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FACE TO FACE | EASTERN HORIZON 43
Love & Compassion
without Attachments
By Venerable Bhikshuni Chân Trai Nghiêm
Bhikshuni Chân Trai Nghiêm ( Benny: You are trained as a In Plum Village, even before I
釈尼真齋嚴) was ordained by violinist – are you able to express was ordained, as an aspirant,
Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh your musical talent now that Thay invited me to accompany
in 2009 and became a Plum you are a nun, or are monastics the monks and nuns’ chanting
Village Dharma Teacher in required to renounce all worldly with the violin. He was very
2020. Born in the USA and pursuits, including music? open minded and experimental.
spending her formative years in He often encouraged me to play
Yokohama, Japan, she relocated Trai: Our teacher, the late Thích the violin in different occasions
Nhất Hạnh, was a great artist in because he could see that music,
to Seattle, USA, at the age of
his own right. He was a poet, a when combined with the spoken
thirteen. Before joining the
playwright, composer, calligrapher, Dharma, could help people touch
monastic order in Plum Village,
and a gardener, and knew that art something even deeper than what
France, she worked as a concert
has the power to heal and transform words on their own could not. Thay
violinist for several years, individuals and society. During also taught us that for Buddhism
performing worldwide as a the war, Thay (meaning teacher in to thrive and to be rooted in the
member of the Mahler Chamber Vietnamese) supported many artists West, it needs to adapt to Western
Orchestra, among others. She who called for peace through their culture. Thus, he encouraged the
is also a certified yoga teacher artistic endeavors but were arrested monastics to compose traditional
and enjoys exploring creative and imprisoned. chants such as the Heart Sutra and
ways to share the Dharma, Mahamangala Sutta in the style of
cultivating harmony and healing Music has the power to touch Western spiritual music. Because
in body and mind. She has led people’s heart and transform our monastery is in France, Thay
mindfulness retreats in South consciousness and bring healing encouraged the monks and nuns
and North America, Europe, at a very deep level that words from Vietnam and other Asian
sometimes fail to do. Language is a countries to listen and study
and Asia and has helped publish
wonderful tool of communication, Western spiritual music, such as the
numerous works by Thích Nhất
yet at the same time, is also the Gregorian chant.
Hạnh in the Japanese language.
cause of division, dualistic thinking,
Benny Liow reached out to
and consequent suffering in the After ordaining as a nun, I continue
Bhikshuni Chân Trai to share her world. Music on the other hand, is to play all kinds of music with
thoughts with Eastern Horizon a universal language and has the different people, both lay and
on her life as a Buddhist nun and power to express what cannot be monastic, from young children to
how her professional training expressed in words. That is why professionally trained musicians,
as a musician can be integrated music has an important role in for different occasions. It is a joy to
into her spiritual life. most spiritual traditions around connect with others through music
the world. in the context of the mindfulness
retreats that we offer in our
