Living Buddha, Living Christ Kindle Edition
by Thich Nhat Hanh (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 1,650 ratings
'Thich Nhat Hanh is a holy man, for he is humble and devout. He is a scholar of immense intellectual capacity. His ideas for peace if applied, would build a monument of ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity.' Martin Luther King, Jr.
Budda and Jesus Christ, perhaps the two most pivotal figures in the history of humankind, each left behind a legacy of teachings and practices that have shaped the lives of billions of people over the course of two millennia. If they were to meet on the road today, what would each think of the other's spiritual views and practices? Thich Nhat Hanh has been part of a decades-long dialogue between the two greatest living contemplative traditions, and brings to Christianity an appreciation of its beauty that could be conveyed only by an outsider. In a lucid, meditative prose, he explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which Buddhism and Christianity meet, and reawakens our understanding of both.
250 pages
June 12, 2012
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
If you have always assumed that Christianity and Buddhism are as far apart philosophically as their respective founders were geographically, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. In this national bestseller, Zen monk and social activist Thich Nhat Hanh draws parallels between these two traditions that have them walking, hand in hand, down the same path to salvation. In Christianity, he finds mindfulness in the Holy Spirit as an agent of healing. In Buddhism, he finds unqualified love in the form of compassion for all living things. And in both he finds an emphasis on living practice and community spirit.
The thread that binds the book is the same theme that draws many Christians toward Buddhism: mindfulness. Through anecdotes, scripture references, and teachings from both traditions, Nhat Hanh points out that mindfulness is an integral part of all religious practice and teaches us how to cultivate it in our own lives. Nhat Hanh has no desire to downplay the venerable theological and ritual teachings that distinguish Buddhism and Christianity, but he does cause one to consider that beyond the letter of doctrine lies a unity of truth. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From Booklist
Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, author of more than 70 books, is truly a universal spiritual teacher whose mission is to translate Buddhist precepts into language everyone can understand and to explain the practice of mindfulness in terms of contemporary life. These efforts are in keeping with the Buddhist belief in open-mindedness and the acceptance of change, as is Nhat Hanh's recognition of Jesus as "one of his spiritual ancestors." As he carefully compares key aspects of Christianity with Buddhism, Nhat Hanh distinguishes between the historical and the living Jesus and Buddha, celebrates common ground shared by their teachings, and explicates important differences. His ability to see beyond dogma is in sharp contrast to the rigidity of certain Christian perspectives, a contrast Nhat Hanh discusses with respect and urgency. If there is to be understanding, compassion, and peace in the world, spiritual teachers must learn to honor the "jewels," or "best values," at the heart of diverse traditions, and to keep their own alive by interpreting them in light of the here and now. Donna Seaman --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From Library Journal
In this popular work Hahn, a Vietnamese Zen monk, offers some parallels between Eastern and Western spiritual practice in an accessible style that will please general readers.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Review
"Thich Nhat Hanh is a holy man, for he is humble and devout. He is a scholar of immense intellectual capacity. His ideas for peace if applied, would build a monument of ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity." —Martin Luther King, Jr.
"He shows us the connection between personal, inner peace, and peace on earth."—His Holiness The Dalai Lama
"The message: Peace, love, and compassion are central to the teachings of Buddha and Christ, and people of both faiths should be tolerant of one another." —The Washington Post --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Review
"Thich Nhat Hanh is a holy man, for he is humble and devout. He is a scholar of immense intellectual capacity. His ideas for peace if applied, would build a monument of ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity." —Martin Luther King, Jr.
"He shows us the connection between personal, inner peace, and peace on earth."—His Holiness The Dalai Lama
"The message: Peace, love, and compassion are central to the teachings of Buddha and Christ, and people of both faiths should be tolerant of one another." —The Washington Post --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
About the Author
A rare combination of mystic, scholar, and activist, Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the most beloved Buddhist teachers in the West. Poet, Zen master, and chairman of the Vietnamese Buddhist Peace Delegation during the Vietnam War, he was nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize. He is the author of twenty-five books, including Peace Is Every Step. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From the Back Cover
Buddha and Christ, perhaps the two most pivotal figures in the history of humankind, each left behind a legacy of teachings and practices that have shaped the lives of billions of people over the course of two millennia. If they were to meet on the road today, what would each think of the other's spiritual views and practices? Thich Nhat Hanh has been part of a decades-long dialogue between the two greatest living contemplative traditions, and brings to Christianity an appreciation of its beauty that could be conveyed only by an outsider. In a lucid, meditative prose, he explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions meet, and reawakens our understanding of both. "On the altar in my hermitage", he says, "are images of Buddha and Jesus, and I touch both of them as my spiritual ancestors". --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From AudioFile
Drawing on Christian theology, as well as his own Buddhist beliefs, this bestselling author and beloved monk examines the qualities of compassion and holiness, and eloquently shows that they're integral parts of both traditions. Ben Kingsley reads with class. His British accent is never overbearing or intrusive. He's in command of the text all the way. No doubt his Academy Award-winning role as Gandhi prepared him well for the Indian terms and phrases. P.B.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Twenty years ago at a conference I attended of theologians and professors of religion, an Indian Christian friend told the assembly, "We are going to hear about the beauties of several traditions, but that does not mean that we are going to make a fruit salad." When it came my turn to speak, I said, "Fruit salad can be delicious! I have shared the Eucharist with Father Daniel Berrigan, and our worship became possible because of the sufferings we Vietnamese and Americans shared over many years." Some of the Buddhists present were shocked to hear I had participated in the Eucharist, and many Christians seemed truly horrified. To me, religious life is life. I do not see any reason to spend one's whole life tasting one kind of fruit. We human beings can be nourished by the best values of many traditions.
Just as a flower is made only of non-flower elements, Buddhism is made only of non-Buddhist elements, including Christian ones, and Christianity is made of non-Christian elements, including Buddhist ones. We have different roots, traditions, and ways of seeing, but we share the common qualities of love, understanding, and acceptance. For our dialogue to be open, we need to open our hearts, set aside our prejudices, listen deeply, and represent truthfully what we know and understand. To do this, we need a certain amount of faith. In Buddhism, faith means confidence in our and others' ability to wake up to our deepest capacity of loving and understanding. In Christianity, faith means trust in God, the One who represents love, understanding, dignity, and truth. When we are still, looking deeply, and touching the source of our true wisdom, we touch the living Buddha and the living Christ in ourselves and in each person we meet.
In this small book, I shall try to share some of my experiences of and insights into two of the world's beautiful flowers, Buddhism and Christianity, so that we as a society can begin to dissolve our wrong perceptions, transcend our wrong views, and see one another in fresh, new ways. If we can enter the twenty-first century with this spirit of mutual understanding and acceptance, our children and their children will surely benefit. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
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Product details
ASIN : B0089WCDQ0
Publisher : Ebury Digital (June 12, 2012)
Publication date : June 12, 2012
Language : English
File size : 231 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 250 pages
Lending : Not Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #1,070,281 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
#702 in Christian Meditation Worship & Devotion (Kindle Store)
#1,279 in Religious Philosophy (Kindle Store)
#2,811 in Buddhism (Kindle Store)
Customer Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars 1,650 ratings
Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen Master, poet, scholar, and peace activist, one of the most revered and influential spiritual teachers in the world today. Born in 1926, he became a Zen Buddhist monk at the age of sixteen. During the Vietnam War, his work for peace and reconciliation moved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He founded the Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon and the School of Youth for Social Service. He was exiled as a result of his work for peace but continued his activism, rescuing boat people and helping to resettle Vietnamese refugees. He has written more than 100 books, which have sold millions of copies around the world. HIs teachings on Buddhism as a path to social and political transformation are responsible for bringing mindfulness to the West. In 1982 he established the international Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism in France, now the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe. He lives in Hue in Central Vietnam.
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nhat hanh thich nhat holy spirit living christ christianity and buddhism living buddha buddha living buddhism and christianity buddhist monk jesus and buddha easy to read common ground highly recommend buddha and christ present moment thomas merton beautifully written great book years ago jesus christTOP 1000 REVIEWER
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josephine 17
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2017
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I have been searching for a way of life for a long time now.Thich Nhat Hanh ,his books and teachings have given me a direction in life that I could not find before.By way of mindfulness and meditation I have become a more centred and better person.I now live in the present,instead on dwelling too much in the past and worrying about the future.His book Living Buddha and Living Christ gave me more insight into how people all over the world can live together and respect each others beliefs.I wish that they were more people like him ,especially those in politics and education,what a wonderful way to teach our children,to love one another and respect all living things.
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Ben
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Interfaith DiscussionReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 19, 2014
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Christians, don't be put off by this book.
