Our Appointment with Life (Updated): Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone

by Thich Nhat Hanh

This newly updated edition of Our Appointment with Life is Thich Nhat Hanh's accessible translation and commentary on the Sutra on Knowing the Better Way To Live Alone—the earliest teaching of the Buddha on living fully in the present moment.

"To live alone" doesn’t mean to isolate oneself from society. It means to live in to let go of the past and the future, and to look deeply and discover the true nature of all that is taking place in the present moment. To fully realize this is to meet our appointment with life and to experience peace, joy, and happiness this realization brings. A wonderful addition to the library of anyone interested in Buddhist studies.

"Our appointment with life is in the present moment. The place of our appointment is right here, in this very place." —Thich Nhat Hanh

72 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 29, 2026

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.