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Online Retreat Dharma Teachers
- PeopleSister Kính NghiêmSister Kính Nghiêm is one of the elder sisters at Deer Park Monastery, known for her sharp wit, independent spirit, and style. Born and raised in San Diego, she grew up in a deeply Buddhist household, where her mother, a devoted practitioner, woke the family each morning with the sound of sutra chanting and the rhythmic beat of the fish drum. Her connection to Thay (Thích Nhất Hạnh) began early—her grandmother in Vietnam secretly distributed his books when they were banned, and her mother attended every Vietnamese retreat he offered in the U.S., often bringing along a reluctant young Sister Kinh Nghiêm.Despite her early exposure to Buddhist teachings, she was far more interested in school, friends, and her childhood ambition of becoming a lawyer. However, at the age of 14, everything changed when she attended a Buddhist youth retreat led by Thay. Expecting boredom, she instead found herself captivated by his words, which cut through all distractions and made perfect sense to her. She realized that the teachings held the key to something profound—not just for herself, but for her friends, many of whom were struggling with drugs, depression, and violence. She saw the Dharma as a way to offer them another path.Within weeks of the retreat, Sister Kính Nghiêm had made the radical decision to ordain. Against the expectations of family, friends, and society, she left high school and traveled to Plum Village, France, where she received ordination in 1997, becoming one of the youngest monastics in the community. Over the decades, she has remained steadfast in her practice, navigating the inevitable challenges of monastic life with humor, resilience, and a deep sense of purpose.Known affectionately as "Sister Chicken" by children at the monastery, she brings a unique flair to the monastic path—often seen wearing a floppy hat, mirrored sunglasses, and carrying a woven basket. She embodies the teaching that monastic life does not require conformity but rather a deep authenticity. She encourages those interested in monastic life to let go of rigid expectations, embrace the unknown, and take full responsibility for their own journey.A Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, originally from Vietnam and a U.S. citizen, born in 1983. She entered monastic training in 1997 at the age of 14 and received the novice precepts on February 4, 1998, at Từ Nghiêm Temple – Plum Village, with the Dharma name Tâm Phật Chủng and the Dharma title Chân Kính Nghiêm. She belongs to the Cây Táo (Apple Tree) ordination family.She received full ordination on December 18, 2001, in the Kỷ Nguyên Mới (New Era) Great Ordination Ceremony.She is the 64th disciple of Thầy in the Plum Village lineage, the 43rd generation in the Lâm Tế (Linji) Zen tradition, and the 9th generation of the Liễu Quán Dharma branch.Read
- PeopleBrother Pháp DungBrother Chân Pháp Dung (Dharma Embrace) was ordained in 1998 as a monk in Plum Village France receiving the Dharma Teacher Lamp from Thầy in 2004. He is the former abbot of Deer Park Monastery in California from 2001 to 2010. He was born in Vietnam in 1969 and escaped as a refugee with his family to the US when he was nine years old. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, studied and received a degree in Architecture from the University of Southern California, and worked as an architect/designer for four years before becoming a monk. Br. Pháp Dung helped to establish Deer Park Monastery and other US centers, creating meditation programs and retreats for children, teens, families, and young adults, as well as planning its halls and infrastructures. He has led mindfulness retreats in North and South America, China, Hong Kong, India, Bhutan, and Germany.A Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, originally from Vietnam and a U.S. citizen, born in 1969. He entered monastic training in 1997 at the age of 28 and received the novice precepts on February 4, 1998, at Từ Nghiêm Temple – Plum Village, with the Dharma name Tâm Hòa Sắc and the Dharma title Chan Phap Dung. He belongs to the Cây Táo (Apple Tree) ordination family.He received full ordination on December 18, 2001, in the Đã Về Đã Tới Great Ordination CeremonyRead