Thich Nhat Hanh has helped me to take a more Godly and practical outlook to my Christian faith by "approaching God through the Holy Spirit rather than through Theology" (His words)
This book is not an argument for either of the two Religions, but rather a consideration of the merits and shortcomings in each (Or should I say potential merits and shortcomings)
If you want to grow in your faith, I say read this book
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Ian Drew-jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Opening the door to mutual recognition and understanding.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2021
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As someone who is trying to understand the aspects of Buddhist faith and practice that can converge with Christian faith and practice, I thought that this book was written as a noble effort to affirm what could be affirmed by both traditions. A stimulating read. It is a shame that few Christians are attempting to engage in a similar exercise of ecumenical dialogue.
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Jojo
5.0 out of 5 stars ContemplatitiveReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 4, 2018
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If you want to re evaluate your thinking this is a great book. I love the way Thich Nhat Hanh writes. It makes you consider your perspective and contemplate your place in the world. I am going to let my mum read it next.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book so farReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 30, 2017
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Excellent book so far, reading it at moment. But the best thing about it, was that it arrived uncontaminated from Synthetic Perfume Chemicals. It was clean! Yay : )
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Living Buddha, Living Christ
by
4.11 · Rating details · 16,716 ratings · 774 reviews
A Vietnamese monk and Buddhist teacher explores the common ground of Christianity and Buddhism on such subjects as compassion and holiness, and offers inspiration to believers in both religions.
Paperback, 240 pages
Published September 1st 1997 by Riverhead Trade
Aug 06, 2012Cedric Hendrix rated it it was amazing
One of the biggest problems I have with organized religion is the amount of time it spends trying to foist its ideals on you while trying to convince you that anything you believed before you came to them is wrong. Rest assured, I have no intention of doing that here. I was raised a Baptist, and baptized a Catholic. Yet I tend to find the most comfort in books centered around Buddhism. This is not to say that I am a Buddhist. I am spiritual, if a label must be assigned. I can see the benefit of both belief systems, without surrendering to their dogma. Thich Nhat Hanh is fine with that. And that may be why I enjoy reading his material so much.
If anything, Hanh stresses the importance of not giving into "religious imperialism," or as I like to call it, "my God is better than your God." Hanh shows how one can make both belief systems work for you, and bring about peace of mind.
Nothing else I say about this book will do it justice. The best thing you can do is read it for yourself, and see where it takes you.
Enjoy.
(less)
If anything, Hanh stresses the importance of not giving into "religious imperialism," or as I like to call it, "my God is better than your God." Hanh shows how one can make both belief systems work for you, and bring about peace of mind.
Nothing else I say about this book will do it justice. The best thing you can do is read it for yourself, and see where it takes you.
Enjoy.
(less)
Mar 26, 2011Deborah Yates rated it liked it
I have read many reviews here on Living Buddha, Living Christ, and find that the general opinion is that Hanh is converging Christ and Buddha into one teaching. I did NOT find that to be so. Hanh is showing that the teachings of Buddha and Christ have the same message: love and acceptance, but that Christianity does not teach the love and acceptance that was the embodiment of Jesus' message. In several passages Hanh refers to the intolerance that Christianity has for other religions because of "their notion that Christianity provides the only salvation and all other religious traditions are of no use. This attitude excludes dialogue and fosters religious intolerance and discrimination". Hanh is a brilliant Buddhist monk. Living Buddha, Living Christ is an exceptional work on bringing peace and harmony between the two religions by showing similarities in the teachings of Buddha and Christ. (less)
Sep 27, 2011J.J. Litke rated it it was amazing
Some reviewers seem to think Hanh doesn't understand Christianity. I think they're missing the point; this wasn't meant as an in depth dissection of that. So far, the book is just as I expected, a look at the similarities between faiths. And in that, I believe Hanh does an excellent job.
As the book title clearly states, it is not just about Christianity, so if you'd like to read primarily about that, go back and note the Buddha part of the title and take a clue from it. I suspect the Christians who didn't care for the depiction might be harboring an agenda in favor of their own faith. If you are truly okay with the concept that other faiths don't discount your own, you should be fine with this book. If you are unsteady in your beliefs, or rigid in your opinions, or simply not interested in Buddhism, you should pass it over. (less)
As the book title clearly states, it is not just about Christianity, so if you'd like to read primarily about that, go back and note the Buddha part of the title and take a clue from it. I suspect the Christians who didn't care for the depiction might be harboring an agenda in favor of their own faith. If you are truly okay with the concept that other faiths don't discount your own, you should be fine with this book. If you are unsteady in your beliefs, or rigid in your opinions, or simply not interested in Buddhism, you should pass it over. (less)
Oct 05, 2007Carolyn rated it it was amazing
This book changed my traditional thinking of Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God, to more of an example and teacher, which makes more sense to me. The book is written with such a passive sense that it doesn't trigger religious defenses like most other church-related literature. I loved everything about it. (less)
I picked up this book because I thought it might give me some interesting insights into both Christianity and Buddhism (as did Zen Spirit, Christian Spirit), but I chose not to complete it after a ways into it, because I found its picture of Christianity to be insubstantial. G.K. Chesterton wasn't writing a review of this book, but he might as well have been when he said that people "are always insisting that Christianity and Buddhism are very much alike...This is generally believed, and I believed it myself until I read a book giving the reasons for it. The reasons were of two kinds: resemblances that meant nothing because they were common to all humanity, and resemblances which were not resemblances at all…That Buddhism approves of mercy or of self-restraint is not to say that it is specially like Christianity; it is only to say that it is not utterly unlike all human existence. Buddhists disapprove in theory of cruelty or excess because all sane human beings disapprove in theory of cruelty or excess. But to say that Buddhism and Christianity give the same philosophy of these things is simply false. All humanity does agree that we are in a net of sin. Most of humanity agrees that there is some way out. But as to what is the way out, I do not think that there are two institutions in the universe which contradict each other so flatly as Buddhism and Christianity."
I certainly agree with the author, a Buddhist monk, that there is insight to be found in all religions, but I don't agree you can or should sample them like a fruit salad. He seems somewhat condescending to those Buddhists and Christians who are shocked that he should have partaken of the Eucharist, but I have to say I find myself on their side; it's one thing to learn about a religion and take what insights you can from it; it's quite another to participate in its most sacred and private rituals without accepting the assumptions behind those rituals. The author rejects the idea that Christ should be regarded as "unique" as being a narrow minded sort of attitude; in short, he rejects the CORE Christian belief that Christ is MORE than any human being as being essential to Christianity before he embarks on his quest to draws parallels between Christianity and Buddhism. This made me skeptical of the value of the parallels from the start. (less)
I certainly agree with the author, a Buddhist monk, that there is insight to be found in all religions, but I don't agree you can or should sample them like a fruit salad. He seems somewhat condescending to those Buddhists and Christians who are shocked that he should have partaken of the Eucharist, but I have to say I find myself on their side; it's one thing to learn about a religion and take what insights you can from it; it's quite another to participate in its most sacred and private rituals without accepting the assumptions behind those rituals. The author rejects the idea that Christ should be regarded as "unique" as being a narrow minded sort of attitude; in short, he rejects the CORE Christian belief that Christ is MORE than any human being as being essential to Christianity before he embarks on his quest to draws parallels between Christianity and Buddhism. This made me skeptical of the value of the parallels from the start. (less)
Jun 02, 2021Ken rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: finished-in-2021, philosophy-religion
The title indicates a 50/50 split between Buddhism and Christianity but, in the book, it's more of a 70/30 split. That is, as might be expected, Thich That Hanh spends more time explaining the tenets of Buddhism than he does drawing similarities between the two religions (if you even consider Buddhism a "religion," which it technically isn't as it does not worship any God like the Big Three: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).
Meaning? It's a good primer of sorts on Buddhism, even if it does, like many Hanh books, jump around a bit and hit you in little bullets of information. As the title indicates and as might not be surprising to anyone, Hanh finds many parallels between the lives and peaceful philosophies of the Buddha and Christ. In fact, he's of the school that favors hewing closer to the examples of Christ's life here on Earth vs. the examples of the Church that has developed over time. Not that he's arguing against the Church. That would go against the spirit of things here. No. He's big on people having a "tradition" to draw on, basically because most all religious traditions come with important teachings (e.g. The Ten Commandments, the Gospel, and all the Buddhist teachings he touches upon but doesn't go into great depth about in this book).
One interesting tidbit centers on reincarnation. Hanh speculates, correctly, I think, that people new to Buddhism (often Westerners) embrace the concept of reincarnation (he doesn't even like this word) because they are still hung up on SELF, which any Buddhist will tell you is a problem. "Gee," the rookie Buddhist thinks, "I'll be back in a new SELF and get another chance!" It's a wish for immortality of a sort, the wrong kind of wish. Instead, Hanh sees the answer not in being and self but in nonbeing and non-self, which surprisingly inhabit the same world as being and self (look around you... or better yet, within you).
