The Moon Bamboo

by Thich Nhat Hanh

English, Vietnamese (translation)

Genres: Asia

179 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1989

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

[Beth Branson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple folk tales from Vietnam, interwoven with Thich Nhat Hanh's personal experiences of the American War in his home country.

Told in his inimitable style - kind, gentle, infused with compassion.

Wow.

[Carlos Fernandes II · Rating 5 out of 5]

The translation is smooth and reads well. The stories are poignant and beautiful. I also love the structure of how the stories are organized and feel like the last story brings the collection to an adequate close. The last line of the last story is beautiful as well!

[Shayen Demirel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these stories have impacted me forever... the imagery, the attentive dialogue, the conscious and wholesome monologues.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories are touching... I left most of them with a sense I have not yet profoundly understood them, that a lot remains to be discovered.

[Pin Warunlaphat · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 เนื้อเรื่องดี แค่ไม่ได้ชอบขนาดนั้น ไม่ใช่แนว เป็นเรื่องเกี่ยวกับประสบการณ์ของคนกับสงครามเวียดนาม แล้วก็มีพวกปรัชญาพุทธ ชอบที่ว่าเราทุกคนเป็นหนึ่งเดียวกับจักรวาล กับทุกสรรพสิ่ง like i am nothing and everything at once

[Gerry LaFemina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thich Nhat Hanh is a terrific writer and a terrific teacher, and these four allegories--with their magical realism and their simple, clear prose and wise narrators--exemplify his skill at both. But perhaps that's the problem. The stories are allegories and there's a sense sometimes that the teaching is more important than the story. He spells out the lessons rather than letting the story linger, the lesson to be gained by our effort.

[Jo-anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The very powerful stories of war, exile and the human tragedy that happened in recent Vietnamese history are told with a fascinating blend of fiction and non-fiction. This touching book created a new appreciation for the role of fantasy within a novel.

[Dorotea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius. Simple stories. Profound. No frills, no gadgets, no accessories. As expected from a zen master.