lalitavistara 7 00:00:13,702 --> 00:00:16,821 The Buddhacarita In the Chinese Buddhist canon alone 8 00:00:16,821 --> 00:00:19,556 more than a dozen works recount his life 9 00:00:19,742 --> 00:00:22,676 Each represents a great monk dedicating a lifetime to the task 10 00:00:22,902 --> 00:00:26,277 But walk into the Buddhism section of any bookstore today 11 00:00:26,301 --> 00:00:28,940 and tell the clerk I want to understand the Buddha as a person 12 00:00:28,942 --> 00:00:29,777 Which book would you recommend 13 00:00:30,301 --> 00:00:34,156 Chances are they will hand you the same book 14 00:00:34,862 --> 00:00:36,740 It was not written by someone from China 15 00:00:36,741 --> 00:00:38,140 or someone from India 16 00:00:38,142 --> 00:00:40,957 It was not even written in Chinese or English 17 00:00:41,182 --> 00:00:42,740 It was a novel written in 1987 18 00:00:42,741 --> 00:00:45,277 by a Vietnamese monk living in exile in France 19 00:00:45,301 --> 00:00:47,476 in his native Vietnamese 20 00:00:47,781 --> 00:00:49,377 Its title is Old Path White Clouds 21 00:00:50,142 --> 00:00:51,277 That is curious 22 00:00:51,542 --> 00:00:52,901 Over twenty five hundred years 23 00:00:52,902 --> 00:00:56,436 with so many great monks and authoritative scriptures 24 00:00:56,582 --> 00:00:58,661 how did a novel by a Vietnamese monk 25 00:00:58,661 --> 00:01:01,197 written far from home 26 00:01:01,301 --> 00:01:04,856 become the leading introduction to the Buddha for Chinese readers 27 00:01:06,070 --> 00:01:06,425 Hello 28 00:01:06,550 --> 00:01:07,024 everyone 29 00:01:07,229 --> 00:01:08,404 I am Leo Wang 30 00:01:08,630 --> 00:01:10,389 Today we are taking a closer look 31 00:01:10,389 --> 00:01:11,744 at Old Path White Clouds 32 00:01:12,309 --> 00:01:13,844 This is more than a book review 33 00:01:13,869 --> 00:01:15,824 We want to explore a deeper question 34 00:01:16,469 --> 00:01:18,829 Why do so many people struggle to read Buddhist scriptures 35 00:01:18,830 --> 00:01:19,904 yet find this book so readable 36 00:01:20,350 --> 00:01:21,145 Hidden in that difference 37 00:01:21,350 --> 00:01:22,565 is a secret 38 00:01:22,830 --> 00:01:24,068 To understand this book 39 00:01:24,070 --> 00:01:26,366 we first need to know the person who wrote it 40 00:01:26,670 --> 00:01:27,790 Thich Nhat Hanh 41 00:01:27,790 --> 00:01:31,206 was born in 1926 in Thua Thien Hue in central Vietnam 42 00:01:31,271 --> 00:01:32,445 He became a monk at sixteen 43 00:01:32,751 --> 00:01:34,670 The arc of his life 44 00:01:34,670 --> 00:01:36,926 is more remarkable than many novels 45 00:01:37,230 --> 00:01:38,066 In 1966 46 00:01:38,271 --> 00:01:39,646 at the height of the Vietnam War 47 00:01:39,751 --> 00:01:42,469 he led a Vietnamese Buddhist peace delegation 48 00:01:42,471 --> 00:01:44,445 to the United States to call for an end to the war 49 00:01:44,790 --> 00:01:46,750 He opposed the communists in North Vietnam 50 00:01:46,751 --> 00:01:49,206 and the government supported by America in the South 51 00:01:49,430 --> 00:01:51,366 Because whichever side was fighting 52 00:01:51,391 --> 00:01:53,126 ordinary Vietnamese people were dying 53 00:01:53,510 --> 00:01:55,286 He ended up offending everyone 54 00:01:55,551 --> 00:01:57,085 The North called him a counterrevolutionary 55 00:01:57,150 --> 00:01:58,926 The South called him a communist sympathizer 56 00:01:59,031 --> 00:02:00,766 Neither side would let him return 57 00:02:00,991 --> 00:02:03,366 He became a man without a home 58 00:02:04,230 --> 00:02:07,165 Thich Nhat Hanh spent more than thirty years in exile in Europe 59 00:02:07,230 --> 00:02:10,825 He was first allowed to return in 2005 60 00:02:11,049 --> 00:02:13,304 But he was no ordinary exile 61 00:02:13,570 --> 00:02:14,648 In 1967 62 00:02:14,649 --> 00:02:18,505 Martin Luther King personally nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize 63 00:02:18,690 --> 00:02:19,524 In 1982 64 00:02:19,769 --> 00:02:22,265 he founded Plum Village in southwestern France 65 00:02:22,330 --> 00:02:25,825 It later became the largest Buddhist meditation center in Europe 66 00:02:26,049 --> 00:02:27,449 And it was at Plum Village 67 00:02:27,450 --> 00:02:29,545 in his twenty first year of exile 68 00:02:29,570 --> 00:02:31,524 that he