If we have happiness, we must also have sadness, and vice versa. If we have a right side, we must also have a left side.
Interbeing and Pairs of Opposites
Thich Nhat Hanh uses the term Interbeing (or inter-are) to describe the fundamental interconnectedness of all phenomena. Nothing can exist alone; everything must "inter-be" with everything else. The idea of pairs of opposites—like happiness and suffering, birth and death, above and below, or left and right—is a primary way he illustrates this principle.
- The Analogy of the Left and Right: Your example of the right and left side of a piece of paper (or a hand) is one of his most common and clearest illustrations.
- The right side of a sheet of paper cannot be separated from the left side. If you remove the right side, the left side also ceases to be as you conceived it—the whole is destroyed.
- Similarly, your left hand cannot exist without a right hand (or the concept of right). They define each other and are parts of the same whole (your body). They are not enemies; they rely on each other to manifest.
- The Analogy of the Lotus and the Mud: This is perhaps his most famous illustration for the happiness/suffering pairing.
- A beautiful lotus flower cannot grow without the mud. The mud is not something to be avoided, but the very substance that nourishes the lotus.
- In the same way, happiness is not possible without suffering (or ill-being). Our experience of suffering allows us to recognize, cherish, and cultivate happiness. Without the contrast of sadness, the concept of happiness would lose its meaning and depth.
Suffering as the Ingredient for Happiness
Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that we often try to pursue happiness by desperately trying to avoid suffering, which is a futile and counterproductive effort.
- The Art of Suffering: He emphasizes that the "art of happiness" must also be the art of knowing how to suffer well. If we acknowledge, embrace, and look deeply into our suffering (the "mud") with mindfulness, we gain the understanding and compassion necessary to transform it into happiness and joy (the "lotus").
- Non-Duality: This entire teaching leads to the Buddhist principle of non-duality. It means going beyond the conceptual trap of seeing things as separate, independent, and opposing extremes. When we realize that suffering and happiness are not two separate things but are deeply connected, the attachment to one and the aversion to the other lessen, leading to liberation and a more complete, peaceful experience of life.
