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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 25

Ven. Kai Lv teaches in Ireland every year. In March 2019, Ven. Kai Lv addressed Ven. Kai Lv led an outdoor meditation session
The picture depicts him leading a one-day teenage students from Klang Coast Buddhist in Ireland as part of a two-day meditation
meditation retreat in October 2023. Association at Buddha Sasana Foundation retreat in 2019.
retreat centre.

As you have learnt meditation High School, which I attended. I learn from them. I was impressed
from multiple teachers, and the got a bad first impression when and intrigued by Thich Nhat Hanh’s
teachings come in many flavors, his students took out violin talk, but I was not sure whether he
how do you integrate these and guitar, but they began the practiced what he preached. Thus, I
seemingly different approaches? Namo’valokiteshvaraya chant using decided to spend some time at Plum
the musical instruments, then only Village, France, to observe him.
There is a saying in Malaysia that I realized that music was their About 3 months later, I concluded
says “Campurlah, lebih enak!”, skilful means to deliver teachings that he was a great teacher and he
which means “let’s mix (the food) to the audience in the most practiced what he taught, so I was
together, it will be more delicious!” effective manner. determined to learn from him.
Every sentient being has different
capacities and we all enter the path It was my first time hearing about I spent 8 years at Plum Village, and
differently. The Buddha is very the teaching of mindfulness from a I was very lucky to have studied and
intelligent and adaptable to his Mahāyāna monk, and his teaching learnt very closely from Thầy during
audience, which is why there are was practical, in which mindfulness my first 4 years there between
84,000 gates in Buddhism. I learnt can easily be applied in our 2010 to 2014. I stayed on to live and
from each teacher and absorbed daily lives. He also emphasized learn together with the Plum Village
their essence of teaching, which on collective mindfulness and Sangha for the next 4 years.
gives me many tools under my belt, collective awakening, which
and this allows me to use the most demonstrated his compassion Every spiritual journey comes
suitable one according to each towards other sentient beings. with challenges. Can you share
sentient being’s need. any personal challenges you’ve
Some years ago when I was in India, faced in your practice and how
Can you share a bit about your I met the 17 Karmapa without did you navigate them?
th
personal journey in embracing the any prior arrangement; I think he
Plum Village tradition? was only 19 years old. I remember I spent 3 years at Pa-Auk Forest

asking him to recommend some Monastery in Mawlamyine, Burma
In September 2010, Thich Nhat good Vajrayāna teachers, and to learn meditation from Ven.
Hanh and the Plum Village Sangha he adviced me to search online. Pa-Auk Sayadaw. I practiced very
came to Malaysia to conduct a He made a very important point hard, and I had Dharma interview
mindfulness retreat in Negeri though: if you find a teacher who with Sayadaw every day. However,
Sembilan. He then went north to practices what he preaches, then he I did not see any progress in my
Penang to give a talk at Phor Tay or she is a good teacher, and you can cultivation, and I was extremely