Interestingly, Hanh looks at the Holy Trinity of Christianity and focuses on the part least understood by your garden-variety Christian -- the Holy Spirit (a.k.a. Holy Ghost). He sees this as the energy of the Trinity and likens it to mindfulness, the first and foremost practice of Buddhists. If you are working on your mindfulness, focusing on your breaths, on every moment including each of the five senses as you experience life, all credit goes to the Holy Spirit, or driver, within.
Here's a quote of note:
"When the energy of mindfulness is present, transformation takes place. When the energy of the Holy Spirit is within you, understanding, love, peace, and stability are possible. God is within. You are, yet you are not, but God is in you. This is interbeing. This is non-self.
"But I am afraid that many Christians and many Buddhists do not practice, or if they do, they practice only when they find themselves in difficult situations, and after that, they forget. Or their practice may be superficial. They support churches and temples, organize ceremonies, convert people, do charity work or social work, or take up an apostolic ministry, but do not practice mindfulness or pray while they act. They may devote an hour each day for chanting and liturgy, but after a while, the practice becomes dry and automatic and they do not know how to refresh it. They may believe that they are serving the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, or serving the Trinity and the church, but their practice does not touch the living Buddha or the living Christ. At the same time, these men and women do not hesitate to align themselves with those in power in order to strengthen the position of their church or community. They believe that political power is needed for the well-being of their church or community. They build up a self instead of letting go of the ideas of self. Then they look at this self as absolute truth and dismiss all other spiritual traditions as false. This is a very dangerous attitude; it always leads to conflicts and wars. Its nature is intolerance." (italics mine)
Sounds suspiciously like the USA, where religion and politics have proven a potent brew, esp. during the T**** years, but continuing into the present and future as they work hard to bring power back to their base.
It appears, Hanh would say, that the Buddha would shake his head, as would Christ. I'd also like to believe that they'd shake their heads over a self-described "Christian" supporting a creepy, predatory, corrupt, grifting, egomaniacal person like T****, too . The poles between Christ and T**** don't get much further apart, after all. (less)
Meaning? It's a good primer of sorts on Buddhism, even if it does, like many Hanh books, jump around a bit and hit you in little bullets of information. As the title indicates and as might not be surprising to anyone, Hanh finds many parallels between the lives and peaceful philosophies of the Buddha and Christ. In fact, he's of the school that favors hewing closer to the examples of Christ's life here on Earth vs. the examples of the Church that has developed over time. Not that he's arguing against the Church. That would go against the spirit of things here. No. He's big on people having a "tradition" to draw on, basically because most all religious traditions come with important teachings (e.g. The Ten Commandments, the Gospel, and all the Buddhist teachings he touches upon but doesn't go into great depth about in this book).
One interesting tidbit centers on reincarnation. Hanh speculates, correctly, I think, that people new to Buddhism (often Westerners) embrace the concept of reincarnation (he doesn't even like this word) because they are still hung up on SELF, which any Buddhist will tell you is a problem. "Gee," the rookie Buddhist thinks, "I'll be back in a new SELF and get another chance!" It's a wish for immortality of a sort, the wrong kind of wish. Instead, Hanh sees the answer not in being and self but in nonbeing and non-self, which surprisingly inhabit the same world as being and self (look around you... or better yet, within you).
Interestingly, Hanh looks at the Holy Trinity of Christianity and focuses on the part least understood by your garden-variety Christian -- the Holy Spirit (a.k.a. Holy Ghost). He sees this as the energy of the Trinity and likens it to mindfulness, the first and foremost practice of Buddhists. If you are working on your mindfulness, focusing on your breaths, on every moment including each of the five senses as you experience life, all credit goes to the Holy Spirit, or driver, within.
Here's a quote of note:
"When the energy of mindfulness is present, transformation takes place. When the energy of the Holy Spirit is within you, understanding, love, peace, and stability are possible. God is within. You are, yet you are not, but God is in you. This is interbeing. This is non-self.
"But I am afraid that many Christians and many Buddhists do not practice, or if they do, they practice only when they find themselves in difficult situations, and after that, they forget. Or their practice may be superficial. They support churches and temples, organize ceremonies, convert people, do charity work or social work, or take up an apostolic ministry, but do not practice mindfulness or pray while they act. They may devote an hour each day for chanting and liturgy, but after a while, the practice becomes dry and automatic and they do not know how to refresh it. They may believe that they are serving the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, or serving the Trinity and the church, but their practice does not touch the living Buddha or the living Christ. At the same time, these men and women do not hesitate to align themselves with those in power in order to strengthen the position of their church or community. They believe that political power is needed for the well-being of their church or community. They build up a self instead of letting go of the ideas of self. Then they look at this self as absolute truth and dismiss all other spiritual traditions as false. This is a very dangerous attitude; it always leads to conflicts and wars. Its nature is intolerance." (italics mine)
Sounds suspiciously like the USA, where religion and politics have proven a potent brew, esp. during the T**** years, but continuing into the present and future as they work hard to bring power back to their base.
It appears, Hanh would say, that the Buddha would shake his head, as would Christ. I'd also like to believe that they'd shake their heads over a self-described "Christian" supporting a creepy, predatory, corrupt, grifting, egomaniacal person like T****, too . The poles between Christ and T**** don't get much further apart, after all. (less)
Feb 15, 2014Katy rated it it was amazing
"The Gospels in their written or even oral form are not the living teaching of Jesus. The teachings must be practiced as they were lived by Jesus."
-Thich Nhat Hanh
I didn't want this book to end. Just reading it made me feel mindful and peaceful. Even the physicality of the book with its narrow pages and clean typesetting made me feel a depth I hadn't experienced in a long while.
I knew halfway through Living Buddha, Living Christ that I would reread it.
Thich Nhat Hanh has a way of revealing truth in simple prose. While this one book contained many truths, one in particular jumped off the page repeatedly in my reading: Practice.
Many of my doubts in the past five years have arisen from an inability to see Christianity as a religion of practice. So much of what I had been taught from an early age was about belief. "Faith alone." I observed other religions and grew curious and even jealous of their practice; Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and other Christian traditions, mainly Catholicism, value holy rituals, practices, and prayers that guide daily life, not just Sunday worship. I felt that was missing from my roots and tradition.
TNH's emphasis is so much on the LIVING Christ, in that Christ's life is the teaching, the important thing that we emulate. He believes that Christianity is about keeping Jesus' life, his practice alive through our practice as a community of Christians.
For me personally, this thought rings true. In some ways, Thich Nhat Hanh is more relatable to me than even teachers of my own tradition because I know he's not selling theology or salvation as a belief, but salvation meaning love, understanding, and freedom as the result of practice, particularly mindfulness.
A Buddhist monk is suggesting in such simple language that we emulate the living Christ.
That's a practice, a faith, a church, a spirituality, a religion I can back--emulating Christ. And in that emulation, it doesn't even matter what my personal beliefs are about the divinity of Jesus. What matters most is my belief in his life and its ability to teach me how to practice love, understanding, and liberation and to show compassion for others.
I will go forward from these pages with an aim to practice the life of Christ and learn from the Buddha. (less)
-Thich Nhat Hanh
I didn't want this book to end. Just reading it made me feel mindful and peaceful. Even the physicality of the book with its narrow pages and clean typesetting made me feel a depth I hadn't experienced in a long while.
I knew halfway through Living Buddha, Living Christ that I would reread it.
Thich Nhat Hanh has a way of revealing truth in simple prose. While this one book contained many truths, one in particular jumped off the page repeatedly in my reading: Practice.
Many of my doubts in the past five years have arisen from an inability to see Christianity as a religion of practice. So much of what I had been taught from an early age was about belief. "Faith alone." I observed other religions and grew curious and even jealous of their practice; Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and other Christian traditions, mainly Catholicism, value holy rituals, practices, and prayers that guide daily life, not just Sunday worship. I felt that was missing from my roots and tradition.
TNH's emphasis is so much on the LIVING Christ, in that Christ's life is the teaching, the important thing that we emulate. He believes that Christianity is about keeping Jesus' life, his practice alive through our practice as a community of Christians.
For me personally, this thought rings true. In some ways, Thich Nhat Hanh is more relatable to me than even teachers of my own tradition because I know he's not selling theology or salvation as a belief, but salvation meaning love, understanding, and freedom as the result of practice, particularly mindfulness.
A Buddhist monk is suggesting in such simple language that we emulate the living Christ.
That's a practice, a faith, a church, a spirituality, a religion I can back--emulating Christ. And in that emulation, it doesn't even matter what my personal beliefs are about the divinity of Jesus. What matters most is my belief in his life and its ability to teach me how to practice love, understanding, and liberation and to show compassion for others.