wrote Old Path White Clouds 69 00:02:32,670 --> 00:02:34,726 Imagine that scene 70 00:02:34,990 --> 00:02:37,485 A monk rejected by his own country 71 00:02:37,710 --> 00:02:39,966 living in the countryside of a foreign land 72 00:02:40,071 --> 00:02:40,626 sits down 73 00:02:40,950 --> 00:02:42,925 and begins writing in his native Vietnamese 74 00:02:42,950 --> 00:02:47,406 the story of an Indian prince who lived twenty five hundred years ago 75 00:02:48,031 --> 00:02:52,925 He consulted twenty four early texts in Pali Sanskrit and Chinese 76 00:02:53,191 --> 00:02:55,205 But he was not conducting academic research 77 00:02:55,510 --> 00:02:59,829 He was doing something different Using the form of a novel 78 00:02:59,830 --> 00:03:02,846 he brought the Buddha back to life as a human being 79 00:03:03,311 --> 00:03:05,406 That is how this book came into being 80 00:03:06,191 --> 00:03:07,829 Understanding this matters 81 00:03:07,830 --> 00:03:09,430 Because we will see later 82 00:03:09,430 --> 00:03:11,430 that his choice to write this way 83 00:03:11,430 --> 00:03:12,506 was deeply connected 84 00:03:12,791 --> 00:03:14,546 to his own life 85 00:03:14,932 --> 00:03:15,127 All right 86 00:03:15,411 --> 00:03:16,907 Now we reach the key question 87 00:03:17,372 --> 00:03:19,986 Every biography of the Buddha tells his life story 88 00:03:20,212 --> 00:03:22,127 What makes Old Path White Clouds special 89 00:03:22,851 --> 00:03:25,187 Let me give you an intuition to bet on 90 00:03:25,492 --> 00:03:27,051 You probably think 91 00:03:27,052 --> 00:03:28,970 this book is popular 92 00:03:28,972 --> 00:03:30,707 because its language is accessible 93 00:03:30,812 --> 00:03:32,847 and it makes profound Buddhist teachings simple 94 00:03:33,278 --> 00:03:33,687 Right 95 00:03:34,411 --> 00:03:35,726 If that is what you think 96 00:03:35,932 --> 00:03:36,907 let me tell you 97 00:03:36,932 --> 00:03:38,986 you have fallen into the first trap 98 00:03:39,252 --> 00:03:42,027 There are plenty of accessible biographies of the Buddha 99 00:03:42,411 --> 00:03:44,886 How many collections of Buddhist stories in plain language 100 00:03:45,252 --> 00:03:46,726 and books about the wisdom of the Buddha are out there 101 00:03:47,092 --> 00:03:49,266 Many are much simpler than Old Path White Clouds 102 00:03:49,652 --> 00:03:52,367 Yet none has replaced it 103 00:03:52,492 --> 00:03:54,147 in the Chinese speaking world 104 00:03:54,891 --> 00:03:56,446 So where is the real difference 105 00:03:56,691 --> 00:03:57,810 It lies in something 106 00:03:57,812 --> 00:04:01,904 almost no reader notices The narrative perspective 107 00:04:02,409 --> 00:04:03,825 Think back for a moment 108 00:04:03,930 --> 00:04:07,645 to every life of the Buddha you have read in any language 109 00:04:08,009 --> 00:04:10,045 Whose perspective does the story begin with 110 00:04:10,569 --> 00:04:13,425 Almost all begin with the Buddha himself 111 00:04:13,569 --> 00:04:15,808 They open with the Buddha residing somewhere 112 00:04:15,809 --> 00:04:18,005 with an assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks 113 00:04:18,529 --> 00:04:21,164 or Queen Maya dreaming of a white elephant entering her womb 114 00:04:21,729 --> 00:04:22,904 As the camera pulls back 115 00:04:23,010 --> 00:04:25,664 the Buddha already stands at the center of the frame 116 00:04:25,849 --> 00:04:27,005 Readers can only look up at him 117 00:04:27,289 --> 00:04:28,344 They can only watch 118 00:04:28,409 --> 00:04:30,697 from outside the picture 119 00:04:31,161 --> 00:04:32,637 But Old Path White Clouds begins 120 00:04:32,961 --> 00:04:33,937 like this 121 00:04:34,281 --> 00:04:36,177 A young man of twenty one 122 00:04:36,242 --> 00:04:37,697 who became a monk just three days ago 123 00:04:37,802 --> 00:04:38,877 sits meditating beneath a tree 124 00:04:39,281 --> 00:04:40,177 His legs are numb 125 00:04:40,401 --> 00:04:41,697 His name is Svasti 126 00:04:41,802 --> 00:04:43,257 He used to be a buffalo boy 127 00:04:43,322 --> 00:04:46,737 herding buffalo and cutting grass beside the Nairanjana River 128 00:04:47,161 --> 00:04:47,557 The Buddha 129 00:04:47,882 --> 00:04:49,680 is seen through the eyes of this buffalo boy 130 00:04:49,682 --> 00:04:53,476 as someone walking