Sister Chân Đức

True Virtue

Sister Chan Duc has been a disciple of Thay since 1986. She became the first Western European woman to be ordained as a nun by Thay on November 10th 1988 in India. She received the Lamp Transmission to become a Dharma Teacher in 1990 and served as Director of Practice at Plum Village. She is the former abbess of the Green Mountain Dharma Centre in the USA. Sister Chan Duc has been on the board of directors for the Unified Buddhist Church since 1998.

She is a much-loved senior Dharma Teacher and traveled widely to lead meditation retreats, including in her ancestral land of England. She inspires many with her unique teaching style throughout the world. She was the Dean of Practice at the European Institute of Applied Buddhism in Germany and currently resides in Plum Village France.

Dharma Talks

Understanding Suffering, Compassion, and Interconnectedness

This Dharma Talk was recorded on the 12th of November 2023 in Upper Hamlet, Plum Village (France). It is the third talk of the Rains’ Retreat 2023 Sunday Talk series. 0:00: 🙏 Our sister discusses the power of collective energy and mindfulness in sending compassion to areas of need,…

Sr Chân Đức

November 12, 2023

Continuous Practice in our Daily Life

0:22: 🧘 The video discusses the uninterrupted practice of mindful breathing and steps, emphasizing the importance of staying present in the moment. 8:30: 🚶‍♂️ The video discusses the practice of walking meditation, its healing effects, and a story of rescuing refugees. 16:57: 🕊️ Our sister shares Thay’s experience of…

Sr Chân Đức

October 22, 2023

Vesak 2023: Honoring the Buddha Within

“Let the Buddha breathe, I don’t need to breathe”. Can we take refuge in our Buddha nature when times are hard? If we can manage to find some peace within, we become a solid refuge for ourselves, our loved ones and the world. this Dharma Talk was recorded on…

Sr Chân Đức

May 11, 2023

Sacred Synergy: Science and Spirituality Are Not Two Separate Things

In this enlightening talk offered by our elder sister, we will embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, learning the profound art of resting, healing, and meditating together. Guided by ancient wisdom and modern scientific insights, attendees will delve into the benefits of these practices, unraveling the intricate connections…

Sr Chân Đức

April 20, 2023

Simplicity, Love and Understanding

What is the spiritual meaning of Christmas in our times? In a society of consumerism where we can easily feel alienated, we are longing for an atmosphere of simplicity and love. If the most important element of Christmas is our brotherhood, sisterhood, and siblinghood, then how can we practice…

Sr Chân Đức

December 25, 2022

Peace in Your Heart

In the Sutra on the Eight Realizations of Great Beings, we read “the mind is always looking outside of itself and never feels fulfilled”. How can we overcome this constant running and come back to our true home? The obstacle to our peace of mind is our inability to…

Sr Chân Đức

December 11, 2022

Taking Care of the Mind with Right Thinking

Every moment can be a moment of applied mindfulness that helps us to understand ourselves better. In this first talk of the 2022 Rains Retreat, Sr. Chan Duc (“Sister True Virtue”) reminds us of the preciousness of having the opportunity to practice together for three months. As human beings,…

Sr Chân Đức

September 18, 2022

A Foundation for Safety and Peace

In this Dharma Talk offered on Mother’s Day, Sister Chan Duc (“True Virtue”), invites us to touch our unsafe and insecure feelings, especially with all that is happening in the world today. She then shares concrete practices that can help us generate a feeling of protection. We need to…

Sr Chân Đức

May 8, 2022

We Continue Always

In this final talk of the commemorative retreat to honor 49 Days of Thay’s passing, Sister Chan Duc (Sr. Annabel) teaches the practices of recognizing and cultivating our continuation bodies, to touch the our true nature of no-birth and no-death. Find out more about Sister Chan Duc.

Sr Chân Đức

March 13, 2022

Gatha for Eating meditation

Eating can be very joyful and a deep practice. It nourishes us not only physically but also mentally and spiritually. We can spend a moment to be grateful for all the conditions that support our life – our parents, Mother Earth and Father Sun, etc… By living happily and…

Sr Chân Đức

February 6, 2021

Hope In Action

“For me, hope is right now. We can realize the virtue of hope by dwelling in the present moment.” In this talk, offered on the eve of New Year’s Day 2021, Sister Chân Đức shares about the path of True Love, with the four elements of lovingkindness, compassion, joy,…

Sr Chân Đức

December 31, 2020

Taking Refuge in the Island within Ourselves

This talk was offered on 3rd December 2020. Where can we go to be truly safe in the most difficult moments? Do we know how to come back to that safe place and dwell there whenever we need? In the “Discourse on Taking Refuge in Oneself”, the Buddha encouraged…

Sr Chân Đức

December 17, 2020

Right View: Understanding the Roots of Our True Happiness

Which actions in our daily life nourish lasting happiness? Which of them contain seeds of suffering for ourselves and others? How can we understand this more clearly, and what does this have to do with the deepest fruit of mindfulness practice, Right View? In this talk, our respected elder…

Sr Chân Đức

November 1, 2020

Compassion is Non-Local

“Even if you don’t call yourself an environmentalist but you take good care of your body, then you are taking good care of Mother Earth. Some people say that they lose trust in their body when they become sick, but I gain trust in my body when I become…

Sr Chân Đức

April 26, 2020

Bodhicitta in Action

Talk in English given on September 22nd, 2019, in the Lower Hamlet of Plum Village. Sr Chan Duc (Sr True Virtue/Sr Annabel) gives a Dharma talk on bodhicitta (the mind of love and awakening), and taking care of Mother Earth. We have to cultivate the insight that Mother Earth…

Sr Chân Đức

September 22, 2019

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What is Mindfulness

Thich Nhat Hanh January 15, 2020

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