Thich Nhat Hanh on smile | Thay Biography

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh Biography

Thich Nhat Hanh is also called 'Thay' by his disciples. He is a Buddhist monk. He is the author of the book Peace is Every Step.

Thich Nhat Hanh was born on October 11, 1926. He started practising spirituality when he was just seven years old. He became a Buddhist monk at the young age of 16. At first, his parents won't allow him to be a monk, since they thought that it is very difficult to be a monk. But later his parents agreed.

Martin Luther King Jr was one of the important associates of Thay.

From 1966 to 2005, when the war between America and Vietnam broke. Thay was not allowed to enter his native land. He had to live in exile for 39 years in America. Thay also asked Martin Luther King junior to denounce the war. 

Thay is a practitioner of non-violence. He also preaches us to show compassion towards animals. 

Through his organisation 'Plum Village' Thay trains people to be happy. Therefore he asks everyone to smile. 

He says that there is no particular effort needed to smile, to enjoy.

Why Smile?

I was listening to one of his disciple's lectures. 

She says that when you wake up in the morning you should smile. Why? because life has brought you brand-new 24 hours. You should not waste even a single second of it being unhappy. 

This observation was carried out by Thich Nhat Hanh when he was just 16 years old. 

When Thay was just 16 years old he would write the word 'smile' on a piece of paper and tuck it in the upper front of the mosquito net, where he used to sleep. So that when he wakes up in the morning, the first thing he would practice is smiling.

Conditions for happiness are the obstacle to happiness

Many people think that if they achieve things according to their will, then only they can be happy. They strive hard to achieve those things, but they forget about happiness. 

Thich Nhat Hanh says that keeping any condition for being happy is an obstacle to happiness. Expressing happiness should be unconditional.

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