Vietnamese Buddhist leader, author and peace advocate the Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh kicked off his second visit to Korea with a press conference yesterday, reiterating his firm belief that inner peace can be translated into world peace.
When asked about the impending U.S.-led war with Iraq and the tensions on the Korean peninsula, the 77-year-old anti-war activist monk said, "I'm not a politician, just a practicing monk. But war and peace is a subject of meditation. If we have internal peace, we can promote peace around us."
Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh said that with 25 years of sharing Buddhism with the West, much has been learned about how to fit Buddhist teachings with the Western mentality and way of life.
"We have the conviction that peace is possible in oneself, in groups of people and between nations as well," he said. "We have learned that in order to serve the cause of peace, you must have peace in self. Political leaders like George Bush and Tony Blair are trained in politics but not in inner peace."
He advocates adding a spiritual dimension to political life. "If we are full of anger and fear, our policies will lead our country into difficult situations," he explained.
Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh said he believes the situation between the United States and the Middle East, and between South and North Korea is due to fear and uncertainty.
"We must support our political leaders," he said. "They should not be fearful but look at things with a peaceful mind. Both sides believe they are on the side of God and that the other side is evil."
He added that America and Iraq do not recognize that if one side suffers, so will the other. "If America starts a war, it will come back to America very soon in many kinds of forms."
Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh explained that Buddhism is the practice of awakening. "If you are mindful that war will be harmful, this is enlightenment, and we should help others to realize this."
He has made the case that there is a profound relationship between inner peace and world peace, saying, "When you drop bombs on your enemy, you drop them on yourself, on your own country."
With regard to the current situation facing the two Koreas, he said that every citizen of North and South Korea should wake up to the fact that they are brothers from the same mother.
"The practise of brotherhood is possible even with nuclear weapons in the North and American soldiers in the South," he said. "My humble proposal for South Korea is that it make it very clear, using simple language of love and kindness, of two things: that you are my brother and I will not fight. I will protect you."
"That is not just a political statement but a statement for daily life," he said.
Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh stated that a restoration of genuine communication between the South and North is a first priority, in order to alleviate the fear the two sides harbor. North Korea, he said, spends great deals of money on nuclear weapons when their people are starving for this reason.
He indicated that the summit in the summer of 2000 between the two Koreas was "wonderful," adding both sides should meet every year in a similar fashion to discuss reunification.
"Don't hurry with political reunification but start with the peaceful hearts of the people. If so, we shall have peace," he said.
Over the next few weeks, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, who is here at the invitation of Myung Jin Publications and the Green Foundation, will be giving lectures to the monks and nuns, business leaders and the public, spreading his form of "engaged Buddhism," including a message of peace for the divided Korean peninsula, awakening and wisdom, and a spirituality that transcends divisions.
Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh will hold a peace forum titled "Spiritual Reflections on War and Peace" today at 5 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel, in downtown Seoul. Tomorrow he will give a public lecture at the COEX Convention Hall in southern Seoul, from 3 p.m., discussing themes from his bestseller "Anger." Themes from the book include learning to live in "the here and now" through mindfulness in everything one does, embracing anger and recognizing suffering in others.
He will also visit the Korean Buddhist temple of Silsang, give lectures in Busan March 25, and Daegu March 26, and practice his ascetic walking meditation at Saemangum, North Jeolla Province, March 28.
Upon returning to Seoul March 31, Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh will continue spreading his message of peace and compassion at a three-day lecture on "Everyday Mindfulness" at Dongkuk University, beginning at 7 p.m.