toward him a little hungry a little tired 131 00:04:53,841 --> 00:04:56,859 a practitioner asking him for a handful of kusa grass 132 00:04:57,244 --> 00:04:58,599 What makes this choice revolutionary 133 00:04:58,924 --> 00:04:59,838 is not its simplicity 134 00:05:00,283 --> 00:05:03,898 It completely changes the relationship between the reader and the Buddha 135 00:05:04,283 --> 00:05:06,179 In traditional biographies 136 00:05:06,244 --> 00:05:10,138 you look up at the Buddha You stand at the foot of the mountain 137 00:05:10,164 --> 00:05:11,218 while he stands at the summit 138 00:05:11,484 --> 00:05:13,003 But in Old Path White Clouds 139 00:05:13,004 --> 00:05:16,419 you stand at the same elevation for the first time 140 00:05:16,843 --> 00:05:17,758 You are that buffalo boy 141 00:05:18,244 --> 00:05:19,379 Like him 142 00:05:19,403 --> 00:05:21,939 you see someone approaching in the distance 143 00:05:22,283 --> 00:05:24,638 You do not already assume this is the Blessed One 144 00:05:25,164 --> 00:05:28,619 You simply see a real person you could reach out and touch 145 00:05:28,963 --> 00:05:32,039 In narrative theory this is an ordinary human perspective 146 00:05:32,523 --> 00:05:35,818 Seeing a sacred figure through ordinary human eyes 147 00:05:36,643 --> 00:05:39,299 At first it may seem to lower the Buddha 148 00:05:39,323 --> 00:05:43,179 But it does the opposite It makes him more believable 149 00:05:43,364 --> 00:05:46,563 When someone is seen through the eyes of a buffalo boy 150 00:05:46,564 --> 00:05:49,059 his greatness needs no rhetoric to prove it 151 00:05:49,122 --> 00:05:49,922 His greatness 152 00:05:49,924 --> 00:05:53,523 lives in every visible action How he walks 153 00:05:53,523 --> 00:05:54,403 how he eats 154 00:05:54,403 --> 00:05:56,379 how he speaks to a child he has never met 155 00:05:56,523 --> 00:05:59,371 That is the first thing Old Path White Clouds gets right 156 00:05:59,915 --> 00:06:02,970 But an objection is about to arise 157 00:06:03,316 --> 00:06:04,251 I can hear it 158 00:06:04,676 --> 00:06:05,311 Someone will say 159 00:06:05,835 --> 00:06:06,951 Is this not just disenchantment 160 00:06:07,556 --> 00:06:09,691 Writing the Buddha as an ordinary person 161 00:06:09,835 --> 00:06:10,830 Is that not sacrilege 162 00:06:11,316 --> 00:06:13,691 Does that not reduce Buddhism from a sacred religion 163 00:06:13,715 --> 00:06:15,551 to a feel good novel 164 00:06:16,436 --> 00:06:18,451 This is a very common misunderstanding 165 00:06:18,516 --> 00:06:20,611 We need to examine it carefully 166 00:06:21,076 --> 00:06:22,314 Many people have 167 00:06:22,316 --> 00:06:26,691 this chain of reasoning Taking a god off the pedestal means disrespect 168 00:06:26,795 --> 00:06:28,770 Disrespect means losing sacredness 169 00:06:28,876 --> 00:06:31,451 And losing sacredness means dissolving religion 170 00:06:31,715 --> 00:06:33,251 It sounds perfectly seamless 171 00:06:33,516 --> 00:06:36,634 But the problem is the first step What Thich Nhat Hanh does 172 00:06:36,636 --> 00:06:39,090 is not take the Buddha off a pedestal 173 00:06:39,756 --> 00:06:40,551 What he does 174 00:06:40,795 --> 00:06:42,650 is the opposite of disenchantment 175 00:06:42,955 --> 00:06:43,931 He removes 176 00:06:43,955 --> 00:06:48,874 the miraculous trappings added by later generations that the Buddha himself 177 00:06:48,876 --> 00:06:50,650 may never have wanted 178 00:06:50,915 --> 00:06:54,290 so readers can see the real Buddha directly 179 00:06:54,676 --> 00:06:55,590 And you discover 180 00:06:55,955 --> 00:06:57,691 that once all those miracles are removed 181 00:06:57,715 --> 00:07:01,066 his greatness moves you even more deeply 182 00:07:01,452 --> 00:07:02,506 Let me offer an analogy 183 00:07:02,691 --> 00:07:04,291 Suppose I introduce someone to you 184 00:07:04,291 --> 00:07:08,447 who can fly transform at will and resist every weapon 185 00:07:08,731 --> 00:07:09,727 How would you react 186 00:07:10,012 --> 00:07:10,686 You would say 187 00:07:10,931 --> 00:07:11,330 Oh 188 00:07:11,332 --> 00:07:11,847 that is a god 189 00:07:12,051 --> 00:07:13,186 It has nothing to do with me 190 00:07:13,251 --> 00:07:14,530 But suppose I tell you 191 00:07:14,532 --> 00:07:16,090 this person is like you