I will go forward from these pages with an aim to practice the life of Christ and learn from the Buddha. (less)
Dec 12, 2018Stephen Hicks rated it it was ok · review of another edition
I could write a review for this book, but I will repeat a quote given elsewhere by G.K. Chesterton, because I think it elucidates my opinion much more eloquently than I could myself. Here Chesterton is engaging with a different author of a different book in a different time about Buddhism and Christianity, but I found Thich Nhat Hanh to be using some of the same rhetorical devices. The examples Chesterton uses are not present in "Living Buddha, Living Christ", but the spirit of the comparison stays true.
"[Many people] are always insisting that Christianity and Buddhism are very much alike... This is generally believed, and I believed it myself until I read a book giving the reasons for it. The reasons were of two kinds: resemblances that meant nothing because they were common to all humanity, and resemblances which were not resemblances at all. The author solemnly explained that the two creeds were alike in things in which all creeds are alike, or else he described them as alike in some point in which they are quite obviously different. Thus, as a case of the first class, he said that both Christ and Buddha were called by the divine voice coming out of the sky, as if you would expect the divine voice to come out of the coal-cellar. Or, again, it was gravely urged that these two Eastern teachers, by a singular coincidence, both had to do with the washing of feet. You might as well say that it was a remarkable coincidence that they both had feet to wash. And the other class of similarities were those which simply were not similar. Thus this reconciler of the two religions draws earnest attention to the fact that at certain religious feasts the robe of the Lama is rent in pieces out of respect, and the remnants highly valued. But this is the reverse of a resemblance, for the garments of Christ were not rent in pieces out of respect, but out of derision; and the remnants were not highly valued except for what they would fetch in the rag shops. It is rather like alluding to the obvious connection between the two ceremonies of the sword: when it taps a man's shoulder, and when it cuts off his head. It is not at all similar for the man. These scraps of puerile pedantry would indeed matter little if it were not also true that the alleged philosophical resemblances are also of these two kinds, either proving too much or not proving anything. That Buddhism approves of mercy or of self-restraint is not to say that it is specially like Christianity; it is only to say that it is not utterly unlike all human existence. Buddhists disapprove in theory of cruelty or excess because all sane human beings disapprove in theory of cruelty or excess. But to say that Buddhism and Christianity give the same philosophy of these things is simply false. All humanity does agree that we are in a net of sin. Most of humanity agrees that there is some way out. But as to what is the way out, I do not think that there are two institutions in the universe which contradict each other so flatly as Buddhism and Christianity."
Thank you, Mr. Chesterton, for sounding off from the grave. (less)
"[Many people] are always insisting that Christianity and Buddhism are very much alike... This is generally believed, and I believed it myself until I read a book giving the reasons for it. The reasons were of two kinds: resemblances that meant nothing because they were common to all humanity, and resemblances which were not resemblances at all. The author solemnly explained that the two creeds were alike in things in which all creeds are alike, or else he described them as alike in some point in which they are quite obviously different. Thus, as a case of the first class, he said that both Christ and Buddha were called by the divine voice coming out of the sky, as if you would expect the divine voice to come out of the coal-cellar. Or, again, it was gravely urged that these two Eastern teachers, by a singular coincidence, both had to do with the washing of feet. You might as well say that it was a remarkable coincidence that they both had feet to wash. And the other class of similarities were those which simply were not similar. Thus this reconciler of the two religions draws earnest attention to the fact that at certain religious feasts the robe of the Lama is rent in pieces out of respect, and the remnants highly valued. But this is the reverse of a resemblance, for the garments of Christ were not rent in pieces out of respect, but out of derision; and the remnants were not highly valued except for what they would fetch in the rag shops. It is rather like alluding to the obvious connection between the two ceremonies of the sword: when it taps a man's shoulder, and when it cuts off his head. It is not at all similar for the man. These scraps of puerile pedantry would indeed matter little if it were not also true that the alleged philosophical resemblances are also of these two kinds, either proving too much or not proving anything. That Buddhism approves of mercy or of self-restraint is not to say that it is specially like Christianity; it is only to say that it is not utterly unlike all human existence. Buddhists disapprove in theory of cruelty or excess because all sane human beings disapprove in theory of cruelty or excess. But to say that Buddhism and Christianity give the same philosophy of these things is simply false. All humanity does agree that we are in a net of sin. Most of humanity agrees that there is some way out. But as to what is the way out, I do not think that there are two institutions in the universe which contradict each other so flatly as Buddhism and Christianity."
Thank you, Mr. Chesterton, for sounding off from the grave. (less)
Dec 05, 2011Will Waller rated it really liked it
Shelves: religious, non-fiction, motivational, textbook, self-help
It’s rare that in seminary we get assigned books that might find their way into an airport terminal bookstore or your local Barnes and Noble. This book was saved for last in a class investigating other religion’s portrayal of Christ. Having read little if any Buddhist works before, I didn’t know exactly how to charge into this book. Thich Nhat Hanh is an author who makes charging into anything a poorly planned exercise. Getting through half the book confused and unsure of his style, I reevaluated what I was doing and realized I was going to be confused by my M.O. So I stopped.
I did not stop “reading” but I stopped trying to swallow his writing style, which I would consider ethereal. Points are made like clouds, sometimes they follow previous thought clouds and other times they drift into oblivion.
This book reminds the reader that concepts, the Self, disconnectiveness and the like are destructive approaches to a life that is interconnected. Hanh is rarely critical of much, but he does see the danger in the Christian ethic of building up the self in anticipation of heaven. One does not act out of a selfish desire but because of their realization and mindfulness within the greater and more complete assessment of all life. While there are parts that do not resonate with me (for instance, how he muddles the Eucharist into Christ being in me and I in Christ and the bread and wine all the same), his reminder to stop being so occupied with my own self is a helpful life approach. People who struggle “build up a self instead of letting go of the ideas of self. Then they look at this self as absolute truth and dismiss all other spiritual traditions as false” (169). Great stuff here!
He also has serious problems with approaching God through theology rather than the Holy Spirit which is God too. God is not something that can be completely grasped through conceptual language but through experiential living. The Holy Spirit is perceivable, not definable. A true assessment in my book.
This book is probably better suited for someone who doesn’t plow through but meanders. Cloud-persons will definitely appreciate his hop-skip and jump style. It’s not my favorite, it’s not methodical, but it’s serene and peaceful.
(less)
I did not stop “reading” but I stopped trying to swallow his writing style, which I would consider ethereal. Points are made like clouds, sometimes they follow previous thought clouds and other times they drift into oblivion.
This book reminds the reader that concepts, the Self, disconnectiveness and the like are destructive approaches to a life that is interconnected. Hanh is rarely critical of much, but he does see the danger in the Christian ethic of building up the self in anticipation of heaven. One does not act out of a selfish desire but because of their realization and mindfulness within the greater and more complete assessment of all life. While there are parts that do not resonate with me (for instance, how he muddles the Eucharist into Christ being in me and I in Christ and the bread and wine all the same), his reminder to stop being so occupied with my own self is a helpful life approach. People who struggle “build up a self instead of letting go of the ideas of self. Then they look at this self as absolute truth and dismiss all other spiritual traditions as false” (169). Great stuff here!
He also has serious problems with approaching God through theology rather than the Holy Spirit which is God too. God is not something that can be completely grasped through conceptual language but through experiential living. The Holy Spirit is perceivable, not definable. A true assessment in my book.
This book is probably better suited for someone who doesn’t plow through but meanders. Cloud-persons will definitely appreciate his hop-skip and jump style. It’s not my favorite, it’s not methodical, but it’s serene and peaceful.
(less)
[Some notes taken from an interview Trich gave].
Born in Vietnam, in 1926, Thích Nhat Hanh has been a prominent figure in Buddhist circles, especially for his role in the Vietnam War and the Peace (non-violent) movement the world over. He would be exiled for 39 years (it was like being taken “out of the beehive”).
He was ordained a Buddhist monk at the age of 16. In 1965 he wrote a letter to Martin Luther King. Then they met in 1966 in the US. In Geneva, Martin L. King was called a "bodhisattva"…and then they shot him in the US. Trích could not eat,… that made him sick.
On the monks setting themselves on fire (during the Vietnam war) Trích said: that was an “act of love”, not of despair.
In 1982 he was invited to France,where he's been living.
Some of the strong concepts of his views are:
(1) the “deep listening”: when you help someone else to empty his/her heart.
(2) The importance of laughing…and living (happily) in the present MOMENT….with mindfulness and concentration. Community is important, “we can’t go far without community”.
(3) About problems in relationships; he said when a partner having problem, you should tell him/her: “darling I am here for you” (that’s the 1st mantra). (…) and if you are having problems, you should tell your partner: “please, help me” (that’s the 4th mantra). That’s Buddhist psychology.
