At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk's Life eBook: Hanh, Thich Nhat, DeAntonis, Jason: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk's Life eBook: Hanh, Thich Nhat, DeAntonis, Jason: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store










At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk's Life Kindle Edition
by Thich Nhat Hanh (Author), Jason DeAntonis (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition


4.8 out of 5 stars 112 ratings 

"Followers and newcomers to Nhat Hanh’s teaching alike will find this collection inspiring for everyday practice and for social engagement in the world."—Publishers Weekly

This collection of autobiographical and teaching stories from peace activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is thought provoking, inspiring, and enjoyable to read. 

Collected here for the first time, these stories span the author’s life. There are stories from Thich Nhat Hanh’s childhood and the traditions of rural Vietnam. There are stories from his years as a teenaged novice, as a young teacher and writer in war torn Vietnam, and of his travels around the world to teach mindfulness, make pilgrimages to sacred sites, and influence world leaders.

The tradition of teaching the Dharma through stories goes back at least to the time of the Buddha. Like the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh uses story–telling to engage people’s interest so he can share important teachings, insights, and life lessons.

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Kindle
$14.88

Length: 193 pages 

 Word Wise: Enabled Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled Language: English 

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Product description

Review

'This book is ideal if you are going [to Vietnam] to find inner calm or want something mindful to read.' * Wanderlust Travel Magazine * --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Born in Hue, Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist Zen Master, poet, scholar and human rights activist. In 1967, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King. He founded the Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon, the School of Youth and Social Service and the Plum Village Buddhist community and meditation centre in France, where he lived for many years. He is the author of many acclaimed books including Peace is Every Step, Old Path White Clouds and Fear, which have sold millions of copies around the world. He lives at the Tu Hieu Temple in Vietnam where he was first ordained when he was sixteen years old. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Book Description

Autobiographical stories from one of the best loved, and most well known, Zen masters in the world. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
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Product details

File Size : 42714 KB
Word Wise : Enabled
Print Length : 193 pages
Publisher : Parallax Press (1 November 2016)
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Sam Woodward
5.0 out of 5 stars Truly inspirational.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 February 2017
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This touching book collects short anecdotes from Thich Naht Hahn's amazing life & ties them in with Buddhist teachings. I'm currently reading The Book Of Joy by the Dalai Lama & Archbishop Desmond Tutu which is similar to this because those peaceful, joy-filled men tell how their suffering was an important catalyst which enabled them to become the lively living examples of peace which they are now.

Thich Nhat Hanh grew up in Vietnam in poorer conditions than we are used to in the UK. Then he lived through the war before being exiled from his homeland in its aftermath. But there is no trace of self-pity - merely numerous examples of how keeping a mindful perspective enabled him to transmute the hard times into an unassailable serenity when others without his knowledge of mindfulness & experience of meditation would have been devoured by self-pity & despair.

This book is truly inspirational, showing how as it does that even a hard life can be infused with joy if we merely open up our hearts to it.

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T.Y.
5.0 out of 5 stars MovingReviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 October 2018
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Minutes into reading the book, I already had goose pimples from how simply yet profoundly it touched me. The war-related memoirs are particularly moving and prompted me to reflect deeply upon the decisions, behaviour and actions we so often take for granted. 

While this was never intended to be a step-by-step guide to mindfulness, engaging with the reading does precisely that - it encourages one to think deeply about everything we do. I will recommend this to anyone who is interested in mindfulness, Buddhism, or exploring the meaning of life.

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brynbo
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple and beautifulReviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2018
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We already have every thing we need to be happy, we just need to understand that and to focus on the present. The past and the future don't exist, they are just artificial constructs that we build for ourselves. Only NOW exists, this wise old man shares his love of life.
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 4.52  ·   Rating details ·  587 ratings  ·  73 reviews

This collection of autobiographical and teaching stories from peace activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is thought provoking, inspiring, and enjoyable to read. Collected here for the first time, these stories span the author’s life. There are stories from Thich Nhat Hanh’s childhood and the traditions of rural Vietnam. There are stories from his years as a teenaged nov ...more

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Zahin

Sep 19, 2017Zahin rated it it was amazing

Since finding my true home, I no longer suffer. The past is no longer a prison for me. The future is not a prison either. I am able to live in the here and now and to touch my true home. I am able to arrive home with every breath and with every step. pg. 14

When you love someone, you want the other person to be happy. If they are not happy, there is no way you can be happy. Happiness is not an individual matter. True love requires deep understanding. In fact, love is another name for understanding. If you do not understand, you cannot love properly. Without understanding, your love will only cause the other person to suffer. pg. 39

pg.48, Hanh is immersing with an American soldier whom recalls his experience of entering Bao Quoc temple during the evening sitting meditation. In the usual case, when the army went in for searches, people would run away and be thrown into a state of panic. When they entered the temple, they thought it was empty because of how quiet it was but there was actually 50-60 monks. They were so deep into meditation that they simply ignored the soldiers. The soldier recalls, "I felt drawn to their calmness. It really commanded my respect."