and me 192 00:07:16,092 --> 00:07:18,407 He gets hungry and tired and is betrayed by his disciples 193 00:07:18,691 --> 00:07:21,407 He faces a divided community and declining health in old age 194 00:07:21,691 --> 00:07:25,371 Even his final meal makes him ill Yet through all of this 195 00:07:25,371 --> 00:07:27,506 he never loses his inner stability 196 00:07:27,652 --> 00:07:28,727 How would you react 197 00:07:29,012 --> 00:07:29,727 You would say 198 00:07:29,931 --> 00:07:30,327 Wait a moment 199 00:07:30,532 --> 00:07:31,407 How did he do that 200 00:07:32,332 --> 00:07:33,012 You see 201 00:07:33,012 --> 00:07:35,426 Miracles close off the possibility that I could do it too 202 00:07:35,491 --> 00:07:38,587 A real human being opens up that possibility 203 00:07:38,931 --> 00:07:41,947 Thich Nhat Hanh does not strip away the sacredness of the Buddha 204 00:07:42,012 --> 00:07:46,267 He strips away the wrapping that keeps you from approaching him 205 00:07:46,652 --> 00:07:49,027 This is the deepest layer of the book 206 00:07:49,291 --> 00:07:50,207 It is not disenchantment 207 00:07:50,572 --> 00:07:52,686 It replaces an enchantment worshipped from afar 208 00:07:53,051 --> 00:07:56,566 with one that is deeper closer and alive 209 00:07:57,670 --> 00:07:58,185 At this point 210 00:07:58,391 --> 00:07:59,485 I want to share 211 00:07:59,510 --> 00:08:01,625 something I found while reading this book 212 00:08:02,031 --> 00:08:04,086 that gave me goosebumps more than anything else 213 00:08:04,550 --> 00:08:04,985 Something 214 00:08:05,471 --> 00:08:07,805 almost no review mentions 215 00:08:08,190 --> 00:08:10,865 Old Path White Clouds portrays a Buddha who is not simply awakened 216 00:08:11,231 --> 00:08:13,505 but is still awakening 217 00:08:14,069 --> 00:08:14,586 What does that mean 218 00:08:14,831 --> 00:08:15,726 Let me explain 219 00:08:15,870 --> 00:08:18,326 In the traditional narrative of his life 220 00:08:18,430 --> 00:08:23,166 there is a clear dividing line Enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree 221 00:08:23,550 --> 00:08:25,606 Before that he is Siddhartha 222 00:08:25,630 --> 00:08:27,625 a prince still searching for his way 223 00:08:28,110 --> 00:08:30,230 After that he is Shakyamuni 224 00:08:30,231 --> 00:08:32,365 a sage who has awakened 225 00:08:32,711 --> 00:08:34,466 As if enlightenment were a switch 226 00:08:34,911 --> 00:08:35,885 One click 227 00:08:36,070 --> 00:08:37,026 and an ordinary person becomes a sage 228 00:08:37,350 --> 00:08:38,742 once and for all 229 00:08:39,127 --> 00:08:41,742 But that is not the Buddha in Old Path White Clouds 230 00:08:42,046 --> 00:08:42,921 Thich Nhat Hanh writes 231 00:08:43,286 --> 00:08:44,702 that even after enlightenment 232 00:08:44,766 --> 00:08:47,541 the Buddha still practices mindfulness in every moment 233 00:08:47,926 --> 00:08:49,322 He still returns to his breathing 234 00:08:49,566 --> 00:08:51,141 He still observes his thoughts 235 00:08:51,286 --> 00:08:53,846 When he faces a split in the community And yes 236 00:08:53,847 --> 00:08:56,381 the community split while the Buddha was alive 237 00:08:56,447 --> 00:09:01,006 His cousin Devadatta left with five hundred monks His response 238 00:09:01,006 --> 00:09:04,085 uses the same practice he teaches his newest disciple Svasti 239 00:09:04,087 --> 00:09:06,661 The very same method Return to the breath 240 00:09:06,686 --> 00:09:07,521 Notice your thoughts 241 00:09:07,806 --> 00:09:09,222 Do not let emotions sweep you away 242 00:09:09,926 --> 00:09:12,982 He faces the grief of his son Rahula dying before him 243 00:09:13,127 --> 00:09:15,285 He faces the deaths of Shariputra and Maudgalyayana 244 00:09:15,286 --> 00:09:18,301 his two foremost disciples one after the other 245 00:09:18,526 --> 00:09:22,102 He faces back pain in old age In all these moments 246 00:09:22,127 --> 00:09:25,041 he does not become a sage beyond human feelings 247 00:09:25,526 --> 00:09:27,021 He feels all of it 248 00:09:27,166 --> 00:09:30,191 but holds those feelings with mindfulness 249 00:09:30,775 --> 00:09:31,650 What does that mean 250 00:09:32,175 --> 00:09:34,390 It means awakening is not a destination 251 00:09:34,576 --> 00:09:36,270 but an ongoing action 252 00:09:36,856 --> 