Interbeing
The Zen Buddhist teacher, poet, and activist, Thich Nhat Hanh, used the term interbeing to refer to the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. This fundamental interconnectedness is a core concept in Buddhist teachings, but we see it in both philosophical and scientific thought from around the world.
As Thich Nhat Hanh puts it, “everything relies on everything else in the cosmos in order to manifest—whether a star, a cloud, a flower, a tree, or you and me” (Thich Nhat Hanh 2017: 14). In Buddhism, this is sometimes referred to as dependent origination. Regardless of the terms we use, the core idea is that nothing exists independently. Everything relies on a vast network of causes and conditions. To exist, a flower needs not only the obvious elements like soil, rain, and sunshine, but also clouds, minerals, time, and even space.
Hanh says that “to be is to inter-be.” This captures the Buddhist argument for the rejection of emptiness. Emptiness doesn’t mean that things don’t exist but that things lack an inherent, separate essence. Though emptiness can sound rather nihilistic or pessimistic, Hanh clarifies that this emptiness is really a fullness of potential. The empty cup is the cup that can be used to its fullest potential.