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At Home In The World
This collection of autobiographical and teaching stories from peace activist and Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is thought provoking and inspiring. Collected here for the first time, these stories span his life. There are stories from his childhood and the traditions of rural Vietnam. There are stories from his years as a teenage novice, as a young teacher and writer in war torn Vietnam, and of his travels around the world to teach mindfulness, make pilgrimages to sacred sites and influence world leaders.
The tradition of Zen teaching stories goes back at least to the time of the Buddha. Like the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh uses story–telling to engage people’s interest so he can share important teachings, insights and life lessons.
The tradition of Zen teaching stories goes back at least to the time of the Buddha. Like the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh uses story–telling to engage people’s interest so he can share important teachings, insights and life lessons.
187 pages, Paperback
Published November 3, 2016
347 people are currently reading
2395 people want to read
About the author
Thich Nhat Hanh
993 books13k followersThích 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
September 28, 2017
Since finding my true home, I no longer suffer. The past is no longer a prison for me. The future is not a prison either. I am able to live in the here and now and to touch my true home. I am able to arrive home with every breath and with every step. pg. 14
When you love someone, you want the other person to be happy. If they are not happy, there is no way you can be happy. Happiness is not an individual matter. True love requires deep understanding. In fact, love is another name for understanding. If you do not understand, you cannot love properly. Without understanding, your love will only cause the other person to suffer. pg. 39
pg.48, Hanh is immersing with an American soldier whom recalls his experience of entering Bao Quoc temple during the evening sitting meditation. In the usual case, when the army went in for searches, people would run away and be thrown into a state of panic. When they entered the temple, they thought it was empty because of how quiet it was but there was actually 50-60 monks. They were so deep into meditation that they simply ignored the soldiers. The soldier recalls, "I felt drawn to their calmness. It really commanded my respect."
-- continued on pg.51. Hanh talks about saying goodbye to the soldier after training with him in meditation for months. "I know that when I last saw him, he was at peace. That moment of profound silence in the temple had changed him...What made it all possible was that moment of complete and total stopping and opening to the powerful, healing and miraculous ocean called silence
"Mindfulness must be engaged. Once we see that something needs to be done, we must take action. Seeing and acting go together. Otherwise, what is the use of seeing?" pg. 56
pg.61 Hanh talks about his experience working to support 'boat people' while in Singapore. "It's not enough just to talk about compassion; we have to do the work of compassion"
"If you want peace, peace is with you immediately." "And yet there were more problems than it seemed possible to solve in twenty-four hours. Even in a while lifetime, many of us complain that there is not enough time. How could so much be done in a mere twenty-four hours?....If I could not find peace in the midst of difficulty, I knew I would never know real peace." pg. 65
pg.74 he talks about a Buddhist nun who was imprisoned. They forbade her from practicing sitting meditation because they saw it as an act of provocation. So she tried walking meditation, even though the space was small. "She was able to talk with kindness and gentleness to the people who were locked in the same cell. Thanks to her practice, she was able to help them to suffer less."
"Many things are taken from us, but no one can ever steal our determination for freedom." * B said this to me a long time ago when I talked about my personal freedom. I get it now
pg.80 his reflection of committing rape and violence. He talks of the ignorance of not being taught how to love, how to understanding, and how to see the suffering of others. Reminds me of Aristotle's Cave. I wonder what other parallels I could find in Western and Eastern philosophy. I'm sure someone or another has written about it
pg.86 talking to a veteran with post-traumatic stress. "It is true you have killed five children...but it is also true that today you can save five children." In the present moment, you can heal the past.
"The practice of mindfulness is like a boat, and by practicing mindfulness, you offer yourself a boat. As long as you continue to practice, as long as you stay in the boat, you will not sink or drown in the river of suffering."
