All in One, One in All: The Nature of Interbeing

by Thich Nhat Hanh

It's written by the ever-wonderful Thich Nhat Hanh, and concerns the nature of interbeing. "This Body is not me. I am not caught by this body. I am life without boundaries. I have never been born. I will never die. Look at me. Look at the stars and the moon. All of them are me, are manifestations of me. So smile to me, take my hand, say goodbye that we will see each other right away after this. We will see each other in every walk of life. We will recognize each other again and again, everywhere."

144 pages, Paperback

About the author

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than a decade ago, I attended a retreat led by Thich Nhat Hanh and monks/nuns from the Plum Village. I was new to Buddhism then, and didn't really understand him.

But now, a decade later, I understand a little bit better. He deconstructs things, so we can see better. So we can see the true reality of things.

This book covers some of his talks given at retreats at Plum Village in the late 1990s.

This is an apparently simple book that can be read within 2 days. But what is covers is not simple but really very powerful, if you really understand and reflect. It covers guidance on dealing with negative habits, mindfulness, mutual and social responsibility, non-duality and connectedness, and the importance of non-fear.

Below are my key takeaways.

1. It is important to know how to love and take good care of our ourselves first, before we are able to love and take care of others. (This is aligned with what Buddha has taught in the scriptures, that it is of a higher good to take care of ourselves first before others, and that the highest goal is being able to take care of ourselves and also others.)

2. We need to have a strategy to take care of our habit energies, because this can be very powerful in helping us transform our lives. Don't fight our negative thoughts and habits but recognize them because by recognizing them we are able to diminish their power and energies, and we will be able to start to see the positive and beautiful things around us. And we can start to touch positive things and energies which will in turn renew our own positive energies.

3. And true to the Zen mindset - don't discriminate between negative and positive habits by labeling them good or bad, because that is moving towards the direction of duality. We will end up constantly fighting ourselves, and remain fragmented. It would be more useful to accept and recognise negative habits and using them as a tool or help us in our transformation.

4. Use a bell at home as a tool, to remind us and our family to stop our negative habits immediately, and move to the other shore of quiet calm, non-suffering and equanimity. Adopt mutual responsibility towards each other in the family and to our community - to help each other move to the other shore of non-suffering.

5. Steady continuous practise is important, so that we don't give the negative seeds in our consciousness a chance to manifest and entrench themselves. Continuously allow our good seeds to grow - this is a way to protect ourselves. Be mindful and notice feelings, whether they're pleasant, unpleasant on neutral.

6. The best gift you can give others is non-fear especially to the sick and dying. (That our greatest fear is of dying, and of non-being).*

*Plum Village has a book for reference "The Teachings To Be Given to the Sick"

Extracts of some quotations which I found beautiful and meaningful:

"Your appointment with life is in the present moment. If you're not able to touch the present moment, you miss your appointment with life."

"...if we practice looking deeply, you realise that the lotus seed is in the lotus pond, but at the same time the lotus pond is in the lotus seed."

"...all of us a pregnant with a Buddha inside."

"Building a Sangha of practise is to build your own safety, your support, your happiness."

[John Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly a wonderful book, one that made me feel as though Thích Nhất Hạnh himself had come alive on the page.

Written in a transcript-style format, it carries a warmth and immediacy that feels deeply personal, as if you are sitting with him and listening directly to his teachings. It’s a book I would gladly return to again and again, a genuine comfort read.

For those already familiar with Thích Nhất Hạnh’s work, many of the themes will feel familiar: daily mindfulness practices, the benefits of practice, refuge, death, and above all, the central teaching of interbeing, as the title suggests. Much of this material is also available through the Plum Village app.

However, having this material thoughtfully gathered in book form and presented as living conversations is truly remarkable. It creates a strong sense of presence, making you feel that Thích Nhất Hạnh is still here - gently guiding the reader with clarity and compassion. In this way, the book feels like a continuation of him, a continuation of the Buddha, and a quiet reminder that nothing is ever truly lost.

[Friday · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was love at first sight when I read this book on vihara's library last year and it was my first time knowing Thay. The nature of "interbeing" is explained simply and beautifully from our daily phenomena which sometimes we're too busy to recognize them.

[shaqayeq · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is very beautiful. It is Thich Nhat Hanh talks mainly in a village where people practice meditation. It touches me, makes sense to me, and I feel i am connected to his talks and experiences.

[เนติวิทย์ โชติภัทร์ไพศาล · Rating 5 out of 5]

IT'S THIN BOOK BUT IS POWERFUL BOOK ALSO.