Shadowing Practice: Thich Nhat Hanh on Buddhist Essentials: What is Nirvana - Learn English Speaking with Video

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In Buddhism, we speak of Nirvana, which is the cessation of all suffering.
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Nirvana, first of all, it means the cessation, the extinction of all suffering.
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But our suffering comes from our wrong perceptions, avidya, misunderstanding.
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And that is why the practice of meditation, the practice of looking deeply,
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has the purpose of removing wrong perceptions from us.
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If we are able to remove our wrong perceptions,
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we will be able to be free from the afflictions and the sufferings that always arise from wrong perceptions.
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You have wrong perception on yourself and on the other, and the other has wrong perception on themselves and on you.
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And that is the cause of fear, of violence, of hatred.
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That is why trying to remove wrong perceptions is the only way to peace.
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And that is why Nirvana is first of all the removal of wrong perceptions.
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And when you remove wrong perceptions, you remove the suffering.
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And to meditate deeply, you find out that even ideas like a being and non-being,
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birth and death, coming and going are wrong ideas.
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If you can touch reality in depth,
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you realize that suchness, means the ultimate reality is free from birth,
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from dying, from coming, from going, from being, from non-being.
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That is why nirvana is first of all the removal of notions of ideas that serve the base of misunderstanding and suffering.
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If you are afraid of death,
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of nothingness, of non-being, because we have wrong perceptions on death and on non-being.
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The French scientist Lavoisier said there is no birth, there is no death.
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He just observed reality around him and come to the conclusion that rien ne se cre, rien ne se pe.
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When you look at a cloud, you think that the cloud as a being, and later on when the cloud becomes the rain,
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you don't see the cloud anymore and you say the cloud is not there, and you describe the cloud as non-being.
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But if you look deeply, you can see the cloud in the rain.
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And that is why it's impossible for a cloud to die.
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A cloud can become rain, or snow, or ice, but the cloud cannot become nothing.
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And that is why the notion of death cannot be applied to reality.
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There is a transformation, there is a continuation.
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But you cannot say that there is death, because in your mind, to die means from something, you suddenly become nothing.
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From someone, you suddenly become no one.
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And so the notion of death cannot apply to reality, whether to a cloud or to a human being.
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The Buddha did not die.
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The Buddha only continued by his Sangha, by his Dharma, and you can touch the Buddha in the here and the now.
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And that is why ideas like being born,
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dying, coming, and going, being and non-being should be removed by the practice of looking deeply.
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And when you can remove these notions, you are free and you have non-fear.
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And non-fear is the true foundation of great happiness.
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As far as fear is there in your heart, happiness cannot be perfect.
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And that is why Nirvana is not something that you get in the future.
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Nirvana is the capacity of removing wrong notions,
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wrong perceptions, which is the practice of freedom.
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Nirvana can be translated as freedom, freedom from views.
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And in Buddhism, all views are wrong views.
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When you get in touch with reality, you no longer have views,
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you have wisdom, you have a direct encounter with reality, and that is no longer called views.

Context & Background

In this enlightening dialogue, renowned Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh explores the profound concept of Nirvana in Buddhism. He emphasizes that Nirvana is not merely a distant goal but a state of freedom achieved through the cessation of suffering. Thich Nhat Hanh highlights the significance of understanding and removing wrong perceptions that lead to fear and affliction. Through deep meditation and mindfulness, one can touch reality and attain wisdom, thereby experiencing true happiness. This exploration not only deepens our understanding of Buddhist philosophy but also provides invaluable insights for English learners looking to enhance their language skills while engaging with meaningful content.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Cessation of suffering" - Refers to the elimination of pain and anguish in life.
  • "Remove wrong perceptions" - The act of correcting misunderstandings about oneself and others.
  • "True foundation of great happiness" - Understanding that real joy stems from a clear mind free from fear.
  • "Ideas like being and non-being" - Discussing complex philosophical concepts related to existence.
  • "Direct encounter with reality" - Engaging directly with what is true and real, beyond our assumptions.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique with this video, follow the steps below:

  1. Watch the video: Familiarize yourself with Thich Nhat Hanh's tone and pacing. Pay attention to his use of pauses and expressions.
  2. Listen actively: Use a shadow speech app to play small sections of the video repeatedly. Focus on understanding the content before trying to repeat it.
  3. Practice shadowing: As you listen to a segment, start to shadow speak by repeating aloud what you hear, mimicking the pronunciation and intonation as closely as possible.
  4. Break it down: If certain phrases are challenging, break them into smaller parts. Repeat each component until you feel comfortable before connecting them back together.
  5. Record and compare: Record your voice while shadowing and play it back to identify areas for improvement, focusing on clarity and fluency.

By incorporating this shadowing technique into your English speaking practice, you not only enhance your linguistic skills but also connect with the deeper messages of mindfulness and clarity found in Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. This dual approach will encourage profound learning and personal growth.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.