Thich Nhat Hanh believes in understanding. It is for him the path to salvation and the goal of his religious practice. In Chapter Six of Living Buddha, Living Christ (pages 74ff), he argues that understanding brings liberation, compassion, transformation, understanding of others, and forgiveness. He writes, "Buddhist and Christian practice is the same—to make the truth available—the truth about ourselves, the truth about our brothers and sisters, the truth about our situation." Seeking this understanding, he says, "is the most serious work we can do." (page 82) Practice leads to understanding, understanding leads to deep insight into the nature of reality, and insight leads to salvation. And, apparently, salvation leads to better practice and still deeper understanding. The process isn't a straight line thing but rather a downward spiral beyond all categories or notions—toward Nirvana.
The key to it all is right understanding of oneself leading to right understanding of others and reality. Thich Nhat Hanh makes it clear in Living Buddha, Living Christ that the understanding he's talking about here is not mere head knowledge but something much deeper that grows from the experience of meditation. But, it is still understanding.
Christians have long divided themselves into two large camps, those who believe that faith precedes understanding and those who feel that faith proceeds from understanding. It's an old, old debate, and the problem with it is that in the real world faith all too often leads to ignorance rather than understanding; and understanding all too frequently turns into arrogance and sterility. Faith and understanding, belief and practice—these pairs can't be separated from each other. Our faith deepens our understanding while our understanding gives us deeper insights into our faith. They are like partners in an intricate dance where it really does "take two to tango." Amen.