"I do not know if people develop such a deep connection to the things they buy these days. Many people have a strong desire to possess the latest thing, and manufacturers and advertisers know this. It is not by accident that merchandise these days is not created to last. The objectives of our desire are constantly changing. And our desires for the objectives we consume also change from one moment to the next. We are always running after something new....As you grow in mindfulness, you reclaim your life. You begin to see how much time we lose in empty, meaningless consumption" pg. 95
"When we love something, we are attached to its form and yet we know it's going to change and die, and this makes us suffer. A flower manifests; it buds, it blooms and it stays with us for a few weeks, and then it begins to change and its petals gradually start to wilt. At some point, the whole flower droops and dies....when it manifests, we smile and we enjoy it. But when it is in hiding, we don't cry or feel sad. We say, "Next year I will see you again."
pg.132 - getting back to the body
"Anything good needs time to ripen. When enough conditions come together, what has been latent is us for a long time can arise." pg. 134
Talks about the young man from a lower cast in India. "We are under the influence of previous generations of our ancestors and our society. The practice of stopping and looking deeply is to stop our habit energy being sustained by the negative seeds that have been transmitted to us. When we are able to stop, we do it for all of our ancestors, and we end the vicious circle that is called samsara." pg. 147
"When you plant lettuce, you don't blame the lettuce if it does grow well. You look into the reasons why it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if know how to take care of others, they will grow well, just like the lettuce. pg. 154
"That is why many young people invest all their time and energy into their work, into their company, and they don't have time to take care of their body, their feelings, their emotions, and their relationships. Even if they do have time, they may not know what to do with that time in order to really take care of their body and mind...Many of us are so busy that we don't have time to live. Our work can take up all our life. We may even be addicted to our work. There are times we don't know what to do with our loneliness pain and despair inside. We try to look for something to cover it up. We check email, we pick up a newspaper, we listen to the news, anything to forget our loneliness and suffering inside.."
Do you have a home? Do you have a true home where you feel comfortable, peaceful and free?
"My true home cannot be defined in terms of place or culture. It's simplistic to say that in terms of nationality I am Vietnamese. I don't have Vietnamese passport or identity card, so legally speaking, I am not Vietnamese. Genetically there is no such has as the 'Vietnamese' race. Looking into me, you can see Melanesian, Indonesian, Mongolian and African elements. That is true for any nationality. Seeing that can set us free. The whole cosmos has come together in order to help you manifest." pg. 117
When you love someone, you want the other person to be happy. If they are not happy, there is no way you can be happy. Happiness is not an individual matter. True love requires deep understanding. In fact, love is another name for understanding. If you do not understand, you cannot love properly. Without understanding, your love will only cause the other person to suffer. pg. 39
pg.48, Hanh is immersing with an American soldier whom recalls his experience of entering Bao Quoc temple during the evening sitting meditation. In the usual case, when the army went in for searches, people would run away and be thrown into a state of panic. When they entered the temple, they thought it was empty because of how quiet it was but there was actually 50-60 monks. They were so deep into meditation that they simply ignored the soldiers. The soldier recalls, "I felt drawn to their calmness. It really commanded my respect."
-- continued on pg.51. Hanh talks about saying goodbye to the soldier after training with him in meditation for months. "I know that when I last saw him, he was at peace. That moment of profound silence in the temple had changed him...What made it all possible was that moment of complete and total stopping and opening to the powerful, healing and miraculous ocean called silence
"Mindfulness must be engaged. Once we see that something needs to be done, we must take action. Seeing and acting go together. Otherwise, what is the use of seeing?" pg. 56
pg.61 Hanh talks about his experience working to support 'boat people' while in Singapore. "It's not enough just to talk about compassion; we have to do the work of compassion"
"If you want peace, peace is with you immediately." "And yet there were more problems than it seemed possible to solve in twenty-four hours. Even in a while lifetime, many of us complain that there is not enough time. How could so much be done in a mere twenty-four hours?....If I could not find peace in the midst of difficulty, I knew I would never know real peace." pg. 65
pg.74 he talks about a Buddhist nun who was imprisoned. They forbade her from practicing sitting meditation because they saw it as an act of provocation. So she tried walking meditation, even though the space was small. "She was able to talk with kindness and gentleness to the people who were locked in the same cell. Thanks to her practice, she was able to help them to suffer less."