(less)
Born in Vietnam, in 1926, Thích Nhat Hanh has been a prominent figure in Buddhist circles, especially for his role in the Vietnam War and the Peace (non-violent) movement the world over. He would be exiled for 39 years (it was like being taken “out of the beehive”).
He was ordained a Buddhist monk at the age of 16. In 1965 he wrote a letter to Martin Luther King. Then they met in 1966 in the US. In Geneva, Martin L. King was called a "bodhisattva"…and then they shot him in the US. Trích could not eat,… that made him sick.
On the monks setting themselves on fire (during the Vietnam war) Trích said: that was an “act of love”, not of despair.
In 1982 he was invited to France,where he's been living.
Some of the strong concepts of his views are:
(1) the “deep listening”: when you help someone else to empty his/her heart.
(2) The importance of laughing…and living (happily) in the present MOMENT….with mindfulness and concentration. Community is important, “we can’t go far without community”.
(3) About problems in relationships; he said when a partner having problem, you should tell him/her: “darling I am here for you” (that’s the 1st mantra). (…) and if you are having problems, you should tell your partner: “please, help me” (that’s the 4th mantra). That’s Buddhist psychology.
(less)
Jun 04, 2012Sonia Turtle rated it really liked it
This book was incredibly relatable to me because although I was raised in a Christian family as a church-going Christian, I've had the personal opinion that religion shouldn't have to fit a cookie-mold, and that picking and choosing aspects that you believe in from different religions should be perfectly okay if it resonates with your personal beliefs. Thich Nhat Hanh describes many interesting parallels between Buddhism and Christianity, connecting food traditions to mealtimes in the Jewish faith, while also comparing mindfulness in the Buddhist faith with the Holy Spirit in Christianity. Referring back to his opinion that it is insightful to look into many aspects of the different religions, I feel like it is a good way of deciding which beliefs work best with your personal spiritual endeavors.
But prior to reading this book, my thoughts on mixing religions with each other were quite muddled because I hadn't read any articles or writings about the subject, so this book gave me a much deeper and informative insight into the concept. I found that before making assumptions as to the significance of traditions in religious institutions, it is important to look into the historical background and do research on the sacraments before making any decisions.
This is a book that resonated with ideas I wasn't able to explicitly express so I will be purchasing my own copy of this novel. I definitely recommend the book to anyone looking into religious fusion and deciding whether there really are that many discrepancies between religions as the general public might believe. (less)
But prior to reading this book, my thoughts on mixing religions with each other were quite muddled because I hadn't read any articles or writings about the subject, so this book gave me a much deeper and informative insight into the concept. I found that before making assumptions as to the significance of traditions in religious institutions, it is important to look into the historical background and do research on the sacraments before making any decisions.
This is a book that resonated with ideas I wasn't able to explicitly express so I will be purchasing my own copy of this novel. I definitely recommend the book to anyone looking into religious fusion and deciding whether there really are that many discrepancies between religions as the general public might believe. (less)
May 02, 2010Inspired8 added it
I haven't read this book, but read many comments here...I once use to be buddist..and I know that there is a difference in the spirituality of being christian. Christ died for all, and rose again to the Father, and has granted all those who accept Him as Lord and savior to be apart of their lives, eternal life... Anything that doesnt lead people to the truth about Christ and His being sent to die for the sins of all, and that God's love is the only motive behind this and why He desire's we have eternal life living, with Him...is deception to it's highest...I know many have had bad experiences in church, but God's love is the only reason He sent Jesus...He wasnt only Christ...but Jesus the son of God the only living God...I'm so glad to read that this monk has had great enlightment and experience in what he has spoken...but there is only one God and One Jesus...and only One way to the Father..and its thru Jesus...
I pray all will find this path, and enter in through this gate..it's open...and not base God on what has happened in the past, but who He is...you can seek HIm and ask Him yourself...He will be glad to prove Himself and answer you...dont just take my word for it..but ask God yourself
blessings eternal to all...this was really nice... (less)
I pray all will find this path, and enter in through this gate..it's open...and not base God on what has happened in the past, but who He is...you can seek HIm and ask Him yourself...He will be glad to prove Himself and answer you...dont just take my word for it..but ask God yourself
blessings eternal to all...this was really nice... (less)
Oct 14, 2009Ron rated it liked it
My son Ryan suggested this book to me. I found it very interesting. It compares the teaching of Buddha with the teachings of Christ. I think the right path is like the spokes of a wheel, leading to the center wherein lies the truth. ( I am sure this is not an original idea but I don't know where it came from ). While most religious belief systems feel they are the only one, they all teach the same basic values but no one listens to anyone else and all seem to be groping around in a spiritual darkness. (less)
Jul 21, 2010Cyril Wong rated it it was amazing
Finally, a monk I can believe in! Thich Nhat Hanh's shining simplicity, generosity and compassion pours through every line in this book that fuses ideas from both Judeo-Christianity and Mahayana-Buddhism. God/Christ/Buddha as spirit and not as some judgmental, external creator; the spirit that runs through our hearts as love/compassion/energy and which should (even as, more often than not, it doesn't) unite the world. (less)
This one didn't resonate at all for me. Looking at some of the other reviews, it does seem like the book did more or less what it was aiming to do, which I guess was to make Buddhism seem less scary to Reagan-era satanic panic christians. I hope that's true. For me personally, I found it to be the weakest of his work that I've read, but I'm not exactly the target audience on this one so it's hardly a fair standard. (less)
Aug 08, 2021Patience K Phillips rated it it was amazing
This is the first read about mindfulness that’s connected with Christianity put in such a way to access present moment intersection by way of faith practice.
What I've learned through my faith practice, “Peace, be still” is how mindfulness is key, for me.
This lead me to sit with Buddhists in about 2013. Discovered it's a practice, not ‘religion’ and both my faith beliefs and tho practice coexist without disrupting one or the other. But instead, merge presence into a calm peace-filled space of focus on now.
Thich Nhat Hahn’s Living Buddha Living Christ is a merging of comprehension for me. I've had the opportunity to participate with Thay (name for THN meaning teacher) at the Beacon Theater in New York City for the World Compassion tour.
Bought my first THN book at the event, Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices to include in my faith practice on temperance and stillness. My thought was at the time if this includes all Thay’s practices maybe I can find my inner joy through practicing them, too.
At .7 speed on Audible at night, this is a great way to soothe and focus before sleeping. Sometimes playing all night wake to a practice moment. What a wonderful way to start the day.
What I've learned about faith from ‘practice’ and present moment mindfulness is prolific. This connection has given me a deeper focus on the fruits of the spirit and access to a deeper joy and peace.
My son is so impressed with the difference he read Happiness after a couple of years owning it as a gift from me. This helped him ground during some difficulties.
My son then introduced me to You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment, by THN. Which led me to share Zen Mind Beginner Mind.
Neither of us believes in God less. We are happier believers for the peace mindfulness practice invites. I see God more in my life as a result of the practices of Happiness.
In the many years as a Christian I can't recollect being significantly impacted with regards to peace. It was through mindfulness connected with the word, “Peace, be still” that everything began making sense via “practice”.
This book has strengthened my heart and joy for God’s love within and through me for others. I'm very happy to have concluded my journey to 52 books in 2021 with this text on merging my practice for literacy.
Growing up struggling as a reader required a lot of practice. Now, with audio, as a listener, too.
I've bought the hard cover print to include with my library to enjoy as a reminder with scripture. Plus, the Audible for quiet listening at night.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💯 (less)
What I've learned through my faith practice, “Peace, be still” is how mindfulness is key, for me.
This lead me to sit with Buddhists in about 2013. Discovered it's a practice, not ‘religion’ and both my faith beliefs and tho practice coexist without disrupting one or the other. But instead, merge presence into a calm peace-filled space of focus on now.
Thich Nhat Hahn’s Living Buddha Living Christ is a merging of comprehension for me. I've had the opportunity to participate with Thay (name for THN meaning teacher) at the Beacon Theater in New York City for the World Compassion tour.
Bought my first THN book at the event, Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices to include in my faith practice on temperance and stillness. My thought was at the time if this includes all Thay’s practices maybe I can find my inner joy through practicing them, too.
At .7 speed on Audible at night, this is a great way to soothe and focus before sleeping. Sometimes playing all night wake to a practice moment. What a wonderful way to start the day.
What I've learned about faith from ‘practice’ and present moment mindfulness is prolific. This connection has given me a deeper focus on the fruits of the spirit and access to a deeper joy and peace.
My son is so impressed with the difference he read Happiness after a couple of years owning it as a gift from me. This helped him ground during some difficulties.
My son then introduced me to You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment, by THN. Which led me to share Zen Mind Beginner Mind.