-- continued on pg.51. Hanh talks about saying goodbye to the soldier after training with him in meditation for months. "I know that when I last saw him, he was at peace. That moment of profound silence in the temple had changed him...What made it all possible was that moment of complete and total stopping and opening to the powerful, healing and miraculous ocean called silence

"Mindfulness must be engaged. Once we see that something needs to be done, we must take action. Seeing and acting go together. Otherwise, what is the use of seeing?" pg. 56

pg.61 Hanh talks about his experience working to support 'boat people' while in Singapore. "It's not enough just to talk about compassion; we have to do the work of compassion"

"If you want peace, peace is with you immediately." "And yet there were more problems than it seemed possible to solve in twenty-four hours. Even in a while lifetime, many of us complain that there is not enough time. How could so much be done in a mere twenty-four hours?....If I could not find peace in the midst of difficulty, I knew I would never know real peace." pg. 65

pg.74 he talks about a Buddhist nun who was imprisoned. They forbade her from practicing sitting meditation because they saw it as an act of provocation. So she tried walking meditation, even though the space was small. "She was able to talk with kindness and gentleness to the people who were locked in the same cell. Thanks to her practice, she was able to help them to suffer less."

"Many things are taken from us, but no one can ever steal our determination for freedom." * B said this to me a long time ago when I talked about my personal freedom. I get it now

pg.80 his reflection of committing rape and violence. He talks of the ignorance of not being taught how to love, how to understanding, and how to see the suffering of others. Reminds me of Aristotle's Cave. I wonder what other parallels I could find in Western and Eastern philosophy. I'm sure someone or another has written about it

pg.86 talking to a veteran with post-traumatic stress. "It is true you have killed five children...but it is also true that today you can save five children." In the present moment, you can heal the past.

"The practice of mindfulness is like a boat, and by practicing mindfulness, you offer yourself a boat. As long as you continue to practice, as long as you stay in the boat, you will not sink or drown in the river of suffering."

"I do not know if people develop such a deep connection to the things they buy these days. Many people have a strong desire to possess the latest thing, and manufacturers and advertisers know this. It is not by accident that merchandise these days is not created to last. The objectives of our desire are constantly changing. And our desires for the objectives we consume also change from one moment to the next. We are always running after something new....As you grow in mindfulness, you reclaim your life. You begin to see how much time we lose in empty, meaningless consumption" pg. 95

"When we love something, we are attached to its form and yet we know it's going to change and die, and this makes us suffer. A flower manifests; it buds, it blooms and it stays with us for a few weeks, and then it begins to change and its petals gradually start to wilt. At some point, the whole flower droops and dies....when it manifests, we smile and we enjoy it. But when it is in hiding, we don't cry or feel sad. We say, "Next year I will see you again."

pg.132 - getting back to the body

"Anything good needs time to ripen. When enough conditions come together, what has been latent is us for a long time can arise." pg. 134

Talks about the young man from a lower cast in India. "We are under the influence of previous generations of our ancestors and our society. The practice of stopping and looking deeply is to stop our habit energy being sustained by the negative seeds that have been transmitted to us. When we are able to stop, we do it for all of our ancestors, and we end the vicious circle that is called samsara." pg. 147

"When you plant lettuce, you don't blame the lettuce if it does grow well. You look into the reasons why it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if know how to take care of others, they will grow well, just like the lettuce. pg. 154

"That is why many young people invest all their time and energy into their work, into their company, and they don't have time to take care of their body, their feelings, their emotions, and their relationships. Even if they do have time, they may not know what to do with that time in order to really take care of their body and mind...Many of us are so busy that we don't have time to live. Our work can take up all our life. We may even be addicted to our work. There are times we don't know what to do with our loneliness pain and despair inside. We try to look for something to cover it up. We check email, we pick up a newspaper, we listen to the news, anything to forget our loneliness and suffering inside.."

Do you have a home? Do you have a true home where you feel comfortable, peaceful and free?