00:09:38,050 Let me say that again 253 00:09:38,336 --> 00:09:39,951 because it matters so much 254 00:09:40,175 --> 00:09:41,951 Awakening is not a destination 255 00:09:41,976 --> 00:09:43,790 but an ongoing action 256 00:09:44,216 --> 00:09:45,930 The Buddha is not someone who awakened once 257 00:09:46,496 --> 00:09:48,650 He is someone who keeps awakening 258 00:09:49,592 --> 00:09:52,087 This perspective matters enormously for us today 259 00:09:52,351 --> 00:09:53,670 Because in our time 260 00:09:53,672 --> 00:09:56,506 one of our favorite fantasies is the moment of enlightenment 261 00:09:57,031 --> 00:09:59,126 We imagine there is one instant 262 00:09:59,231 --> 00:10:02,006 after which every problem is solved 263 00:10:02,072 --> 00:10:03,951 every anxiety disappears 264 00:10:03,952 --> 00:10:06,150 and every relationship becomes perfect 265 00:10:06,151 --> 00:10:08,967 We become enlightened once and for all 266 00:10:09,192 --> 00:10:12,006 Countless spiritual teachers sell this fantasy 267 00:10:12,072 --> 00:10:14,726 Countless workshops promise this experience 268 00:10:14,911 --> 00:10:18,047 But quietly through this entire book Thich Nhat Hanh 269 00:10:18,072 --> 00:10:21,847 tells you the opposite There is no such thing 270 00:10:22,231 --> 00:10:24,126 Even the Buddha did not have it 271 00:10:25,031 --> 00:10:26,111 What he does 272 00:10:26,111 --> 00:10:29,927 is what you need to do Return to the breath 273 00:10:29,952 --> 00:10:30,786 Notice your thoughts 274 00:10:31,111 --> 00:10:33,939 Choose again in every moment 275 00:10:34,164 --> 00:10:35,939 This will disappoint some people 276 00:10:36,164 --> 00:10:38,779 because there is no trophy you win once and keep forever 277 00:10:39,245 --> 00:10:41,779 But it will be a relief to others 278 00:10:42,005 --> 00:10:45,240 because you need not worry about when you will finally awaken 279 00:10:45,644 --> 00:10:48,019 You only need to do what is here right now 280 00:10:48,365 --> 00:10:49,779 Awakening is not somewhere far away 281 00:10:49,924 --> 00:10:53,608 It is the act of willingly returning to your breath right now 282 00:10:53,761 --> 00:10:54,560 All right 283 00:10:54,794 --> 00:10:57,748 If those first two layers The perspective of the buffalo boy 284 00:10:57,753 --> 00:11:01,248 and the Buddha who keeps awakening are insights into the content 285 00:11:01,353 --> 00:11:03,833 then the deepest secret of Old Path White Clouds 286 00:11:03,834 --> 00:11:05,488 lies in the writing itself 287 00:11:05,741 --> 00:11:06,189 What do I mean 288 00:11:06,873 --> 00:11:09,409 Only on my third reading of Old Path White Clouds 289 00:11:09,473 --> 00:11:10,848 did I realize something 290 00:11:10,993 --> 00:11:11,909 The language of this book 291 00:11:12,194 --> 00:11:13,597 is profoundly quiet 292 00:11:13,903 --> 00:11:15,957 It does not heighten dramatic conflict 293 00:11:16,263 --> 00:11:18,037 When the Buddha faces his enemies 294 00:11:18,143 --> 00:11:20,118 there are no dazzling inner monologues 295 00:11:20,422 --> 00:11:23,518 People insult him frame him and try to kill him 296 00:11:23,783 --> 00:11:27,542 Thich Nhat Hanh simply writes Someone insulted him 297 00:11:27,542 --> 00:11:28,378 He heard it 298 00:11:28,623 --> 00:11:29,758 He did not respond 299 00:11:29,930 --> 00:11:30,730 That is all 300 00:11:31,062 --> 00:11:34,118 There is no description of an unruffled heart 301 00:11:34,263 --> 00:11:36,018 Because if you write unruffled 302 00:11:36,342 --> 00:11:39,537 you already assume there are ripples to be calmed 303 00:11:40,062 --> 00:11:41,758 Thich Nhat Hanh makes no such assumption 304 00:11:41,903 --> 00:11:43,738 He simply writes He heard it 305 00:11:43,942 --> 00:11:45,118 He did not respond 306 00:11:45,422 --> 00:11:47,597 When the Buddha walks he walks 307 00:11:47,623 --> 00:11:49,797 When he eats he eats 308 00:11:49,983 --> 00:11:52,878 When he faces death he faces death 309 00:11:53,143 --> 00:11:55,597 The language is as plain as a glass of water 310 00:11:56,182 --> 00:11:59,238 But something strange happens As you read 311 00:11:59,302 --> 00:12:00,478 your mind slows down 312 00:12:00,823 --> 00:12:02,118 This is no coincidence 313 00:12:02,542 --> 00:12:06,078 Thich Nhat Hanh uses the words themselves as