Neither of us believes in God less. We are happier believers for the peace mindfulness practice invites. I see God more in my life as a result of the practices of Happiness.
In the many years as a Christian I can't recollect being significantly impacted with regards to peace. It was through mindfulness connected with the word, “Peace, be still” that everything began making sense via “practice”.
This book has strengthened my heart and joy for God’s love within and through me for others. I'm very happy to have concluded my journey to 52 books in 2021 with this text on merging my practice for literacy.
Growing up struggling as a reader required a lot of practice. Now, with audio, as a listener, too.
I've bought the hard cover print to include with my library to enjoy as a reminder with scripture. Plus, the Audible for quiet listening at night.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💯 (less)
Feb 12, 2020Arda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Lessons from this book:
The First Noble truth is that there is suffering:
Suffering exists. And suffering has causes. Once we understand the nature of our suffering, then there is way of liberation.
Focus on: Simplicity: “To breathe means to live.”
- “A layperson who wants to practice the Way should also live a simple life.”
Focus on: Generosity
- The five wonderful precepts of Buddhism: Reverence for live, generosity, responsible sexual behavior, speaking and listening deeply, and ingesting only wholesome substances (these can take one toward happiness).
About generosity, one can give gifts: 1) the gift of material resources, 2) the gift of helping people rely on themselves, 3) and the gift of non-fear.
Be there for those you love – Give the gift of time to the ones you love.
Focus on: Taking care of your body:
“Your body is not yours alone. It also belongs to your ancestors, your parents, future generations, and all other living beings.”
BE KIND to all beings = taking care of body
Do not abuse alcohol, eat unhealthy foods, or hurt others by words.
Try to refrain from drinking (at all costs) and take on a vegetarian diet. With that said, do not be proud in what you believe in. Even if it is vegetarianism, do not be too proud about it: Don’t hold on too much to dogma or doctrine.
“The sanity of the body is the sanity of the mind; the violation of the body is the violation of the mind.”
Focus on: Getting rid of anger:
“Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
- We have to love our enemies. Recognize that we have anger, and then take care of it.
Focus on: Being mindful in speech:
Buddhist tradition. The fourth precept is described as refraining from these four actions:
1) Not telling the truth. If it’s black, you say it’s white.
2) Exaggerating. You make something up, or describe something as more beautiful than it actually is, or as ugly when it is not ugly
3) Forked tongue. You go to one person and say one thing and then you go to another person and say the opposite
4) Filthy language. You insult or abuse people.
- If you want to consult with someone, see that they themselves are treating their spouse, children, friends and society in a good manner.
Focus on: Community and roots:
“We need the support of friends and other people.”
- Importance of community: Without this community, you will be lost. Even if it is not the best, it is better than not having one.
“people cannot be happy if they are rootless” … “people are stable and happy only when they are firmly rooted in their own tradition and culture. To uproot them would make them suffer”
Focus on: Practice and not talk:
To know God is not to discuss God. Stay away from concepts:
Knowing God is not through analysis or discussion. We often try to theologize what God is, but rather the path of knowing God is through being mindful and alive. “Discussing God is not the best use of our energy.” Never talk about it.
Do not be attached to doctrine: Be free “from the notions of both self and non-self.”
- Do not get stuck in words or concepts: “The reality of a table is quite different from the concept “table.” It is to experience and not to talk a lot.
“Theologians spend a lot of time, ink, and breath talking about God. This is exactly what the Buddha did not want his disciples to do, because he wanted them to practice samatha (stopping, calming), vipasyana (looking deeply), and taking refuge…”
“a good theologian is one who says almost nothing about God”
“…abandon our habit of perceiving everything through concepts and representations”
“The ultimate dimension of reality has nothing to do with concepts.”
Nirvana is the “extinction of all words, ideas, and concepts.”
There is no “one” truth or “the right” God – Our faith must be alive
Do not go with the idea of “one God,” or “this is the only way.” That path leads to intolerance. That, too, is attached to thought, but the path is to be nonattached from views. The path is for all of us.
“If you are open enough, you will understand that your tradition does not contain all truths and values.”
“When our beliefs are based on our own direct experience of reality and not on notions offered by others, no one can remove these beliefs from us.”
Basically: own the truth, but make sure it changes
Changeable: “Each moment is a moment of renewal”
Practice/Not rigid talk: “Faith implies practice, living our daily life in mindfulness.”
Focus on: The practice of mindfulness: BE HERE NOW:
It is all about living each moment of your life in awareness.
When you chew, chew only that. Only this. Be in each moment. Aware. Be there fully. No distractions.
Stopping, calming, looking deeply: mindfulness. In every moment. To be aware of what is happening. “Most of the time, we are lost in the past or carried away by future projects or concerns.” Rather, be mindful. That is the Holy spirit.
Know that: The truth shall set you free:
Know thyself: Once you know, you will be troubled, but after that things will be alright. Be grateful.
“Take refuge in yourself and not in anything else.”
Buddha sees the “so-called ‘person’” as “just five elements (skandhas) that come together for a limited period of time: our body, feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness.” These five elements are, in fact, changing all the time. Not a single element remains the same for two consecutive moments.”
“We all need time to reflect and to refresh ourselves.”
Try to find harmony in those four skandhas: “form, feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness.” But be careful of being stuck on form rather than on essence.
Do not be bound by the afflictions of life.
It is misleading to “build up a self instead of letting go of the ideas of self.”
“Many people need to go away before they realize they do not have to go anywhere.”
“Because you are alive, everything is possible.”
Do not wait until death – You can be free now
“If you practice deeply, one day you will realize that you are free from birth and death, free from many of the dangers that have been assaulting you”
“The Kingdom of God is available here and now.”
In order to be alive, be dead: Don’t wait until you die – practice now. In Buddhism, that refuge is mindfulness
“My physical body is not what is most important” (Buddha) – faith is always with us.
Do not wait until you are hit by a wave – practice mindfulness everyday
“you do not have to abandon this world in order to be free”
“We do not have to die to arrive at the gates of Heaven. In fact, we have to be truly alive. The practice is to touch life deeply to that the Kingdom of God becomes a reality.”
Let go of bounds of afflictions of life. What blocks the light: afflictions such as ‘craving, anger, doubt, fear, and forgetfulness.’
In a way, be already dead – mindful. Hush the rest.
This life is not the only one there is. We become too attached to this life.
Be unbound by space and time. Practice within.
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The First Noble truth is that there is suffering:
Suffering exists. And suffering has causes. Once we understand the nature of our suffering, then there is way of liberation.
Focus on: Simplicity: “To breathe means to live.”
- “A layperson who wants to practice the Way should also live a simple life.”
Focus on: Generosity
- The five wonderful precepts of Buddhism: Reverence for live, generosity, responsible sexual behavior, speaking and listening deeply, and ingesting only wholesome substances (these can take one toward happiness).
About generosity, one can give gifts: 1) the gift of material resources, 2) the gift of helping people rely on themselves, 3) and the gift of non-fear.
Be there for those you love – Give the gift of time to the ones you love.
Focus on: Taking care of your body:
“Your body is not yours alone. It also belongs to your ancestors, your parents, future generations, and all other living beings.”
BE KIND to all beings = taking care of body
Do not abuse alcohol, eat unhealthy foods, or hurt others by words.
Try to refrain from drinking (at all costs) and take on a vegetarian diet. With that said, do not be proud in what you believe in. Even if it is vegetarianism, do not be too proud about it: Don’t hold on too much to dogma or doctrine.
“The sanity of the body is the sanity of the mind; the violation of the body is the violation of the mind.”
Focus on: Getting rid of anger:
“Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
- We have to love our enemies. Recognize that we have anger, and then take care of it.
Focus on: Being mindful in speech:
Buddhist tradition. The fourth precept is described as refraining from these four actions:
1) Not telling the truth. If it’s black, you say it’s white.
2) Exaggerating. You make something up, or describe something as more beautiful than it actually is, or as ugly when it is not ugly
3) Forked tongue. You go to one person and say one thing and then you go to another person and say the opposite
4) Filthy language. You insult or abuse people.
- If you want to consult with someone, see that they themselves are treating their spouse, children, friends and society in a good manner.
Focus on: Community and roots:
“We need the support of friends and other people.”
- Importance of community: Without this community, you will be lost. Even if it is not the best, it is better than not having one.
“people cannot be happy if they are rootless” … “people are stable and happy only when they are firmly rooted in their own tradition and culture. To uproot them would make them suffer”
Focus on: Practice and not talk:
To know God is not to discuss God. Stay away from concepts:
Knowing God is not through analysis or discussion. We often try to theologize what God is, but rather the path of knowing God is through being mindful and alive. “Discussing God is not the best use of our energy.” Never talk about it.
Do not be attached to doctrine: Be free “from the notions of both self and non-self.”