"Many things are taken from us, but no one can ever steal our determination for freedom." * B said this to me a long time ago when I talked about my personal freedom. I get it now
pg.80 his reflection of committing rape and violence. He talks of the ignorance of not being taught how to love, how to understanding, and how to see the suffering of others. Reminds me of Aristotle's Cave. I wonder what other parallels I could find in Western and Eastern philosophy. I'm sure someone or another has written about it
pg.86 talking to a veteran with post-traumatic stress. "It is true you have killed five children...but it is also true that today you can save five children." In the present moment, you can heal the past.
"The practice of mindfulness is like a boat, and by practicing mindfulness, you offer yourself a boat. As long as you continue to practice, as long as you stay in the boat, you will not sink or drown in the river of suffering."
"I do not know if people develop such a deep connection to the things they buy these days. Many people have a strong desire to possess the latest thing, and manufacturers and advertisers know this. It is not by accident that merchandise these days is not created to last. The objectives of our desire are constantly changing. And our desires for the objectives we consume also change from one moment to the next. We are always running after something new....As you grow in mindfulness, you reclaim your life. You begin to see how much time we lose in empty, meaningless consumption" pg. 95
"When we love something, we are attached to its form and yet we know it's going to change and die, and this makes us suffer. A flower manifests; it buds, it blooms and it stays with us for a few weeks, and then it begins to change and its petals gradually start to wilt. At some point, the whole flower droops and dies....when it manifests, we smile and we enjoy it. But when it is in hiding, we don't cry or feel sad. We say, "Next year I will see you again."
pg.132 - getting back to the body
"Anything good needs time to ripen. When enough conditions come together, what has been latent is us for a long time can arise." pg. 134
Talks about the young man from a lower cast in India. "We are under the influence of previous generations of our ancestors and our society. The practice of stopping and looking deeply is to stop our habit energy being sustained by the negative seeds that have been transmitted to us. When we are able to stop, we do it for all of our ancestors, and we end the vicious circle that is called samsara." pg. 147
"When you plant lettuce, you don't blame the lettuce if it does grow well. You look into the reasons why it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if know how to take care of others, they will grow well, just like the lettuce. pg. 154
"That is why many young people invest all their time and energy into their work, into their company, and they don't have time to take care of their body, their feelings, their emotions, and their relationships. Even if they do have time, they may not know what to do with that time in order to really take care of their body and mind...Many of us are so busy that we don't have time to live. Our work can take up all our life. We may even be addicted to our work. There are times we don't know what to do with our loneliness pain and despair inside. We try to look for something to cover it up. We check email, we pick up a newspaper, we listen to the news, anything to forget our loneliness and suffering inside.."
Do you have a home? Do you have a true home where you feel comfortable, peaceful and free?
"My true home cannot be defined in terms of place or culture. It's simplistic to say that in terms of nationality I am Vietnamese. I don't have Vietnamese passport or identity card, so legally speaking, I am not Vietnamese. Genetically there is no such has as the 'Vietnamese' race. Looking into me, you can see Melanesian, Indonesian, Mongolian and African elements. That is true for any nationality. Seeing that can set us free. The whole cosmos has come together in order to help you manifest." pg. 117
October 28, 2025
This was a beautiful book full of short memoirs and reflections from the author’s life. Beautifully illustrated and wonderful written to give the reader reflections for meditation and for life. Worth the read and I will revisit in the future.
March 11, 2019
I savoured this beautiful book over many moons trying to really allow the daily and at times, weekly, meditative reading to sink in. Highly recommend.