a mindfulness practice 314 00:12:06,502 --> 00:12:07,958 When he wrote this book 315 00:12:08,103 --> 00:12:11,517 every sentence emerged from a meditative state 316 00:12:11,743 --> 00:12:14,598 He would not use emotionally charged adjectives 317 00:12:14,743 --> 00:12:17,838 because they would disturb the breathing rhythm of the reader 318 00:12:18,103 --> 00:12:20,877 He would not use complex clauses 319 00:12:20,943 --> 00:12:24,157 because complex syntax would scatter their attention 320 00:12:24,502 --> 00:12:28,438 He uses the simplest slowest steadiest sentences 321 00:12:28,502 --> 00:12:29,757 one after another 322 00:12:29,823 --> 00:12:31,917 to slow the breathing of the reader 323 00:12:32,302 --> 00:12:33,757 The act of reading this book 324 00:12:33,823 --> 00:12:36,797 is itself an act of letting the book regulate your breath 325 00:12:37,463 --> 00:12:39,277 This is something other biographies of the Buddha 326 00:12:39,302 --> 00:12:42,917 cannot achieve They talk about the Dharma 327 00:12:42,983 --> 00:12:45,397 Old Path White Clouds embodies the Dharma 328 00:12:45,542 --> 00:12:47,037 The writing itself is a path of practice 329 00:12:47,542 --> 00:12:50,017 A book written at the pace of walking 330 00:12:50,542 --> 00:12:52,078 That is why I say 331 00:12:52,103 --> 00:12:55,222 its greatest achievement is not what it says 332 00:12:55,223 --> 00:12:56,517 but how it says it 333 00:12:56,662 --> 00:13:00,757 Its form carries the very content it wants to convey 334 00:13:00,983 --> 00:13:03,718 You need not understand a single Buddhist concept 335 00:13:03,743 --> 00:13:05,222 Simply by reading this book 336 00:13:05,223 --> 00:13:08,713 your mind has already been recalibrated 337 00:13:09,178 --> 00:13:09,693 At this point 338 00:13:09,938 --> 00:13:11,217 we can answer 339 00:13:11,218 --> 00:13:14,713 the question at the beginning Why did this book 340 00:13:14,737 --> 00:13:16,933 become the leading introduction for Chinese readers 341 00:13:17,857 --> 00:13:18,872 The first reason 342 00:13:19,017 --> 00:13:22,593 The buffalo boy perspective puts you on the same level as the Buddha 343 00:13:22,698 --> 00:13:24,392 removing the distance of looking up at him 344 00:13:24,578 --> 00:13:25,632 The second reason 345 00:13:25,737 --> 00:13:29,433 A Buddha who keeps awakening dispels the despair of thinking you cannot do it 346 00:13:29,698 --> 00:13:30,532 The third reason 347 00:13:30,897 --> 00:13:32,713 The writing itself is meditation 348 00:13:32,777 --> 00:13:34,553 Reading it is practicing 349 00:13:34,818 --> 00:13:36,176 Together these three things 350 00:13:36,178 --> 00:13:40,764 form a combination no other biography has achieved all at once 351 00:13:41,070 --> 00:13:44,284 But there is a deeper question Why did this task 352 00:13:44,310 --> 00:13:46,165 have to fall to Thich Nhat Hanh 353 00:13:46,190 --> 00:13:49,024 rather than any traditional Buddhist authority 354 00:13:49,909 --> 00:13:51,764 Let us consider a counterfactual 355 00:13:52,349 --> 00:13:55,845 If a senior master of Chinese Buddhism wrote this book 356 00:13:55,950 --> 00:13:57,305 could he give it the same quality 357 00:13:57,830 --> 00:13:58,925 Almost certainly not 358 00:13:59,257 --> 00:13:59,744 Why 359 00:14:00,470 --> 00:14:01,829 Because Chinese Buddhism 360 00:14:01,830 --> 00:14:03,744 has a deeply rooted tradition of classifying teachings 361 00:14:04,269 --> 00:14:06,945 Which scriptures are ultimate and which are expedient 362 00:14:07,190 --> 00:14:11,508 Which schools are highest and which are elementary This tradition 363 00:14:11,509 --> 00:14:14,445 could lead a Chinese Buddhist master writing about the Buddha 364 00:14:14,590 --> 00:14:19,071 to unconsciously make him a spokesman for one particular position 365 00:14:19,456 --> 00:14:22,250 What if a Theravada elder wrote it 366 00:14:22,736 --> 00:14:26,630 He might emphasize austerity discipline and strictness 367 00:14:26,976 --> 00:14:29,451 The tenderness and human warmth of the Buddha 368 00:14:29,736 --> 00:14:31,895 and his delicate interactions with ordinary people 369 00:14:31,895 --> 00:14:32,951 might receive less attention 370 00:14:33,295 --> 00:14:35,491 What if a Tibetan lama wrote it 371 00:14:35,895 --> 00:14:40,430 He might insert