Dear Friends of the Pub Quiz,
Today I lament the passing of Thích Nhất Hạnh, the Vietnamese monk and author of more than 50 books, at least a half-dozen of which I have read. He founded what he coined “Engaged Buddhism,” as well as Plum Village in France, the largest Buddhist monastery in the west. When he nominated Hạnh for the Nobel Prize in 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called him “an Apostle of Peace and Nonviolence.”
Today the Dalai Lama of Tibet said this about Thích Nhất Hạnh: “In his peaceful opposition to the Vietnam war, his support for Martin Luther King and most of all his dedication to sharing with others not only how mindfulness and compassion contribute to inner peace, but also how individuals cultivating peace of mind contributes to genuine world peace, the Venerable lived a truly meaningful life.
“I have no doubt the best way we can pay tribute to him is to continue his work to promote peace in the world.”
In one of Thích Nhất Hạnh’s most famous books, titled Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life, he teaches readers how to infuse everything we do with mindfulness and compassion, whether it is taking a walk – “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet” – or planting lettuce:
“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.”
I have thought about this quotation often as a parent of a child with autism, a child who doesn’t always make wise choices. As Hạnh points out, it makes no more sense for me to blame my son Jukie for some odd or chancy behavior any more than it does to blame lettuce for not growing well. Perhaps there are some gardeners who swear at their harvests.
Whether we are people or lettuce leaves, during these winter months, we could probably all use more water and more sun. As Hạnh says, we could also use more understanding (for and from others) and more love. With regard to persuasion, I have often wondered how my own expressions (or personal example) of love might help people in my inner circles come to agree with me about some personal or political topic (such as the wisdom of protecting ourselves and our loved ones by vaccinating against harmful viruses, or the need to uphold just and democratic values) more so than any ingenious or self-righteous argument.
On this beautiful sunny Saturday, I am grateful for compassion-teachers such as Thích Nhất Hạnh. His teachings and philosophies have helped me weather adversities with greater equanimity and hope. As Hạnh says, “Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”
I hope that taking a moment to reflect on Hạnh’s kind words and his life of service helps to lighten some of your own burdens today.
Thanks to all my Pub Quiz subscribers, especially those who make significant investments in this enterprise, such as Quizimodo, The Outside agitators, and The Original Vincibles. I appreciate your support of my weekly trivia composition habit, and for these newsletters, and I’m glad to keep sharing the wealth with you on Patreon. This week’s Pub Quiz will feature questions on topics hinted at above, and on the following: gardening, cooking, tiny creatures, newspapers, six attempts, censures, California fruits, New Zealand monkey sanctuaries, histories, divisional opponents, short-term occupations, correspondents, world capitals, Star Wars facts, mysteries, cats, party blenders, fine mesh, cores, French inventors, uses, sisters, exasperations, launderers, gelato, weak tears, weather reports, seven seas, bat wielders, African nicknames, hospitals, stars who didn’t return, kiwifruits, web applications, current events, and Shakespeare.
Be well!
Dr. Andy
P.S. Here are three questions from last week’s quiz:
- Mottos and Slogans. Starting with the letter H, what is the name of the rowing machine company that uses the slogan “Live Outdoor Reality”?
- Internet Culture. In what decade did the video game character Mario first appear?
- Four for Four. Which three of the following are actual kinds of mint: American wild mint, corn mint, fox mint, watermint?
P.S. “The wave does not need to die to become water. She is already water.” Thích Nhất Hạnh