What is Interbeing?
Interbeing is a philosophical concept and contemplation practice that expresses the interconnectedness and interdependence of all phenomena. The term was coined by Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh to convey the notion that all things exist in a state of interconnected being, interwoven and mutually dependent. It describes the way all phenomena depend on and inter-exist with all other phenomena.
At its core, interbeing challenges the notion of separate, independent existence. There is no independent separate self—everything is empty of self-being and full of everything else, with everything depending for its existence on everything else. Thich Nhat Hanh illustrated this with his famous example: a sheet of paper contains the cloud (which brought rain to the trees), the logger, the sunshine, and countless other elements without which the paper could not exist.
“Interbeing” (French: Interêtre) represents the Buddhist principles of anatta (non-self), pratītyasamutpāda (dependent origination), and the Madhyamaka understanding of śūnyatā (emptiness). The concept translates ancient Buddhist metaphysics into accessible contemporary language, emphasizing ethical and environmental implications alongside spiritual insight.
Origins & Lineage
The English term “interbeing” was predated by its use in French and Vietnamese—it is a direct translation of the French word “Interêtre” and was referred to in Vietnamese as Tiếp Hiện. In Vietnamese, Tiếp means “being in touch with” and “continuing,” while Hiện means “realizing” and “making it here and now.”
On the full moon day of February 5, 1966, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh ordained six members into the Order of Interbeing—three men and three women ranging in age from twenty-two to thirty-two. The first six members were colleagues and students of Thich Nhat Hanh who worked with him relieving the suffering of war through projects organized by the School of Youth for Social Service. The Order of Interbeing was established in the Linji tradition of Buddhist meditative practice and emphasizes the Four Spirits: non-attachment from views, direct experimentation on the nature of interdependent origination through meditation, appropriateness, and skilful means.
The idea of interbeing is related to classic Mahayana Buddhist teachings such as emptiness and dependent arising, with predecessors in other East Asian Buddhist concepts, particularly the Huayan teachings of perfect interfusion (yuanrong, 圓融) or unobstructed interpenetration. In his book Understanding our Mind, Thich Nhat Hanh cites the Avatamsaka Sutra and the teachings of Huayan master Fazang as the sources for the teaching of interpenetration.
Plum Village, founded in 1982 in France by Thich Nhat Hanh, serves as a central location for the practice and learning of interbeing. In 1981, Nguyễn Anh Hùng, a microbiologist and lay meditation teacher, became the seventh member of the Order, and as of 2020, the Order of Interbeing had more than one thousand core members.
How It’s Practiced
Plum Village does not try to prove the truth of interbeing but instead emphasizes the importance of recognizing its truth through meditation (generating mindfulness, insight, and concentration)—understanding interbeing is essential for overcoming suffering and reaching enlightenment.
Practitioners engage with interbeing through several modalities:
Meditation and Contemplation: Practitioners cultivate direct insight into interconnection through mindfulness practices, observing how phenomena arise dependently. Looking deeply at objects—a piece of paper, food, one’s body—to recognize the non-self elements they contain.
The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings: Members of the Order of Interbeing follow the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings as ethical guidelines, engage in communal practices, and apply interbeing principles in their daily lives. The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings are a modern distillation of the traditional Bodhisattva precepts of Mahayana Buddhism, created by Thich Nhat Hanh in Saigon in 1966. These trainings address contemporary ethical issues including fanaticism, attachment to views, anger, consumption, and environmental protection.
Engaged Buddhism: Interbeing, as an integral part of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Engaged Buddhism, encourages practitioners to be actively engaged in the world and to improve it for the better, bringing meditative insights into activism and environmentalism.
Community Practice: Practitioners typically gather in sanghas (communities) to recite precepts monthly, support one another’s practice, and share experiences of living the teachings. The community comprising both monastics and laypeople engages deeply with the principles of interconnectedness and mindfulness, fostering a life that reflects awareness, compassion, and ethical living.
Interbeing Today
Interbeing has become a significant teaching within Western Buddhism and global spiritual communities. The tradition of Plum Village extends globally through various centers, each committed to promoting the understanding and practice of interbeing. Monasteries and practice centers exist in France, the United States, Germany, Hong Kong, and elsewhere.
Seekers encounter interbeing through:
- Retreats: Multi-day silent or guided retreats at Plum Village centers worldwide, where participants practice mindful walking, eating, sitting meditation, and dharma talks
- Books and Recordings: Thich Nhat Hanh’s accessible writings, particularly Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism (1987) and The Heart of Understanding
- Local Sanghas: Community practice groups in cities worldwide following Plum Village tradition practices
- Online Programs: Virtual dharma talks, guided meditations, and teachings from Plum Village monastics
- Mindfulness Days: Day-long introductory programs offered at practice centers
The concept has also resonated beyond Buddhist contexts, influencing discussions in ecology, systems thinking, psychology, and interfaith dialogue. Its emphasis on interconnection appeals to those concerned with environmental sustainability and social justice.
Common Misconceptions
Interbeing is not pantheism or “oneness” mysticism: While it teaches interconnection, interbeing does not claim that all things are literally one unified substance. Rather, it describes a web of causal relationships and mutual dependence. Phenomena remain distinct while lacking independent existence.
It is not a new Buddhist teaching: Interbeing is not a new Buddhist teaching, but it’s a useful way to talk about some very old teachings. The underlying doctrines of dependent origination, emptiness, and non-self have been central to Buddhism since its earliest texts.
It does not require belief: The teaching presents interbeing as an observable reality rather than a doctrine requiring faith. Practitioners are encouraged to investigate directly through meditation rather than accept it as dogma.
It is not merely poetic metaphor: While Thich Nhat Hanh used accessible poetic language, the teaching aims at a precise understanding of causality and the nature of phenomena, grounded in traditional Buddhist philosophy and aligned with ecological and systems perspectives.
Practice does not end with intellectual understanding: Recognizing interbeing conceptually is different from embodying it through sustained practice. The transformation sought requires ongoing meditation, ethical conduct, and community engagement.
How to Begin
For those interested in exploring interbeing:
Read: Start with Thich Nhat Hanh’s Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism (Parallax Press, 1987) or The Heart of Understanding: Commentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra. These provide clear explanations with practical applications.
Find a Sangha: Locate a local Plum Village practice community or Order of Interbeing sangha through plumvillage.org. Regular communal practice provides essential support.
Attend a Retreat: Visit a Plum Village practice center for a retreat—Plum Village France, Blue Cliff Monastery (New York), Deer Park Monastery (California), or one of the European or Asian centers offer immersive experiences.
Practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings: Before engaging with the more formal Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings, newcomers can begin with the Five Mindfulness Trainings—simplified ethical guidelines on reverence for life, generosity, sexual responsibility, loving speech, and mindful consumption.
Contemplate daily objects: Practice “looking deeply” at ordinary things—food, water, paper, your breath—to recognize the non-self elements they contain and the vast web of conditions that brought them into being.