ZENNED OUT
The Reaper has seemingly declared open season on principled religious leaders, beginning with Archbishop Desmond Tutu late last year and Rabbi Israel Dresner in mid-January. Now it’s Buddhism’s turn with Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh achieving nirvana at the age of 95.
Noted as “the father of mindfulness”, Nhat Hanh advocated for a cautious approach to everyday activities. He spread his peaceful message outside of his homeland, prominently encouraging Martin Luther King, Jr. to speak out against the War in Vietnam. Dr. King was so inspired by Nhat Hanh’s example that he nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. Instead, the ‘Nam-related Nobel gong went to a so-called diplomat a few years later. The then-governments of North and South Vietnam were no fan of Nhat Hanh due to his stance on the war, and he was deemed persona non grata in both countries.
Nhat Hanh was unperturbed, still sharing his Engaged Buddhism around the world in the decades to come. He would largely make his home in France, where he founded the Plum Village Monastery in the 80s. It’s now the largest occidental Buddhist monastery. The Vietnamese government finally allowed him to return home in 2005.
He first landed on the DDP in 2015, picked by future champion Golden Slumbers after suffering a debilitating stroke in late 2014. He returned to the very temple where he first joined the monastery in 2018, where he resided for his remaining days. His subsequent years of serene frailty have finally concluded, and four teams benefit, including plum joker pickings for Perhaps’ Pointless Punts.
Thich Nhat Hanh
11 October 1926 – 22 January 2022, aged 95
4 TEAMS (💀💀💀💀💀 5 POINTS, 🃏 (x1) 10 POINTS)