- Do not get stuck in words or concepts: “The reality of a table is quite different from the concept “table.” It is to experience and not to talk a lot.
“Theologians spend a lot of time, ink, and breath talking about God. This is exactly what the Buddha did not want his disciples to do, because he wanted them to practice samatha (stopping, calming), vipasyana (looking deeply), and taking refuge…”
“a good theologian is one who says almost nothing about God”
“…abandon our habit of perceiving everything through concepts and representations”
“The ultimate dimension of reality has nothing to do with concepts.”
Nirvana is the “extinction of all words, ideas, and concepts.”
There is no “one” truth or “the right” God – Our faith must be alive
Do not go with the idea of “one God,” or “this is the only way.” That path leads to intolerance. That, too, is attached to thought, but the path is to be nonattached from views. The path is for all of us.
“If you are open enough, you will understand that your tradition does not contain all truths and values.”
“When our beliefs are based on our own direct experience of reality and not on notions offered by others, no one can remove these beliefs from us.”
Basically: own the truth, but make sure it changes
Changeable: “Each moment is a moment of renewal”
Practice/Not rigid talk: “Faith implies practice, living our daily life in mindfulness.”
Focus on: The practice of mindfulness: BE HERE NOW:
It is all about living each moment of your life in awareness.
When you chew, chew only that. Only this. Be in each moment. Aware. Be there fully. No distractions.
Stopping, calming, looking deeply: mindfulness. In every moment. To be aware of what is happening. “Most of the time, we are lost in the past or carried away by future projects or concerns.” Rather, be mindful. That is the Holy spirit.
Know that: The truth shall set you free:
Know thyself: Once you know, you will be troubled, but after that things will be alright. Be grateful.
“Take refuge in yourself and not in anything else.”
Buddha sees the “so-called ‘person’” as “just five elements (skandhas) that come together for a limited period of time: our body, feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness.” These five elements are, in fact, changing all the time. Not a single element remains the same for two consecutive moments.”
“We all need time to reflect and to refresh ourselves.”
Try to find harmony in those four skandhas: “form, feelings, perceptions, mental states, and consciousness.” But be careful of being stuck on form rather than on essence.
Do not be bound by the afflictions of life.
It is misleading to “build up a self instead of letting go of the ideas of self.”
“Many people need to go away before they realize they do not have to go anywhere.”
“Because you are alive, everything is possible.”
Do not wait until death – You can be free now
“If you practice deeply, one day you will realize that you are free from birth and death, free from many of the dangers that have been assaulting you”
“The Kingdom of God is available here and now.”
In order to be alive, be dead: Don’t wait until you die – practice now. In Buddhism, that refuge is mindfulness
“My physical body is not what is most important” (Buddha) – faith is always with us.
Do not wait until you are hit by a wave – practice mindfulness everyday
“you do not have to abandon this world in order to be free”
“We do not have to die to arrive at the gates of Heaven. In fact, we have to be truly alive. The practice is to touch life deeply to that the Kingdom of God becomes a reality.”
Let go of bounds of afflictions of life. What blocks the light: afflictions such as ‘craving, anger, doubt, fear, and forgetfulness.’
In a way, be already dead – mindful. Hush the rest.
This life is not the only one there is. We become too attached to this life.
Be unbound by space and time. Practice within.
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My reading of this book resulted from the interest stone firmly wedged in the center of my mind. It’s not large enough to prevent me from moving around it but it is always there, tripping me up from time to time to gently remind me of its presence. My life has been a bit off and the most recent stumble sent me towards the bookshelf where I happened to have a stack of Buddhism related books squirreled away.
This isn’t quite what I wanted it to be but what I wanted isn’t exactly clear to me either. The writing style felt a bit choppy and repetitive in areas so I couldn’t get into the flow like I needed to. The subject matter was in the general direction I wanted it to be in but I needed more information/history. The latter points back at me for not matching my interests better with the right reading material.
So the rock still sits, more exposed than ever before which means I will need to head back to the book drawing board and find something more along what I think I am looking for. Maybe a best out of three situation is what’s called for here. (less)
This isn’t quite what I wanted it to be but what I wanted isn’t exactly clear to me either. The writing style felt a bit choppy and repetitive in areas so I couldn’t get into the flow like I needed to. The subject matter was in the general direction I wanted it to be in but I needed more information/history. The latter points back at me for not matching my interests better with the right reading material.
So the rock still sits, more exposed than ever before which means I will need to head back to the book drawing board and find something more along what I think I am looking for. Maybe a best out of three situation is what’s called for here. (less)
Dec 26, 2010Wil Roese rated it liked it · review of another edition
I really would like to beleive that Buddah and Christ brought the same message. I am very ipressed with the Buddhist practice of mindfulness and have started practicing it in my own life, but the more I read of this book the more convinced I become that Hanh does not understand Christianity. For example on page 56 He says: "To him [a Protestant minister] love could only be symbolized by a person. That is why belief in the resurrection is so important to Christians." I have never heard a fellow Christian say that love can "only be symbolized as a person" He has it backwards. While Christians believe that God is Love, god is not a symbol of love but love is a symbol of God. Second, the main point of the resurrection is not that Christ and therefor love lives on. Christians believe that the spit of all of us will continue after death of the body. The point of the restriction is it proved Christ was who he said he was and that God the Father accepted his atoning sacrifice on our behalf. (less)
Jan 04, 2019TRACI McClure rated it it was amazing
Became a vegetarian after reading this delight.
Nov 23, 2020Jason Ray Carney rated it it was amazing
Shelves: mysticism, buddhism, religion, contemplation, christianity
This is a great book. Thich Nhat Hanh's writing style is sometimes repetitive but I think the iterative rhetoric is a stylistic choice to make his otherwise simple message echo and stick: Christianity and Buddhism, in Hanh's view, are the same. End stop. His discussion of Buddhism is sometimes indirect and he doesn't seem to want to educate readers about specific Buddhist doctrines (he does that elsewhere). When he discusses Christianity, he tends to deploy Christian mysticism as his framework. I noticed a lot of references to Paul Tillich, Thomas Merton, and the Gospel of Thomas. Hanh's intrpretation of Christianity would not harmonize with a lot of people's views (I speculate). With all ecumenical and faith dialog work, the risk is to strip faith traditions of all their specificities and therefore reduce them to useless platitudes. Maybe that's a good thing to do. Some of this made me uncomfortable. Other parts comforted. *Shrug.* I'm glad I read it. (less)
Aug 07, 2019Robin Tobin (On the back porch reading) rated it it was amazing
Shelves: nonfiction, religious-spiritual
Truly a gifted wise teacher... Thay’s deep mindfulness of Buddha and Christ takes us on a journey into their similarities and differences. Thick Nhat Hank expertly interweaves the emphasis, the importance, and the wisdom of working together..
Apr 28, 2018Krystal rated it it was amazing
Shelves: spirituality, non-fiction, 2018-read, april-2018
This book actually helped me to understand the teachings of Jesus so much better than all the Christian books and Bible's i've read and studied. Who knew it would be a Buddhist monk to do it! This book is amazing, I really enjoyed it. (less)
Apr 09, 2021Maya rated it it was amazing
It's not just a book!it's like a meditation to the people who are seeking for the ultimate truth and values within the teachings of both spiritual ancestors!I'm so glad as I've clarified some of my biggest confusions and could practice upon this beautiful wisdom in my day today life : ) (less)
Though I still enjoyed this book and gleaned some great new insight from it, I think I’d just hyped it up to myself too much prior to reading it. Thich Nhat Hahn’s books have been a source of insight and joy for me the last couple years and, as someone who grew up Christian, I was eager to see what he’d have to say about the two traditions’ commonalities. Little of it struck me as too profound, but it still was an edifying and enjoyable read.
Feb 09, 2020Erika rated it really liked it · review of another edition
This book was helpful to someone who grew up Christian and still believes in God, but also aligns with Buddhism. It helps me find comfort in how the two so easily align. I will say though, the point was made to redundancy by the end. I would have preferred more teaching on how to apply the concepts to feel more spiritually connected. Still this one is worth a re-read because of all the nuggets of wisdom that resonated.
I always enjoy reading about Buddhism. It relaxes me, centers me, and I find a lot of wisdom, truth, guidance and calm in it. So of course I enjoyed this. So many insights here. Reading about Buddhist philosophy is often repetitive, but so far, I don't find it annoying b/c I have a horrible memory, one, and it reminds me of things I've already read, and two, it's like a meditation- reading the same things again. And different phrasing gives me different insights. Of course much of this, or any book about religion, can be a pamphlet in reality, instead of a book.