October 24, 2017
As I write this review, I am living in the moment. I breathe in as I write this sentence, and I breathe out as I write the next. If you seek to be in touch with yourself and the world around you, Thich Nhat Hanh can show you how to walk the path.
April 22, 2021
This was such an interesting read. There’s so much to learn from this book.
May 4, 2021
A fascinating book. I loved all the short anecdotes and insights that you can bring into every day life.
If we could all think this way the world would be a better place.
If we could all think this way the world would be a better place.
June 8, 2017
Just reading Thich Nhat Hanh's words makes me feel peaceful. This is a collection of short pieces about mindfulness in your daily life. He tells some of his story here and uses his story to teach lessons. I had no idea he was in his 80s, what an amazing life he has lived. Very easy to digest and good for the soul.
"Buddha is not the name of a particular person; buddha is just a common name to designate anyone who has a high degree of peace and who has a high degree of understanding and compassion. All of us are capable of being called by this name."
"The veteran slowly took in these words. He devoted his life to helping children and in the process became healed by his work. The present moment contains the past, and if you can live deeply in the present moment you can heal the past. You don’t have to wait for anything."
"Buddha is not the name of a particular person; buddha is just a common name to designate anyone who has a high degree of peace and who has a high degree of understanding and compassion. All of us are capable of being called by this name."
"The veteran slowly took in these words. He devoted his life to helping children and in the process became healed by his work. The present moment contains the past, and if you can live deeply in the present moment you can heal the past. You don’t have to wait for anything."
August 12, 2025
230422: wise, wonderful, worldly. mostly autobiography and stories of thich nhat hanh, light Phil and psych. religious attitude clear. if you have ever wondered how 'engaged buddhism' works, the sections on Vietnamese boat people is insightful...
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What the Buddha Thought
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings
Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis
Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation
Buddhism as Philosophy: An Introduction
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā
Self, No Self?: Perspectives from Analytical, Phenomenological, and Indian Traditions
After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age
Philosophers of Nothingness: An Essay on the Kyoto School
The Kyoto School
Nishida And Western Philosophy
Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach
What the Buddha Thought
Wisdom Beyond Words: The Buddhist Vision of Ultimate Reality
An Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy
Why I Am Not a Buddhist
Why I Am a Buddhist: No-Nonsense Buddhism with Red Meat and Whiskey
Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature
Already Free: Buddhism Meets Psychotherapy on the Path of Liberation
more
What the Buddha Thought
Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings
Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis
Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation
Buddhism as Philosophy: An Introduction
The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā
Self, No Self?: Perspectives from Analytical, Phenomenological, and Indian Traditions
After Buddhism: Rethinking the Dharma for a Secular Age
Philosophers of Nothingness: An Essay on the Kyoto School
The Kyoto School
Nishida And Western Philosophy
Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach
What the Buddha Thought
Wisdom Beyond Words: The Buddhist Vision of Ultimate Reality
An Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy
Why I Am Not a Buddhist
Why I Am a Buddhist: No-Nonsense Buddhism with Red Meat and Whiskey
Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature
Already Free: Buddhism Meets Psychotherapy on the Path of Liberation
December 8, 2018
Hanh writes dozens of short stories about his life and his experiences and how he used meditation in all of its various forms to bring clarity and understanding to otherwise challenging and even dangerous experiences. I enjoyed learning about his perspective, I enjoyed seeing how something as simple as meditation and an awareness of what I am going through could be beneficial for changing how I view a given situation. I really like that understanding Hanh's perspective has changed how I view things in my life; sometimes I find myself walking down the street being more aware of my breathing and how I am walking, something I never would have done before. When I do that I find I'm less frustrated with the craziness of the city and am not as bothered by the honking of cabs and trucks and the occasional screaming pedestrians. It's amazing to me how something as simple, though not necessarily easy, as being aware of the present moment, being aware of everything that is happening around me, and being aware and paying attention to the feelings & thoughts I'm experiencing can change all of those experiences for the better. Definitely worth reading and I'll pick up another book or two of his to read.
