Tài liệu Agape in the selected works of Thich Nhat Hanh: implication on Vietnamese students' values

i THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines AGAPE IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF THICH NHAT HANH: IMPLICATIONS ON VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ VALUES A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Graduate School Batangas State University Batangas City, Philippines In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major in English by NGUYEN THUY LINH 2015 ii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation entitled “AGAPE IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF THICH NHAT HANH: IMPLICATIONS ON VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ VALUES” prepared and submitted by NGUYEN THUY LINH in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy major in English has been examined and is recommended for Oral Examination iii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines ABSTRACT Title: AGAPE IN THE SELECTED WORKS OF THICH NHAT HANH: IMPLICATIONS ON VIETNAMESE STUDENTS’ VALUES Author: Nguyen Thuy Linh Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Major: English Year: 2015 Adviser: Maria Luisa A. Valdez, Ph.D. ______________________________________________________________ Summary This study analyzed agape as manifested in the selected literary pieces of Thich Nhat Hanh pointing out the events and situations which show the implications of the writer’s agape on noted Vietnamese students’ values. Likewise, this paper tries to present how the historical beginnings of agape in the Buddhist tradition; the virtues of loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity as the essence of agape; the virtues of peace, respect and service portrayed in the selected works; the social issues gleaned from the selections; and the implications of the writer’s agape on noted Vietnamese students’ values. iv THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines This study employed the qualitative method of research in analyzing the Thich Nhat Hanh’s concept of agape in the representative literary works chosen. Likewise, this analysis made use of the sociological, philosophical and historical approaches as the bases for analysis. In particular, the sociological and philosophical approaches are supported by Goseph Fletcher’s Situational Ethics and Peter Alber David Singer’s Utilitarian Theories. This paper also involved content analysis, which is a systematic technique in analyzing message content and message handling. The data analysis in this research centered on seeking and the extraction of meaning from Thich Nhat Hanh’s selected literary narrative or image data. Much effort was focused on the task of making notes through concepts and categories; altering or creating new codes due to the incorporation of a matrix; linking and combining abstract concepts; extracting the essence; organizing meaning; writing an understanding; and drawing conclusions. The essential features in the treatment of materials were considered by the researcher in the conduct of this study. The general rules cited by Stott (2014) as regards the seven standards a piece of literature such as universal appeal, permanence, suggestiveness, intellectually valuable, spiritually valuable, style and artistry should abide to in order to be considered literary v THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines guided in the selection of works under study. The representative literary works were analysed include: True Love: A Practice of Awakening the Heart, and Being Peace. The said selections were chosen because of the correlation between the aforecited themes, literary devices, the social issues particularly gleaned from the selections, which helped in unveiling the implications of the writer’s agape on noted Vietnamese students’ values. Findings of the study revealed that the historical root of agape can be traced back to the early days of Buddhism and is manifested in many teachings of the said religion. From the selected literary pieces, Thich Nhat Hanh elaborated on the Four Immeasurable Minds known as loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity as concrete expressions of man’s deepest love. Nhat Hanh underscored that when a group of people manifest the virtues of peace, respect and perform a kind of service as a practice, it creates an ecosystem that holds a space, allowing value to emerge organically. All of these indirect values, its ripple effect, have space and time to add up, synergize with other ripples, and multiply into something completely unexpected. There are social issues particularly focused and have affected the Vietnamese people. These include poverty, environmental degradation, war, vi THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines violence, social inequality and oppression. The implications of agape on noted Vietnamese students’ values can be discerned and distinguished from Nhat Hanh’s selected works. Students may glean insights on Buddha's words on the four immeasurables in ways that are deeply resonant for contemporary young readers as concrete expressions of men’s deepest love. vii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines ACKNOWLEDGMENT The researcher wishes to express her grateful appreciation of those, in one way or another, have helped make this humble work a reality. First and foremost, she wishes to thank Batangas State University and the Thai Nguyen University, for giving her the opportunity to finish this dissertation under their International Academic Cooperation Program. Dr. Dang Kim Vui, the President of the Thai Nguyen University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Assoc Prof. Dr. Dang Xuan Binh, Prof. Dr. Nguyen The Hung, the former Directors of the TNU International Training and Development Center, Dr. Hoang Thi Bich Thao, the current Director of TNU ITDC, Prof. Pham Viet Binh, the President of TNU of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Vu Duc Thai, the Vice President, Dr. Truong Ha Hai, the Dean of the Faculty of Basic Science, for their motivation and wisdom that helped hasten the completion of this study. Dr. Maria Luisa A. Valdez, the Dean of Colleges and Head of the Graduate School of the Batangas State University ARASOF Nasugbu Campus, the researcher’s dissertation adviser, for her constant encouragement, dedication, and inspiring character which motivated diligent research for the realization of