Chanting from the Heart: Buddhist Ceremonies and Daily Practices

by Thich Nhat Hanh (Compiler)

This Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book is a most valuable resource for anyone interested in liturgy and everyone who just wants to celebrate life and practice the art of mindful living. It contains chants and recitations for daily spiritual practice and for such occasions as blessing a meal, celebrating a wedding, comforting the sick and remembering the deceased. Also included are more than twenty discourses comprising some of the most fundamental teachings of the Buddha and his enlightened students, including the Heart Sutra, The discourse on the Mindfulness of Breathing, the Discourse on Happiness, the Discourse on Taking Refuge in Oneself and the Discourse on Love. Many of the chants include sheet music.

An unprecedented collection of traditional and contemporary Buddhist chants, recitations, and ceremonial texts for daily spiritual practice when first published in the Fall of 2000, this new paperback edition was completely revised in Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's practice center in France. Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book is the quintessential resource and reference book for Buddhist practitioners on any level of experience, and for anyone who wants to celebrate life and practice the art of mindful living.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion, Philosophy, Self Help, Zen

360 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2006

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

[Gabrielle (Reading Rampage) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book is a perfect resource for people who wants to flesh out their daily meditation practice but who do not live within a Buddhist community. Thich Nhat Hanh collected the recitations, chants, gathas (short, simple devotional “poems” recited before performing various activities) and mantras recited by the people of Plum Village, his community in Southern France, and arranged them so that people who wish to incorporate those elements in their mindfulness practice can do so easily. The book also includes instructions for different kinds of meditation, a few formal ceremonies and some of the fundamental teachings and discourses of the Buddha.

There isn’t much to say about this book, except that it’s as practical as it is inspiring, and very well structured. When I first got it, I recopied a few of the gathas on little pieces of paper and placed them where they would be most useful (the one for washing dishes above the sink, the one for drinking tea by the kettle, etc.), and kept the book by my meditation cushion, to read longer passages such as the Heart and Diamond Sutra, after meditating. Of every book on my Dharma shelf, this one probably gets the most daily use.

This book is a wonderful addition to the library of anyone interested in making mindfulness practice a part of their daily lives! Very highly recommended.

[Ken McManus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daily practice book--ceremonies, sutras and mindfulness aspirations.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from the Vietnamese Buddhist Zen Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. This book is a collection of beautifully written ways "to help strengthen our practice of mindfulness, nourishing the seeds of love and understanding within us". Who wouldn't benefit from that? I am using this book as a daily read, to enhance my mornings of meditation, and to carry these thoughts with me throughout the day. As I continue to read, I have decided to incorporate the chantings and recitations in my own Sangha, of which I have been asked to lead the meditation group on Sunday mornings. Also, before I begin to meditate in the morning and after reading spiritual literature, I have added listening to the Youtube video of "The Heart of Perfect Understanding" sung by the Plum Village and reading it along with the song being sung. This is written in the Daily Practice Session section of this book. Such a wonderful way to start your day. I literally started hearing singing in my own head as I was pausing, opening curtains and doing other things around my house. A kind of chant for every thing throughout my morning. In my opinion, a must read, to be incorporated into daily living!

[Serena Long ﺕ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magnificent book for teaching daily meditation. It reminds me of Drepung Monastery and Tsamkung Nunnery in Lhasa, Tibet. Love practicing the "walking, touching the earth and the sitting meditation". Million thanks to my memento mori, Thich Nhat Hanh for all the Mantras, for each type of meditation. Mantra chant really have a mysterious POWER that cannot be logically explained.

[Amy Siemel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was grounding to read short sections of these chants while nursing my youngest as an infant. I will always associate this beautiful collection with that time in our lives.

[Loïc Cas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this book to help make practice with the monastics of Plum Village, while attending to online retreats. It helps a great deal to make sense of the different rituals and ceremonies. It is also a source of study and inspiration in itself.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chanting from the Heart is a great book for teaching daily meditation, especially when you don't have the ability to participate with a Buddhist community. I live too far away to be part of a community, and so, this book has provided me a means to remain centered. Thich Nhat Hanh describes multiple types of meditation, such as walking, touching the earth, and sitting meditation, as well as mantras for each type of meditation. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in practicing meditation. It is a wonderful way to relive stress in this crazy world.

[Tim Desmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indispensable guide for daily practice.