So this book in particular- lots of great insights about how Christianity and Buddhism has a lot more in common than we may think. He has some great points about how it's really all semantics- so much of what we say is essentially the same thing, we just have different words for it. I would have liked to read more about that. It seemed a little unfocused at times- it would veer off from being about the similarities and connections b/t the religions and start to just be about Buddhist beliefs, which is fine, but not really in line with the title.
I do think that sometimes you have to stretch it to keep thinking the two religions are very similar, b/c I feel that in a lot of ways they are quite different. Hanh doesn't acknowledge TOO much that essentially, deep down, it is very important- actually essential- that Jesus was/is THE savior of all people, is/was divine, etc. There's a lot of similarities, yes, but that's really important and I think most Christians would see that as an essential difference b/t the religions. You kind of have to ignore that to keep going with the similarities. Unfortunately, that aspect of Christian doctrine does breed the feeling that only Christ saves, and nothing else is as good or important or worthy. I do believe you should still be able to find insight and wisdom from Buddhism even if you do believe those things about Christ, but I think that's more of a barrier to making connections than Hanh is possibly admitting? I do like how he calls out the Pope, for example, for spreading the belief that one's own religion is the one and only true path to God. He kept saying "that doesn't help." And I agree totally. I think this book is more for people who already agree than for people who think like the Pope in that respect. I kept seeing things that Christians would whole heartedly object to and wouldn't listen to Hanh about at all, unfortunately.
For the most part I do find Buddhism all inclusive, at its base. And I love that. But whenever I read about it from a monk, I do see aspects of the same dogmatic rhetoric that I find in Christianity. In Buddhism they refer to it as "right thinking" and "right action." Occasionally I will read something that sounds like that- that if you don't think a certain way or believe a certain thing, you are doing it wrong and going on the wrong path. But it pretty quickly veers back into inclusive territory and acknowledging different paths to God and just doing the best you can.
So all in all, some helpful insights about the connections and similarities b/t these two religions, but I would have loved to delve more deeply into how so much of what we all believe is really the same, just worded differently. I agree with Hanh, that if you project on other people that their thoughts and beliefs, if they are not yours, are wrong, and yours is the only right way- you are not helping, and I also believe you are not following Christ if you think that way. (less)
So this book in particular- lots of great insights about how Christianity and Buddhism has a lot more in common than we may think. He has some great points about how it's really all semantics- so much of what we say is essentially the same thing, we just have different words for it. I would have liked to read more about that. It seemed a little unfocused at times- it would veer off from being about the similarities and connections b/t the religions and start to just be about Buddhist beliefs, which is fine, but not really in line with the title.
I do think that sometimes you have to stretch it to keep thinking the two religions are very similar, b/c I feel that in a lot of ways they are quite different. Hanh doesn't acknowledge TOO much that essentially, deep down, it is very important- actually essential- that Jesus was/is THE savior of all people, is/was divine, etc. There's a lot of similarities, yes, but that's really important and I think most Christians would see that as an essential difference b/t the religions. You kind of have to ignore that to keep going with the similarities. Unfortunately, that aspect of Christian doctrine does breed the feeling that only Christ saves, and nothing else is as good or important or worthy. I do believe you should still be able to find insight and wisdom from Buddhism even if you do believe those things about Christ, but I think that's more of a barrier to making connections than Hanh is possibly admitting? I do like how he calls out the Pope, for example, for spreading the belief that one's own religion is the one and only true path to God. He kept saying "that doesn't help." And I agree totally. I think this book is more for people who already agree than for people who think like the Pope in that respect. I kept seeing things that Christians would whole heartedly object to and wouldn't listen to Hanh about at all, unfortunately.
For the most part I do find Buddhism all inclusive, at its base. And I love that. But whenever I read about it from a monk, I do see aspects of the same dogmatic rhetoric that I find in Christianity. In Buddhism they refer to it as "right thinking" and "right action." Occasionally I will read something that sounds like that- that if you don't think a certain way or believe a certain thing, you are doing it wrong and going on the wrong path. But it pretty quickly veers back into inclusive territory and acknowledging different paths to God and just doing the best you can.
So all in all, some helpful insights about the connections and similarities b/t these two religions, but I would have loved to delve more deeply into how so much of what we all believe is really the same, just worded differently. I agree with Hanh, that if you project on other people that their thoughts and beliefs, if they are not yours, are wrong, and yours is the only right way- you are not helping, and I also believe you are not following Christ if you think that way. (less)
Aug 25, 2019Alejandro Bhattacharjee rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Amazing read that is relevant and profoundly important.
Oct 26, 2010Walter rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This is a thought-provoking and spirit-invoking book, an insightful synthesis and comparison of the Christian and Buddhist traditions. In particular, I appreciate that the author, Buddhist imminence Thich Nhat Hanh, treats each of these spiritual disciplines so respectfully in the attempt to bring about greater understanding of each of them individually and both of them collectively. Along the way, Thay (meaning "teacher," as the author is called reverently) manages to elucidate societal and spiritual principles of general benefit to us all. If we were aware and mindful of this wisdom, it would indeed be a better world (as pollyanna-ish as this sounds).
This being said, the author's style takes some getting used to. For example, there are often sentence juxtapositions within paragraphs that can appear initially to be non-sequiturs, but after getting used to this authorial quirk and focusing instead on the wisdom being dispensed, Thay's earnestness triumphs. This earned goodwill helps when he offers critiques of some other spiritual leaders whom he doesn't consider as open. Perhaps it's honesty, but at times it doesn't seem quite as charitable as it could be.
The book is penetratingly written and routinely insightful. The a-ha moments are many and meaningful, so much so that I was moved to write so many of them down that I have pages of notes in the margins of my copy. Further, it is one of the few books that has so moved me that I intend to re-read it soon.
In this spirit, I encourage others of myriad interests to check out this book. If you're interested in Christian wisdom, benefit from the unique perspective of an interpretation by a Buddhist monk. If you're interested in Buddhism, enjoy its key precepts being interpreted in a unique way. If you're not sure about either tradition, you'll be educated about both and moved in the process. If you're in the mood to be inspired, to have your hope enhanced and guided, this book is for you. It's a meaningful experience and a most worthwhile investment of intellect and spirit.... (less)
This being said, the author's style takes some getting used to. For example, there are often sentence juxtapositions within paragraphs that can appear initially to be non-sequiturs, but after getting used to this authorial quirk and focusing instead on the wisdom being dispensed, Thay's earnestness triumphs. This earned goodwill helps when he offers critiques of some other spiritual leaders whom he doesn't consider as open. Perhaps it's honesty, but at times it doesn't seem quite as charitable as it could be.
The book is penetratingly written and routinely insightful. The a-ha moments are many and meaningful, so much so that I was moved to write so many of them down that I have pages of notes in the margins of my copy. Further, it is one of the few books that has so moved me that I intend to re-read it soon.
In this spirit, I encourage others of myriad interests to check out this book. If you're interested in Christian wisdom, benefit from the unique perspective of an interpretation by a Buddhist monk. If you're interested in Buddhism, enjoy its key precepts being interpreted in a unique way. If you're not sure about either tradition, you'll be educated about both and moved in the process. If you're in the mood to be inspired, to have your hope enhanced and guided, this book is for you. It's a meaningful experience and a most worthwhile investment of intellect and spirit.... (less)
This was my first Thich Nhat Hanh read, and I am very much impressed. Lots of five star material here. I do have one warning if you decide to read this book. Do not read this book as a comparison of Christianity and Buddhism, but rather one man's spiritual journey. But I do believe the author is has an illusion about this journey. He describes himself as a man with two roots (Buddhism and Christianity) but he is really a man who has grafted Christianity onto his Buddhist root. How else could he say, "Like their Buddhist counterparts, Christians do not engage in excessive intellectual or analytical scrutiny of their scriptures." I sure would like to know where these Christians are hiding- I would love to meet them!
But if you can get past this personal flaw, by all means: Read The Book! It is filled with wonderful Buddhist wisdom. And just in case you decide not to read it, let me leave you with this wonderful quote from the book:
"One day as I was about to step on a dry leaf, I saw the leaf in the ultimate dimension. I saw that it was not really dead, but that it was merging with the moist soil in order to appear on the tree the following spring in another form. I smiled at the leaf and said, 'You are pretending.' Everything is pretending to be born and pretending to die, including that leaf." ~Thich Nhat Hanh (less)
But if you can get past this personal flaw, by all means: Read The Book! It is filled with wonderful Buddhist wisdom. And just in case you decide not to read it, let me leave you with this wonderful quote from the book:
"One day as I was about to step on a dry leaf, I saw the leaf in the ultimate dimension. I saw that it was not really dead, but that it was merging with the moist soil in order to appear on the tree the following spring in another form. I smiled at the leaf and said, 'You are pretending.' Everything is pretending to be born and pretending to die, including that leaf." ~Thich Nhat Hanh (less)
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