April 22, 2022
In this gently written, moving collection of anecdotes, Thich Nhat Hanh shares his life experience from his childhood in Vietnam and his time as a monk, the people he encounters. The key takeaway is one worth revisiting - to slow down, practice mindfulness, and hold compassion, applicable for not just daily living but also as Thich Nhat Hanh has shown, in times of conflict and war.
February 28, 2024
this books has made me cry numerous times; but as Thuy says in the book, he lives in this world through you and me as we breathe in compassion and Love.
May 4, 2019
Este libro lo solicité, en parte, porque pensaba que sería otra cosa pero el resultado ha sido mejor de lo que me esperaba. Nunca había leído nada de Thich Nhat Hanh, ni siquiera lo conocía, y ha sido uno de los descubrimientos de este año. Thich Nhat Hanh es uno de los líderes espirituales y religiosos más célebres de todo el mundo.
Si tuviera que describir este libro con una sola palabra sería la de "espiritual" o la de "paz". Thich Nhat Hanh a través de sus vivencias te da una clase magistral de budismo zen mediante el empleo de un lenguaje muy filosófico que bebe de la filosofía oriental, muy diferente a nuestra cultura. Es un relato breve pero que te atrapa de forma irremediable.
Mi casa es el mundo es un libro que te ayuda a llevar una vida mejor, más plena, sin estrés y llena de paz consigo mismo. A través de sus palabras te enseña a apreciar el lado bueno de las personas. Tiene momentos medianamente fuertes cuando el autor trata sobre su vida cuando Vietnam estaba en guerra contra Estados Unidos. Tanta muerte y destrucción te conmueven.
También es un libro que te ayuda a apreciar las cosas más simples, como el agua caliente, tener un váter o un fregadero. El agua caliente, a modo de vivencia personal, también lo aprecié mucho en su día cuando estuve durante una temporada viviendo fuera de España, en Colombia. Allí no tenía agua caliente y cuando llegué de vuelta a mi casa y me di una ducha fue como encontrar el paraíso.
Me ha gustado mucho poder conocer más la mentalidad o filosofía del budismo zen a través de este maestro, especialmente sobre la reencarnación o el estado de nirvana. Yo soy también partidario de que nosotros nos reencarnamos, por lo que he sentido mucha empatía con las palabras de Thich Nhat Hanh y lo que este nos enseña.
Me ha resultado curioso la forma de narrar del maestro budista. Es un libro que narra su vida, algunos acontecimientos son novedosos, pero no lo hace por un orden cronológico, sino más bien temático. En cada capítulo, que sí están por orden cronológico, hay una serie de epígrafes que acompaña una mini historia. Al final de cada mini historia hay siempre una enseñanza.
Es, además, una historia de superación ante los acontecimientos negativos de la vida. Thich Nhat Hanh es un hombre muy fuerte que no se viene abajo ante los problemas, sino que siempre mida el lado positivo para superarlos. No es resignación, es superación. Y esa fuerza que transmite te llega a lo más profundo.
Por último, una frase que me ha gustado muchísimo:
"Cuando dejemos de tratar de encontrar el hogar fuera de nosotros (en el espacio, el tiempo, la cultura, el territorio, la nacionalidad o la raza), encontraremos la verdadera felicidad"
En conclusión, es un libro lleno de filosofía y de superación. Thich Nhat Hanh te da una serie de lecciones a través de sus propias vivencias que harán que, si las aplicas, tu vida sea mucho más placentera y llegues a encontrar tu paz interior. Además la fuerza de superación del maestro budista es de gran admiración, atrapándote con sus palabras para no dejarte escapar. Muy recomendable.
Si tuviera que describir este libro con una sola palabra sería la de "espiritual" o la de "paz". Thich Nhat Hanh a través de sus vivencias te da una clase magistral de budismo zen mediante el empleo de un lenguaje muy filosófico que bebe de la filosofía oriental, muy diferente a nuestra cultura. Es un relato breve pero que te atrapa de forma irremediable.