this study. viii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Dr. Matilda H. Dimaano, the Chairman of the Panel of Examiners, for her thorough dissection and candid remarks that drew up the essential and relevant dimensions in this research. Dr. Amada G. Banaag, Dr. Felix M. Panopio, and Dr. Myrna G. Sulit, the Members of the Panel of Examiners, for their valuable suggestions and criticism which motivated conscientiously the researcher during the conduct of this study. Dr. Remedios P. Magnaye, the Recording Secretary and Ms. Le Quynh Anh, the ITDC Administrative Staff, for their words of encouragement and kind gestures. The writers whose works were included in this study for their emboldened wisdom in every page of this dissertation. The researcher’s colleagues and friends, all of whom generously gave their time, advice, and prayers. They made her realize the value of truth and principles about people and human experiences. The researcher is also very grateful for the wholehearted support and love that her husband, Do Ba Giang and her children, Do Thanh Thao, Do Thai Ha, and Do Gia Minh, along with her parents and brothers, have extended ix THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines during the writing process. They supported her high and low points that accompanied the realization of this paper. Nguyen Thuy Linh x THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines DEDICATION To my ever dearest husband, Do Ba Giang and my loving daughters, Do Thanh Thao, Do Thai Ha, and Do Gia Minh, who inspired me to search for the highest values in life, Nguyen Thuy Linh xi THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………................... i APPROVAL SHEET ………………………………………….................. ii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………................. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENT ……………………………………….................. vii DEDICATION ………………………………………………….................. x TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………................ xi LIST OF FIGURES ………………………………………….................... xiii CHAPTER I. THE PROBLEM Introduction ………………………………………….…..... 1 Statement of the Problem ………………………….….... 9 Scope, Delimitation and Limitation of the Study …...... 10 Significance of the Study ………………………………... 12 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Conceptual Literature ………………………………....... 15 Research Literature ………………………….………….. 45 Synthesis …………………………………………………. 56 xii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Theoretical Framework ……………………………… 59 Conceptual Framework..……………………………. 62 Definition of Terms …………………………………. 65 III. RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURE Research Methodology ……………………………. 69 Treatment of Materials ……………………………... 70 IV. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION …………….... V. 75 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary of Findings …..…………………………. 149 Conclusions …….…………………………………… 155 Recommendations …………………………………. 156 BIBLIOGRAPHY ……………………………………………………. 159 APPENDICES ………………………………………………………. 174 Summary of the Selections …………………………………. 175 CURRICULUM VITAE ……………………………………………… 178 xiii THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Title Conceptual Paradigm of the Study……………… Page 64 1 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduction That love plays a significant and inexorable role in diverse cultures is an undeniable fact. People of varied cultures can have a glimpse of it from movie shows, novels, plays, and songs. It is an exciting theme for young people and a relentless theme for the adults. Theoretically, the nature of love has not ceased to be the lifeblood of philosophy, generating theories ranging from the worldly notion of love as merely a physical occurrence to theories of love as an extremely spiritual affair that in its ultimate gives man the right to touch divinity. Evidently, love is generally understood with a wide array of meanings. The first facet of love is referred to as eros just as the Greeks knew of passionate, romantic love. It is viewed as an exulted and exquisitely idealistic love, typically between a woman and a man, and it leads to joy, laughter, children and family. This retells the fact that inner peace in a family results to outer peace in a country to help men in nurturing and maintaining this wondrous love in lives. Another aspect is philia which is all about enduring friendship, affectionate love, and family love. It is an embodiment of culture and beliefs. 2 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Therefore, philia pertains to soul love, and its power and value lies on the elevation of the soul of the holder. And finally, the highest type of love gained is agape, the paternal love of God for man and vice versa, but is drawn-out to include a brotherly love for all of the human race. It places the beloved first and sets aside self-interest, pride, and possessions for the welfare of that dearly loved one. Agape finds echoes in the principles of Kant and Kierkegaard, who emphasize the moral significance of showing neutral love to another individual through human presence in the abstract. A Vietnamese Zen monk named Thich Nhat Hanh who established the Engaged Buddhism movement, characterized agape in a selection of his works as the unconditional, selfless, sacrificial love, and the concern regarding the best interest and welfare of the other people irrespective of how those individuals make another person feel. Moreover, it is always perceived as the highest love wherein everyone frequently come across the four immeasurable such as loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, that extend and magnify the scope and quality of agape. Nevertheless, a closer look at the list of entries reveals the prominence of terms such as peace, respect, or service which may inspire Vietnamese people to adopt in order to live a meaningful life. 3 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines Thich Nhat Hanh’s agape, the outcome of his exhaustive study and wisdom of the principles of Buddhism, reflects the way of life of the Vietnamese. In his literatures, he was able to express how simple everyday actions can signify man’s compassion and concern not only for himself, not only for others, but for the entire world, and for all sentient beings. This advocate of love declared that individuals need to make an effort to rebuild their language by making use of words carefully. The word “love” is a wonderful word. People have to bring back what it means. Love is whole, deep and beautiful. Agape conveys true love which comprises the sense of responsibility, to agree to take another individual as he is, including all his strengths and weaknesses. Genuine love is not merely liking whatever is good in the beloved. It entails acceptance of the beloved’s weaknesses, and having the energy, patience and understanding to help him transform. Nhat Hanh emphasized that in order to acquire the four immeasurables, one must practice by means of meditation. Meditation is seeing into man’s peculiar nature and waking up. This Zen Buddhist master shows meditation by means of carefully focused breathing, by way of mindful walking, by vigilant attention to nature and the characteristics of things. Practicing mindfulness and 4 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines looking deeply into the characteristics of things is tantamount to discovering the exact nature of interbeing. This type of meditation is an integral part of the Buddhist route to awakening. Nhat Hanh, likewise, brings into Buddhism a new component of social consciousness. A lot of people may start meditating to find solutions for their own difficulties relative to the manner of manifesting loving-kindness, equanimity, compassion and joy and as well as service, respect and peace. Ultimately, mediation explains that personal solutions to these difficulties must include answers to society’s complications and vice versa. The center of such engaged Buddhism is the understanding that every individual is comprised of all the components which are not herself or himself. The rest of the people in the human civilization are within each one. Therefore, everyone shares responsibility with regard to the social conditions that produce every social evil. Engaged Buddhism imparts a cyclical process. By accepting the real nature of the self, individuals understand the real nature of civilization, then they make use of that enhanced understanding to acquire an even deeper understanding of themselves to gain an even more profound understanding of the society, and the cycle goes on. In the end, they gain an understanding that self and society do not exist separately. They are merely two ways of looking 5 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines at only one unified reality. Mindfulness of interdependence makes it instantaneously evident that each individual shares accountability for everything that happens and will happen. When people become aware of that responsibility, they are motivated to act to improve the condition. All of them are part of the same human progression, all propelled by the same processes. Altering that process means altering both the condition and the self. Meditation is seeing deeply into things, seeing how they can transform, and how they can change the situation. Transforming the situation means transforming their minds. Transforming their minds is also transforming the situation, since the situation is mind and the mind is also the situation. Delving deeper into the writings of this Zen Buddhist, one can discern the indicators and implications of agape as explained by the writer on specific Vietnamese students’ values. Based on the ideologies of compassion, lovingkindness, joy and equanimity, agape holds the same mark as that of the representative Vietnamese character: loving and caring, meek, and innocent of the malevolence of the modern world. Also, agape instills the significance of peace to the Vietnamese students’ thoughts. Peace pertains to a type of tranquility anchored on the value of deference for themselves, and for other 6 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines people or the spirit of respect for life, for the ecosystem and the environment which may directly affect their own lives. Moreover, Nhat Hanh likewise helps men become aware of the value of service. Service is said to be one of the ultimate tools, the sharpest sword, and the most flexible remedy for the destructive nature of war. By means of service to others, joy, compassion, love and equanimity mature in the lives of men. People may be able to overcome hatred and anger in the world. Most significantly, people understand and become aware of the real nature of things. All these can stop the occurrence of social issues in the youth in a multifaceted society. Based on the aforementioned, it can be established that the Vietnamese students can start by becoming aware of those virtues at home - that they have the beginnings of agape in the depths of their hearts and consciousness. They come to recognize that their minds and hearts are like a garden that houses all types of seeds: seeds of joy, seeds of respect, seeds of lovingkindness, seeds of compassion, seeds of peace, seeds of equanimity, and also seeds of service. They come to a realization that, anytime, they can react with either true love or violence, depending on how strong these seeds are, within them. The works of Thich Nhat Hanh take on a cape of sincerity and 7 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY Socialist Republic of Vietnam BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY Republic of the Philippines simplicity to prompt the Vietnamese, for the most part the students, to take time to breathe and rest from the complications of everyday life and to find simple happiness and joy in being agents of compassion and goodwill to others. Being a college instructor, the researcher has witnessed that the young age group in Vietnam particularly in Thai Nguyen has a preference for what is suitable even if it is not appropriate. The family values are gradually disappearing and day by day it looks as if more and more persons are starting to think more as an individual instead of a whole in the society. Instead of nurturing closer family ties and camaraderie among their fellow youth, individuals are slowly separating their own identity and virtually simulating a world wherein everything is made possible excluding true friendship and social values. Life is short and before he knows it, an individual is faced with the reality that he has spent much of his lifetime without really being able to manifest genuine love. He then comes to the rude awakening that he did not measure up to the great ideal of concern for others. It is imperative that people study agape because in this modern world, people become so preoccupied with work, technological gadgets, household