Maple Village Dharma Study, March 17, 2026 session
Assigned Reading: Con đã có đường đi by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (Don’t Miss the Opportunity for Enlightenment , Part 2)

What is enlightenment? What is interesting or valuable about it that we should not miss the opportunity?

In our early days toddling on the Buddha’s path, when we hear or read the word “enlightenment ,” we might immediately think of Sakya Muni. Sakya Muni is considered the Fully Awakened One (“Sammasambuddha”). The chant “Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa” is a praise of the Buddha, a being worthy of reverence and offerings for having reached complete enlightenment.

Is enlightenment beyond our reach? How do we grasp its meaning? Perhaps we have never dreamed of becoming completely enlightened. But as disciples of the Buddha, practicing according to his teachings, we have many opportunities to experience enlightenment and encounter the joy of life.

Enlightenment (in Vietnamese, “giác ngộ”) means to become aware (“giác”) and to understand (“ngộ”). It means to have a sudden moment of clarity that reveals the logic of a problem, its root cause. It means escaping from a perception that has trapped our minds in delusion, the prison of the Five Wrong Views (self-view/egoism; extreme nihilistic/eternalistic view; view that denies causality; stubbornly erroneous view; view that clings to useless precepts and prohibitions).

In this week’s assigned reading, we will learn about the Three Prostrations, a practice in the chapter “Don’t Miss the Opportunity for Enlightenment.”

First prostration: With my body touching the ground, I connect with my ancestors and descendants in both spiritual and blood kinships.

Second prostration: With my body touching the ground, I connect with all people and all beings that are alive with me at this moment

Third prostration: With my body touching the ground, I let go of the notions of form and lifespan, of life, of my circumstances and those of others.