The Nine Prayers

The Nine Prayers by Thich Nhat Hanh

(Adapted for use in worship by Rev. Karen Thistlethwaite)

“This kind of prayer is also contemplation, meditation, and practice. It generates spirituality in every moment of our daily life.”

– Thich Nhat Hanh

May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.
May you be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.
May we be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

May I be free from injury.
May I live in safety.
May you be free from injury.

May you live in safety.
May we be free from injury.
May we live in safety.

May I be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.
May you be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.
May we be free from disturbance, fear, anxiety, and worry.

May I learn to look at myself with the eyes of understanding and love.
May you learn to look at yourself with the eyes of understanding and love.
May we learn to look at ourselves with the eyes of understanding and love.

May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.
May you be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in yourself.
May we be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in ourselves.

May I learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in myself.
May you learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in yourself.
May we learn to identify and see the sources of anger, craving, and delusion in ourselves.

May I know how to nourish the seeds of joy in myself every day.
May you know how to nourish the seeds of joy in yourself every day.
May we know how to nourish the seeds of joy in ourselves every day.

May I be able to live fresh, solid, and free.
May you be able to live fresh, solid, and free.
May we be able to live fresh, solid, and free.

May I be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.
May you be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.
May we be free from attachment and aversion, but not be indifferent.

Thich Nhat Han Online Resources

Thich Nhat Hanh Thoughts on Death

In his book, At Home in the World, published in 2016, Nhat Hanh addressed his inevitable death (in keeping with Vietnamese tradition, Thich, his last name, is often placed first). He wrote:

“This body of mine will disintegrate, but my actions will continue me… If you think I am only this body, then you have not truly seen me. When you look at my friends, you see my continuation. When you see someone walking with mindfulness and compassion, you know he is my continuation. I don’t see why we have to say ‘I will die,’ because I can already see myself in you, in other people, and in future generations.

Even when the cloud is not there, it continues as snow or rain. It is impossible for the cloud to die. It can become rain or ice, but it cannot become nothing. The cloud does not need to have a soul in order to continue. There’s no beginning and no end. I will never die. There will be a dissolution of this body, but that does not mean my death.

I will continue, always.”