- PeopleSister Đẳng NghiêmSister Đẳng Nghiêm, MD, (“Sister D”) immigrated to the United States at the age of seventeen with her brother. She earned a medical degree from the University of California – San Francisco. She was ordained as a nun in 2000 by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and given the name Dang Nghiem, which means adornment with nondiscrimination. She is the author of a memoir, Healing: A Woman’s Journey from Doctor to Nun (2010), and Mindfulness as Medicine: A Story of Healing and Spirit (2015). Her newest book, Flowers in the Dark, (2021) is a deeply thoughtful guidebook to healing trauma with mindfulness practice.A Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, originally from Vietnam and a U.S. citizen, born in 1968. She entered monastic training in 2000 at the age of 32 and received the novice precepts on May 18, 2000, at Từ Nghiêm Temple – Plum Village, with the Dharma name Tâm Phụng Hỷ and the Dharma title Chân Đẳng Nghiêm. She belongs to the Cây Bông Sứ (Frangipani Tree) ordination family.She received full ordination on January 9, 2003, in the Đã Về Đã Tới (I Have Arrived, I Am Home) Great Ordination Ceremony.She is the 106th disciple of Thầy in the Plum Village lineage. She belongs to the 43rd generation in the Lâm Tế (Linji) Zen tradition and the 9th generation of the Liễu Quán Dharma branch.Read
- PeopleBrother Mãn TuệThầy Thích Chân Mãn Tuệ, also known as Brother Insight, was born in Huế, Central
Vietnam, in 1985. At the age of 16, he was ordained as a Vietnamese Novice Buddhist
Monk in March 2002 at the root temple of Plum Village, Chùa Từ Hiếu, located in
Vietnam.Brother Man Tue became an aspirant at age 14, and ordained as a novice monk on 22, March 2002 (at age 16) in Plum Village's Root Temple, Chùa Từ Hiếu with lineage name: Tâm Hiếu, and Dharma Name : Mãn Tuệ (given by Root Teacher The Most Venerable Thích Chí Mậu who is Younger Brother in Dharma of Thầy , Zen Master Thich Nhất Hạnh.)
In 2006, he took a profound step by moving to Plum Village, France, where he continued
his dedication to the Buddhist path and received full Bhikshu ordination on December
18, 2006 in the Văn Lang Great Ordination Ceremony. He belongs to the 43 rd generation in the Lâm Tế (Linji) Zen tradition, and the 9th generation of the Liễu Quán Dharma Branch.
Since 2008, Thầy Thích Chân Mãn Tuệ has devoted his practice and teachings to Deer
Park Monastery in California. He received the Lamp from Thay, becoming a Dharma
Teacher in 2012 at Deer Park Monastery.
Dedicated to daily practice, he finds joy in Meditation and Qigong. Thầy Thích Chân
Mãn Tuệ extends his commitment to spiritual well-being by generously sharing Qigong
teachings with friends attending retreats at Blue Cliff
Monastery and Deer Park Monastery, where he currently resides.He received the Lamp transmission in February 2012 at Deer Park in the Tình Huynh Đệ (the
Brotherhood & Sisterhood) Great Ordination Ceremony.Read
- PeopleBrother Pháp LưuOrdained as a monk since December 13, 2003, Brother Chân Pháp Lưu (Brother Stream) received Transmission of the Lamp from Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh to teach in 2011. He helped start Wake-Up, the international movement for young people, as well as the Happy Farm, Plum Village’s organic farming community, and has been working with Wake-Up Schools since its inception in 2012 to bring mindfulness to schools. He has served as a monastic editor several of Thích Nhát Hạnh’s books including Happy Teachers Change the World, Stepping Into Freedom, Cracking the Walnut, The Admonitions and Encouraging Words of Master Guishan, and How to Focus. Brother Phap Luu leads mindful backpacking retreats in nature around Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California and recently co-authored a book with Brother Phap Xa called Hiking Zen.Brother Stream has been working lately with scientists at Dartmouth College and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to develop research on the effect of Plum Village mindfulness practices on children. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Thích Nhát Hạnh Center for Mindfulness in Public Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.He is the 201st disciple of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and belongs to the 43rd generation of the Lâm Tế lineage and the 9th generation of the Liễu Quán school.Read