Mi casa es el mundo es un libro que te ayuda a llevar una vida mejor, más plena, sin estrés y llena de paz consigo mismo. A través de sus palabras te enseña a apreciar el lado bueno de las personas. Tiene momentos medianamente fuertes cuando el autor trata sobre su vida cuando Vietnam estaba en guerra contra Estados Unidos. Tanta muerte y destrucción te conmueven.
También es un libro que te ayuda a apreciar las cosas más simples, como el agua caliente, tener un váter o un fregadero. El agua caliente, a modo de vivencia personal, también lo aprecié mucho en su día cuando estuve durante una temporada viviendo fuera de España, en Colombia. Allí no tenía agua caliente y cuando llegué de vuelta a mi casa y me di una ducha fue como encontrar el paraíso.
Me ha gustado mucho poder conocer más la mentalidad o filosofía del budismo zen a través de este maestro, especialmente sobre la reencarnación o el estado de nirvana. Yo soy también partidario de que nosotros nos reencarnamos, por lo que he sentido mucha empatía con las palabras de Thich Nhat Hanh y lo que este nos enseña.
Me ha resultado curioso la forma de narrar del maestro budista. Es un libro que narra su vida, algunos acontecimientos son novedosos, pero no lo hace por un orden cronológico, sino más bien temático. En cada capítulo, que sí están por orden cronológico, hay una serie de epígrafes que acompaña una mini historia. Al final de cada mini historia hay siempre una enseñanza.
Es, además, una historia de superación ante los acontecimientos negativos de la vida. Thich Nhat Hanh es un hombre muy fuerte que no se viene abajo ante los problemas, sino que siempre mida el lado positivo para superarlos. No es resignación, es superación. Y esa fuerza que transmite te llega a lo más profundo.
Por último, una frase que me ha gustado muchísimo:
"Cuando dejemos de tratar de encontrar el hogar fuera de nosotros (en el espacio, el tiempo, la cultura, el territorio, la nacionalidad o la raza), encontraremos la verdadera felicidad"
En conclusión, es un libro lleno de filosofía y de superación. Thich Nhat Hanh te da una serie de lecciones a través de sus propias vivencias que harán que, si las aplicas, tu vida sea mucho más placentera y llegues a encontrar tu paz interior. Además la fuerza de superación del maestro budista es de gran admiración, atrapándote con sus palabras para no dejarte escapar. Muy recomendable.
August 29, 2016
I received an ARC copy from netgalley for an honest review.
Thich Nhat Hahn has chosen stories from his life to help continue teaching his readers. Filled with Buddhist philosophy and his own wisdom these stories are inspiring and even thought provoking. There was one story and though I understood what Thich was saying I disagreed with it. That is really the only thing that I did not like in this whole book.
Some of the things written are found in his books which may bug some readers. To me it made this book feel familiar which I enjoyed. This is a wonderful book for anybody who likes Thich Nhat Hahn works.
Thich Nhat Hahn has chosen stories from his life to help continue teaching his readers. Filled with Buddhist philosophy and his own wisdom these stories are inspiring and even thought provoking. There was one story and though I understood what Thich was saying I disagreed with it. That is really the only thing that I did not like in this whole book.
Some of the things written are found in his books which may bug some readers. To me it made this book feel familiar which I enjoyed. This is a wonderful book for anybody who likes Thich Nhat Hahn works.
April 23, 2019
"There is no way home ; home is the way."
December 7, 2020
Absolutely recommended reading for this hell year.
