In the Footsteps of the Buddha (1/6) | The Buddha: Down to Earth | Episode 102

The first of a series of six episodes recorded during the pilgrimage 'In the Footsteps of the Buddha', this instalment was made in Varanasi, India, in February 2026. In this opening episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach Jo Confino are joined by Dharma teacher Shantum Seth to discuss the importance of understanding the Buddha as a fully human being; a boat journey on the sacred Ganges river at sunrise, from which it was possible to witness cremation and devotion; teachings on death and impermanence as daily practice; the importance of living in the present moment; and much more. The speakers also share personal experiences and reflections on their spiritual journeys, the role played by the community, and the continuation of the Buddha's teachings through their own lives and practice. ------- About the pilgrimage: In 1988, Shantum Seth was invited by Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) to organize a pilgrimage to the sacred sites associated with the Buddha’s life across India. Subsequently, Thay encouraged Shantum to continue guiding such journeys each year, offering pilgrimage itself as a mindfulness practice—one that the Buddha had suggested. Shantum has been leading these transformative journeys ever since, offering people from around the world the opportunity to follow In the Footsteps of the Buddha with awareness and insight. After 15 years at the United Nations, Shantum left to volunteer with the Ahimsa Trust, which represents Thay’s work in India and promotes the practice of “peace in oneself and peace in the world”. Through Buddhapath, his expression of Right Livelihood, Shantum continues to guide pilgrimages and share the wisdom and culture of the places he visits in India and across Buddhist Asia, cultivating community through these deeply meaningful journeys. To learn more about upcoming pilgrimages, visit www.buddhapath.com, or follow Shantum on Facebook and Instagram at @eleven_directions. ------- 🔔 The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living is a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. 🔔 ------ The podcast is co-produced by the Plum Village App: https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism: https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation: https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ ------ Recording by Ann Nguyen ➛ https://ann.earth Sound editing by Joe Holtaway ➛ https://joeholtaway.com Co-produced by Clay Carnill ➛ https://claycarnill.com Publishing by Anca Rusu ------ 🎧 Listen to the podcast on the (completely FREE) Plum Village App ➛ https://link.plumvillage.app/9y4R and other streaming services. ------ Resources: 🎙️ Shantum Seth ➛ https://ahimsatrust.org/dharmacharya-shantum/ 🎙️ Brother Phap Huu ➛ https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/br-phap-huu 🎙️ Jo Confino ➛ https://www.instagram.com/joconfino/?hl=en Interbeing ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Sarnath ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarnath Dharadun ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehradun_district Bodh Gaya ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya Rajgir ➛https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajgir Old Path White Clouds ➛ https://www.parallax.org/product/old-path-white-clouds/ Federico Fellini ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federico_Fellini Ghat ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghat Alara Kalama ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80%E1%B8%B7%C4%81ra_K%C4%81l%C4%81ma Jack Kornfield ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kornfield Upanishads ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanishads Sister Chan Khong ➛ https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong Bodhi tree ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_tree Moksha ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moksha Rishi Joan Halifax ➛ https://www.joanhalifax.org/ Sutras ➛ https://plumvillage.org/genre/sutras Leila Seth ➛ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leila_Seth