Vajrayana esoteric explanations at every key moment 372 00:14:40,535 --> 00:14:42,876 turning the book into another tantra 373 00:14:43,761 --> 00:14:47,280 But what makes Thich Nhat Hanh unusual is that he was 374 00:14:47,281 --> 00:14:50,256 shaped by three identities at once 375 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,896 He came from Vietnamese Lam Te Zen 376 00:14:52,921 --> 00:14:55,239 a branch of the Chinese Chan tradition 377 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:56,416 So he understood Zen 378 00:14:56,801 --> 00:14:58,575 He spent forty years in exile in the West 379 00:14:58,641 --> 00:15:02,215 and engaged deeply with Christianity Judaism and psychology 380 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,416 So his language could speak to modern people 381 00:15:05,921 --> 00:15:07,080 He was Vietnamese 382 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:10,975 Culturally he stood outside the authority of Chinese Buddhism 383 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,215 and outside the authority of Indian Theravada 384 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,354 He occupied a very unusual position as an observer 385 00:15:17,619 --> 00:15:20,195 More importantly he was an exile of the Vietnam War 386 00:15:20,580 --> 00:15:21,894 What did that identity mean 387 00:15:22,300 --> 00:15:24,675 It meant he had witnessed immense suffering 388 00:15:24,820 --> 00:15:26,675 He knew that a real Buddha 389 00:15:26,700 --> 00:15:30,475 could not be a distant idol untouched by everyday life 390 00:15:30,779 --> 00:15:31,815 He needed a Buddha 391 00:15:32,060 --> 00:15:33,699 who could accompany ordinary Vietnamese people 392 00:15:33,700 --> 00:15:35,955 through the flames of war 393 00:15:36,580 --> 00:15:38,339 So in Old Path White Clouds 394 00:15:38,340 --> 00:15:42,914 the gentle equal Buddha who returns to the breath in every moment 395 00:15:43,100 --> 00:15:45,014 was not invented by Thich Nhat Hanh 396 00:15:45,379 --> 00:15:47,692 He found him in his own life 397 00:15:48,038 --> 00:15:49,613 Let me take this one step further 398 00:15:49,878 --> 00:15:52,773 Thich Nhat Hanh finished the book in 1987 399 00:15:52,878 --> 00:15:54,972 The English edition appeared in 1991 400 00:15:55,038 --> 00:15:58,373 The Chinese translation by Ho Hui Yi brought it to Chinese readers 401 00:15:58,597 --> 00:16:00,312 What kind of time was 1987 402 00:16:00,917 --> 00:16:02,733 The Vietnam War had ended just twelve years earlier 403 00:16:02,797 --> 00:16:04,812 The Cold War between East and West was still ongoing 404 00:16:04,998 --> 00:16:06,277 People in that era 405 00:16:06,278 --> 00:16:09,572 needed spiritual resources to heal the wounds of war 406 00:16:09,638 --> 00:16:12,613 Thich Nhat Hanh wrote Old Path White Clouds to address 407 00:16:12,677 --> 00:16:15,993 the fractured spirit of that time Ideological division 408 00:16:16,317 --> 00:16:20,351 religious extremism and the loss of trust between people 409 00:16:20,535 --> 00:16:21,251 But do you know something 410 00:16:21,535 --> 00:16:23,790 Today in 2026 411 00:16:23,895 --> 00:16:27,334 this book is needed in a way it could never have anticipated 412 00:16:27,336 --> 00:16:29,251 What is the scarcest thing in our time 413 00:16:29,616 --> 00:16:32,991 Not knowledge In the age of AI knowledge is overwhelmingly abundant 414 00:16:33,456 --> 00:16:35,790 What is scarce is the ability to slow down 415 00:16:36,015 --> 00:16:39,030 Algorithms have shattered our attention into tiny particles 416 00:16:39,135 --> 00:16:41,375 Screens pull our breathing along 417 00:16:41,376 --> 00:16:43,831 Notifications drive our emotions 418 00:16:43,976 --> 00:16:45,831 We are not being torn apart by war 419 00:16:45,856 --> 00:16:48,061 We are being scattered by a flood of information 420 00:16:48,526 --> 00:16:51,380 When Thich Nhat Hanh wrote this book in 1987 421 00:16:51,526 --> 00:16:56,140 he addressed war trauma the pain of exile and conflicts between East and West 422 00:16:56,365 --> 00:16:57,401 But the same medicine 423 00:16:57,725 --> 00:16:59,661 today in 2026 424 00:16:59,686 --> 00:17:03,421 has become a remedy for the fractured soul of the digital age 425 00:17:03,806 --> 00:17:07,421 Reading