During my last visit with Master Thich Nhat Hanh at his Dharma center, I noticed that his disciples hugged each other. I asked them whether monks hug nuns. They replied, "No, monks hug monks and nuns hug nuns." I further asked, "Why do you hug?" They explained that hugging is an expression of extending care to one another. It is a kind of closeness, of sharing and comforting between people. "That is what we practice." After hearing this, I thought to myself, "It must be a very good feeling to hug people. After all, little kids like to be hugged. Adults also like to be hugged." Therefore, I hugged the master when I bade him farewell.

In the Mahayana Code of Conduct for monastics, monks and nuns are strictly not allowed to hug anyone. The Buddha said that such a gesture is a sign of laxity, a loosening of one's diligence in practice. For that reason, the rules for monastics are set out this way. However, upon reflection, I thought that Thich Nhat Hanh has sound reasons for allowing hugging between his monastics. When people hug each other, they have a sense of sharing and feel very good and comfortable. Besides, it is a natural part of Western culture to hug. Maybe that is the reason why he has so many western monks and nuns but I have so few.