Transcription
One day in Upper Hamlet at Plum Village, I saw a young girl walking alone. And I had the feeling that she wasn't even a human being. She was like a ghost. Immediately, I knew she was one of the hungry ghosts in our society. She came from a dysfunctional family, from a place where they didn't even realize they were causing her pain. She came from a place where they were unable to give her what she needed or at least communicate with her. In the last 12 years, I have met several hungry ghosts like her. They have no roots and do not believe in their family. They are angry at their parents. They are angry at the society where they grew up. They are angry at the traditions within it. They would like to leave everything behind. And they are looking for something to belong to. They are looking for something in which there is beauty, something where there is goodness, something real, in which they can believe. Many such people come to our meditation center in Plum Village. It is very difficult to help such people. They have no roots. It is very difficult for them to accept teachings because it is not easy for them to trust. You have to do your best to gain their trust before you can help them. Our society functions in such a way that it produces tens of thousands of such hungry ghosts every day. They did not receive love from their parents, society, or the environment where they grew up. No one understood them. They are very hungry for love and understanding. And they are looking for something they can believe in. Hungry ghosts, even when they have such a large belly, have a very thin neck. Small as a needle, as described in sacred texts. Hungry ghosts have necks as thin as needles, so even if you have a lot to offer them, it is difficult for them to accept it. Even if you have enough food, plenty of water, plenty of love that you can offer, it is difficult for them to accept it. Because no one understood them. No one loved them. They are suspicious of everything and everyone. We have already helped a certain number of such hungry ghosts. We know how difficult it is. We know that we need each other to be able to help. We must reorganize our society in such a way that it stops producing more hungry ghosts. This is very important. We must learn deep insights to be able to understand these hungry ghosts. And stop blaming them. Because they never received understanding and therefore no love. Every person, in order to be happy and stable, needs at least two families. The first is the blood family, represented by father and mother, and the previous generations of ancestors. If your parents were happy with each other, they will be able to pass on the values of their ancestors to you. Love and trust that is within them in the form of seeds. And you will have roots in your blood family. If you have a good relationship with your parents, you will have a connection with your ancestors through your parents. But if you do not have a good relationship with your parents, you will be disconnected from all your ancestors. You will become a rootless person. And you will very easily become a hungry ghost. The second family is the spiritual family. It also has ancestors. And if the people who represent your tradition are not happy enough, if they have not had the good fortune and have not received enough gems from your tradition, then they will not be able to pass them on to you. They will not be able to understand you and your needs. Perhaps they will impose something on you that you do not want. Communication between you will then not be possible. You will suffer and want to get away from your tradition. And if you have a bad relationship with your rabbi, pastor, or priest, you will be disconnected from your spiritual ancestors. And you will become hungry ghosts. And when you have so much suffering within you, you will let the person you love suffer. And when you have children, they will suffer too. And they will also become hungry ghosts.