Old Path White Clouds may be more urgent today than it was then 426 00:17:07,725 --> 00:17:09,021 Because people in that era 427 00:17:09,046 --> 00:17:11,461 at least still breathed in a continuous rhythm 428 00:17:11,485 --> 00:17:13,900 Their attention still had a coherent shape 429 00:17:14,285 --> 00:17:15,445 For us today 430 00:17:15,446 --> 00:17:17,821 simply reclaiming our attention 431 00:17:17,886 --> 00:17:20,021 is something we have to learn again 432 00:17:20,366 --> 00:17:22,340 When this book was published 433 00:17:22,406 --> 00:17:24,700 it was a remedy for people scarred by war 434 00:17:25,325 --> 00:17:26,180 Today 435 00:17:26,205 --> 00:17:29,221 it is a remedy for souls fractured by the digital age 436 00:17:29,406 --> 00:17:30,080 The same medicine 437 00:17:30,325 --> 00:17:31,680 treats the illnesses of two eras 438 00:17:31,906 --> 00:17:32,500 At this point 439 00:17:32,706 --> 00:17:34,240 I want to leave you with a question 440 00:17:34,825 --> 00:17:37,081 Perhaps the most unsettling question of this episode 441 00:17:37,545 --> 00:17:39,440 If the power of Old Path White Clouds 442 00:17:39,506 --> 00:17:42,081 lies in helping us see the Buddha himself 443 00:17:42,305 --> 00:17:44,240 and we can see him 444 00:17:44,265 --> 00:17:48,265 because Thich Nhat Hanh removed the miraculous trappings then 445 00:17:48,265 --> 00:17:50,561 are all the Buddhist scriptures we read today 446 00:17:50,706 --> 00:17:53,381 seen through a filter we have made ourselves 447 00:17:54,025 --> 00:17:55,680 When we read the Diamond Sutra 448 00:17:55,746 --> 00:17:57,344 are we reading the scripture 449 00:17:57,345 --> 00:17:59,740 or the interpretations added by generations of commentators 450 00:18:00,625 --> 00:18:02,081 When we read the Heart Sutra 451 00:18:02,105 --> 00:18:04,801 are we reading what Avalokiteshvara intended 452 00:18:04,865 --> 00:18:08,301 or what our cultural habits tell us we should find there 453 00:18:08,986 --> 00:18:10,640 If over twenty five hundred years 454 00:18:10,746 --> 00:18:13,720 the Buddha has been wrapped in layer upon layer 455 00:18:13,746 --> 00:18:15,064 could the Dharma 456 00:18:15,065 --> 00:18:17,541 have been wrapped in layers too 457 00:18:17,986 --> 00:18:20,465 If we want to see the Dharma as it originally was 458 00:18:20,466 --> 00:18:22,064 do we also need 459 00:18:22,065 --> 00:18:24,700 to do what Thich Nhat Hanh did for the Buddha 460 00:18:25,065 --> 00:18:27,281 and remove everything that does not belong to it 461 00:18:27,345 --> 00:18:29,109 one layer at a time 462 00:18:29,873 --> 00:18:31,808 There is no ready made answer to this question 463 00:18:31,913 --> 00:18:32,468 But I think 464 00:18:32,754 --> 00:18:34,548 this is precisely why Old Path White Clouds 465 00:18:34,873 --> 00:18:36,228 became the leading introductory book 466 00:18:36,633 --> 00:18:38,869 It does not merely show what the Buddha was like 467 00:18:39,113 --> 00:18:41,189 It shows us how to see 468 00:18:41,714 --> 00:18:44,409 Once you learn to see the Buddha through the eyes of a buffalo boy 469 00:18:44,433 --> 00:18:48,208 you may learn to see every Buddhist scripture through those same eyes 470 00:18:48,433 --> 00:18:52,169 Then you are no longer reading the Dharma as retold by others 471 00:18:52,193 --> 00:18:55,609 You are seeing it anew through your own eyes 472 00:18:55,833 --> 00:18:57,369 Perhaps that is 473 00:18:57,393 --> 00:19:00,149 the greatest gift Thich Nhat Hanh gave Chinese readers 474 00:19:00,474 --> 00:19:02,449 He did more than write a good book 475 00:19:02,514 --> 00:19:05,605 He gave us a new way of seeing 476 00:19:06,606 --> 00:19:07,368 What do you think 477 00:19:07,555 --> 00:19:08,062 about this episode 478 00:19:08,505 --> 00:19:09,704 Have you read Old Path White Clouds 479 00:19:10,111 --> 00:19:12,259 Which detail moved you the most 480 00:19:12,737 --> 00:19:13,390 If you have not read it yet 481 00:19:13,686 --> 00:19:14,595 would you like to give it a try 482 00:19:15,073 --> 00:19:16,054 For the next episode 483 00:19:16,241 --> 00:19:17,003 what would you like to see 484 00:19:17,446 --> 00:19:18,883 Let me know in the comments 485 00:19:19,088 --> 00:19:19,703 I am Leo Wang 486 00:19:19,928 --> 00:19:20,896 See you next time