"My true home cannot be defined in terms of place or culture. It's simplistic to say that in terms of nationality I am Vietnamese. I don't have Vietnamese passport or identity card, so legally speaking, I am not Vietnamese. Genetically there is no such has as the 'Vietnamese' race. Looking into me, you can see Melanesian, Indonesian, Mongolian and African elements. That is true for any nationality. Seeing that can set us free. The whole cosmos has come together in order to help you manifest." pg. 117 (less)

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Amy

Mar 10, 2019Amy rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

I savoured this beautiful book over many moons trying to really allow the daily and at times, weekly, meditative reading to sink in. Highly recommend.

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Janet

May 17, 2018Janet rated it it was amazing

This is a truly decolonial view of how all the world could live. He speaks to everyone, and in his life he has tried to help those he encounters. This particular book of his addresses his experiences with war in the Vietnam of his birth and training as well as his exile and finding home in the present moment. I was particularly interested in how he interpreted his dreams for pedagogical purposes and his explanation of engaged Buddhism whose practitioners act in the face of earthly injustice. The drawing beautifully enhance the effect. (less)

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Eric

Oct 24, 2017Eric rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: autobiography, philosophy

As I write this review, I am living in the moment. I breathe in as I write this sentence, and I breathe out as I write the next. If you seek to be in touch with yourself and the world around you, Thich Nhat Hanh can show you how to walk the path.

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Janet

Mar 22, 2019Janet rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, self-development, biography-memoir, finished, religion

I realize I probably won’t ever have the patience and discipline to be mindful all the time, every day. Having said that, I can hear a small voice saying “Yes, but you can be a little more mindful each tomorrow than you were each yesterday.” I practice gratitude daily and, while there are some things that I struggle to be grateful for, toting my “thank yous” up at the end of the day helps me recognize the preciousness of the here and now.

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Tiffany

Jun 08, 2017Tiffany rated it it was amazing

Shelves: spiritual, nonfic

Just reading Thich Nhat Hanh's words makes me feel peaceful. This is a collection of short pieces about mindfulness in your daily life. He tells some of his story here and uses his story to teach lessons. I had no idea he was in his 80s, what an amazing life he has lived. Very easy to digest and good for the soul.

"Buddha is not the name of a particular person; buddha is just a common name to designate anyone who has a high degree of peace and who has a high degree of understanding and compassion. All of us are capable of being called by this name."

"The veteran slowly took in these words. He devoted his life to helping children and in the process became healed by his work. The present moment contains the past, and if you can live deeply in the present moment you can heal the past. You don’t have to wait for anything."

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Melissa

Aug 28, 2016Melissa rated it liked it

Shelves: religion-eastern-religions

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for an honest review.

Thich Nhat Hahn has chosen stories from his life to help continue teaching his readers. Filled with Buddhist philosophy and his own wisdom these stories are inspiring and even thought provoking. There was one story and though I understood what Thich was saying I disagreed with it. That is really the only thing that I did not like in this whole book.

Some of the things written are found in his books which may bug some readers. To me it made this book feel familiar which I enjoyed. This is a wonderful book for anybody who likes Thich Nhat Hahn works. (less)

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Catherine Anne

Nov 17, 2017Catherine Anne rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition

"There is no way home ; home is the way."

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Nate

Dec 08, 2018Nate rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: memoirs, religion, biography, non-fiction, self-help, philosophy

Hanh writes dozens of short stories about his life and his experiences and how he used meditation in all of its various forms to bring clarity and understanding to otherwise challenging and even dangerous experiences. I enjoyed learning about his perspective, I enjoyed seeing how something as simple as meditation and an awareness of what I am going through could be beneficial for changing how I view a given situation. I really like that understanding Hanh's perspective has changed how I view things in my life; sometimes I find myself walking down the street being more aware of my breathing and how I am walking, something I never would have done before. When I do that I find I'm less frustrated with the craziness of the city and am not as bothered by the honking of cabs and trucks and the occasional screaming pedestrians. It's amazing to me how something as simple, though not necessarily easy, as being aware of the present moment, being aware of everything that is happening around me, and being aware and paying attention to the feelings & thoughts I'm experiencing can change all of those experiences for the better. Definitely worth reading and I'll pick up another book or two of his to read. (less)

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Cheryl Crotty

Jul 30, 2020Cheryl Crotty rated it it was amazing

I read this book slowly. It was not only enjoyable to read of his life, it was very informative as to how to enhance my life. I think it is the perfect book for anyone who is tipping their toes into Buddism. I have many pages highlighted and k know this will be a book I will return to often. Advice on how to live each day in the moment.

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Meghan Wyrd

Aug 07, 2020Meghan Wyrd rated it it was amazing  ·  review of another edition

A wonderful book. Many of Thay's best lessons, plus several autobiographical stories I read for the first time, including those on his humanitarian work during the Vietnam War and his meeting MLK. What a remarkable person.

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