Nuns and Monks of the EIAB

Bhikshu Thích Chân Pháp Ấn is one of the elder disciples of Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh. He received a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin in 1985. At the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), he received a Master of Science (MS) in Chemical Engineering in 1988 and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 1990. He was a Research Fellow at ARCO Oil and Gas Research Center in Plano, Texas and worked as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before being ordained as a novice monk in 1992. He received his Bhikshu Ordination in 1994 from the Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh at the (Hương Tích) Fragrant Mountain Great Ordination Ceremony in Plum Village, France. In February 1999, the Zen Master transmitted the Dharma Lamp to the Venerable Pháp Ấn. He had the honor to represent the Zen Master and the Plum Village tradition at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders organized at the United Nations headquarter in New York in 2000 and at the First World Buddhist Forum organized in Hangzhou City and Zhoushan City, Zhejiang Province, China, in 2006. He helped to negotiate with the Vietnam government for the Zen Master’s returning and teaching trip to Vietnam in 2005 after the master’s 39 years in exile in the West. In 2007 he helped to organize the Great Requiem Ceremonies to heal the wounds of the Vietnam War. In December 2014, together with Sr. Chan Khong, he had the honor of representing the Zen Master in the Vatican at the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders against Modern Slavery organized by Pope Francis. Since 1995, he has led many retreats worldwide by himself and with Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh. Since 2008 he is the Director and Dean of Studies at the European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB) in Germany. He helps many people to open their heart, to transform fear and other negative emotions. His research interests are in the fields of Historical Buddha, Historical Jesus Christ, the development of Buddhist Meditation and Thought, Early Buddhism, the formation of Zen Buddhism, Buddhist Psychology, Integrative Medicine and Neuroscience with their applications to support the well-being of people of our time. He also studies, practices and enjoys to share with others different forms of qigong and taichi.

Brother Khiet Lam is a German brother, who ordained in Plum Village in the year 2017.

Brother Khiết Tâm (pure mind or heart) was born in Austria in 1990 and studied music in Vienna from 2009 to 2014. He moved to Plum Village, France, in 2014, where he entered the monastic order in 2017.

Thay Phap Xa is a Dutch Monk, who ordained in Plum Village in February 2003. He lives Waldbröl since July 2010. He studied and taught Mathematics and studied Chinese Medicine for a few years. He offers courses on different topics, like mindful hiking, tea meditation and enjoys the beautiful nature around Waldbröl.

Sister Bi Nghiem, Adorment with compassion, was born and raised in Germany. She is a professional librarian and studied French and Italian literature in Montreal, Canada. She was ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1998 and became a Dharma Teacher in 2006. Her special interest is interfaith dialogue.

Sister Minh Chi has been a part of the Plum Village tradition since the year 2005. She received the Dharma-lamp in 2012. She has been living in Europe since 2013 - first in France in Plum Village and since 2019 in the EIAB.

Sister Song Nghiem, Adorment with Parallel, was born in Vietnam. She received her PHD in chemistry from Darmstadt Technical University. She subsequently worked as a chemist in research and in industry. In 2003 Thay appointed her as a lay Dharma Teacher and a year later she was ordained as a nun by Thay. In 2012 she once again received the Dharma teacher lamp, this time as a nun. Her special interest is Tai Chi.