Freedom Wherever We Go: A Buddhist Monastic Code for the Twenty-first Century

by Thich Nhat Hanh

A fascinating resource for Buddhist practitioners and non-Buddhists alike, Freedom Wherever We Go takes the centuries-old Buddhist monastic guidelines of conduct and updates them for the twenty-first century.

This is the first time in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese tradition that this text is made available to the general public. It will nourish the practice of all practitioners by allowing insight and understanding into the monastic codes of conduct as well as the monastic lifestyle. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh has developed a modernized version of the guidelines and rituals that make up the daily life of a fully ordained Buddhist monk or nun. They organize the life of the monastic community in such a way that enables each member to realize transformation and liberation. Just as the original precepts were developed from actual situations the Buddha encountered with his disciples, the guidelines in this book come directly from real occurrences in present day monastic communities.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Spirituality

164 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2004

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

[MC Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

More academic than I expected

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book would be interesting for a lay person, but it wasn't.

[RayDavis · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesting code like judaic law

[Hollis Fishelson-holstine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up a while ago - not sure what I thought the first time round, but it was too specific to a monastery and not really applicable to 'daily life'

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monastic guidelines of conduct, more limited appeal.