March 6, 2023
The publisher (Parallax Press) offered a free ebook edition of this and I happily downloaded it as I'm a longtime reader of Hanh. It's basically one- and two-page anecdotes and vignettes pulled from throughout Hanh's life. Given what a fascinating life he's lived, it ranges from befriending foreign soldiers during the Vietnam War to meeting MLK in Washington, DC. Despite their brevity, each passage connects back to mindfulness and meditation without being pedantic or repetitive. The reader gets a sense of his life, as well as how Buddhism operates as a lifelong practice.
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"I first wrote to Dr. King on June 1, 1965, explaining to him why some of us in Vietnam had immolated ourselves in protest against the war. I explained that it was not an act of suicide, or of despair; it was an act of love. There are times when we have no other way than to burn ourselves in order to be heard, in order to get the message across. The people of Vietnam did not want the war, but there was no way for this voice to be heard. The warring parties controlled all the radio, television, and newspapers. To burn ourselves like that was not an act of violence. It was an act of compassion, an act of peace. The suffering of the monk who burns himself to convey a message of love and compassion—is of the same nature as the act of Jesus Christ dying on the cross, dying with no hate, no anger, only with compassion, leaving behind a compassionate call for peace, for brotherhood."
November 19, 2022
Ce livre autobiographique est une superbe initiation à la pleine conscience, et plus largement au bouddhisme. Il s’agit d’un livre très agréable et facile à lire, ponctué de tous petits chapitres où TNH relate les épisodes les plus formateurs de sa vie de moine bouddhiste et la manière dont la pleine conscience a incarné sa vie. Un livre très concret et inspirant donc... L’exemple de sa vie se résume à : être là! Voilà le seul secret. Prenez une grande inspiration, et le paradis est là.
July 30, 2020
I read this book slowly. It was not only enjoyable to read of his life, it was very informative as to how to enhance my life. I think it is the perfect book for anyone who is tipping their toes into Buddism. I have many pages highlighted and k know this will be a book I will return to often. Advice on how to live each day in the moment.
January 31, 2024
Simply beautiful book. So many wonderful lessons about love, mindfulness, time, nature, all written with such care and honesty. Gave me a much needed sense of peace and hope in a time of strange despondence, i.e., pms + post saltburn viewing... thank you Ian for the rec :)
June 29, 2022
li em um periodo de enorme crise existencial.. foi bem bom pra epoca e pro que eu precisava ler/ouvir.
March 29, 2024
Easy to read with ideas on mindfulness
March 29, 2025
Thich nhat hanh is very nice,
I recommend this book for everyone
I recommend this book for everyone
December 25, 2017
🙌🏻❤️🙏🏻❤️
Beautiful book that was very readable. Brought me peace with each page. 🙏🏻
Beautiful book that was very readable. Brought me peace with each page. 🙏🏻
June 29, 2019
I am feeling lucky and happy for I have read this book
September 30, 2021
i absolutely adored his views on life and compassion, the short chapters were a bit repetitive at times but all in all the book is wonderful and sooo inspiring
April 6, 2022
I can't help but rate every book by Thich Nhat Hanh 5 stars. I'm not sure if this one is necessarily better than his other works but reading it, as usual, feels like a deep breath of fresh air, inhaled and exhaled mindfully. The book is broken into a hundred or so short stories/segments, each one addressing a different anecdote or small teaching moment with the common goal of helping you be mindful in your everyday life and actions. As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
April 5, 2023
Truly inspiring. Embodies so much of the philosophy of life I would love to lead. I struggle in a fast-paced, high-pressured Western society, but this is so useful to give direction and help navigate life in the best way, no matter where you live and your situation. So many ugly situations could be avoided worldwide if more people read and took on the principles of this book.
February 4, 2022
For those who love Thay and are curious about Thay, I really recommend this book. This is his autobiography, in which he told many stories of his early life. They are very moving, touching and would make you think and smile a lot. For me, the book is like a journey to walk with him in 1940s when he was a novice monk. Very relaxing to read!
December 1, 2025
Mooie filosofische levenslessen veelal over mindfulness en thuiskomen in jezelf
July 3, 2018
absolute delight.
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