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The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching
Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, & Liberation : The Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, & Other Basic Buddhist Teachings
In a way that is at once utterly lucid and entirely original, Thich Nhat Hanh introduces the life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Doctrine of Emptiness.
In a way that is at once utterly lucid and entirely original, Thich Nhat Hanh introduces the life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and the Doctrine of Emptiness.
265 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1998
7223 people are currently reading
35961 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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November 24, 2010
First, I want to make a distinction between what I’d like to call ‘cultural Buddhism’ and ‘secular Buddhism’. Secular Buddhism, much like secular Christianity, is a distilled version of cultural Buddhism made to fit the vogues of our society. Offensive elements are purged, unreasonable stories and precepts dismissed, and what you have left is a perfectly digestible form of the original that now can be taught as an elective for school credit. Cultural Buddhism, as I’ve deemed it, is Buddhism as religion, and it is chiefly concerned with the era and circumstances in which it arose. You cannot separate this kind of Buddhism from its environment, from its birthplace. Mythologist Joseph Campbell reminds us that to truly understand the meaning of a story or religion, we have to allow all symbols and elements of story to play out fully in all of their complex interrelations with other elements in the narrative. Only then will the full flavor of the symbols be drawn out, and one can understand what the story-teller was getting at.
Freud was only stating the obvious when he affirmed that religious doctrines bear the imprint of the times in which they arose. Buddhism awoke during a climate of ancient-eastern suffering. All of Buddhism is, at its heart, an answer to, and an attempt to rise above, human suffering. The story of the origin of Buddhism might reveal more.
Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha ("the awakened one"), was a prince in the northeastern Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. The story goes that after hearing a prophesy about his son’s destiny to either become the next king OR renounce his inheritance and become an austere holy man, Siddhartha’s father tried to keep his son within the palace walls so that Siddhartha wouldn’t forsake him as the heir. At age 29, Siddhartha finally left the palace and was confronted with the suffering of his world in what has become known as “Four Sights”: an old man, a sick man, a corpse and, finally, an ascetic holy man who was content and at peace with the world. This was enough to compel Siddhartha into a similar lifestyle to pursue peace and enlightenment. After discovering that years of meditation and asceticism alone did not end suffering, he had an experience under a tree during which he is said to have attained enlightenment which was to become the mean between self-indulgence and self-mortification. He then began to spread the word that through enlightenment one can end/transform suffering. “I teach only suffering and the transformation of suffering” (Buddha).
This is exactly the reason why Thich Nhat Hanh said Buddhism “is born out of [our] suffering, not from academic studies”. Cultural Buddhism isn’t a western, rational attempt to reduce the universe to a set of definable laws that can be manipulated to build a better cosmos (isn’t that rationalism in a nutshell?) Rather, in its Eastern roots, it’s existential, it’s intuitive, and it’s a practical technique of working with the universe we have. It is ‘the people’s’ guide to find inherent beauty in this world, and live life without the metaphysical obsession of worrying about another(‘s) life. Truth, love and happiness start with me. That’s really enough to keep us busy for a while.
Buddhism teaches a four-stage cessation of suffering called “The Four Noble Truths”: 1) Acknowledge suffering in our lives and around us, 2) Recognize the origin of suffering (how it came to be), 3) Understand that you can stop suffering (or be transformed by it to rise above it), and 4) Practice The Noble Eightfold Path which is essentially right thinking and right action in all its forms.
There’s nothing to be afraid of here. Buddhism is first and foremost a pragmatic approach to ending suffering in our lives. Enlightenment is emphasized because suffering is part how we view the world, and part how we interact in the world. Instead of begging the world to become less hostile towards us, or blaming our problems on the evil actions of others, we must first realize that suffering begins with us. It’s a very personal approach that emphasizes each individual’s responsibility to end suffering within themselves, and not wait on the world around them to change first. In the words of Buddha Jackson, it’s ‘starting with the man in the mirror’.
I hear it coming. Go ahead and say it, “What about Nirvana? Isn’t that spiritual nihilism?” That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it? WAS’NT IT??? Well, the answer is, ‘yes and no’. Nirvana means “extinction”, but according to my pal Thich Nhat Hanh, nirvana means first and foremost the extinction of ‘signs’ or concepts. The Buddha taught that in all perception is some deception. Sound familiar? “We see as if through a darkened glass.” In other words, as soon as we have observed something with our human senses, we have branded it with our finite bias. Nirvana is the entrance of ‘being’ into a realm where our concept of ‘being’ is blown wide open, and of course the Buddhist believe this is positive.
What I can especially appreciate about Buddhism is the practice of mindfulness. The Buddha said that if we could fully appreciate the beauty of a single flower, our lives would be changed forever. Why? Because we would enter into the secret of the universe. Says our author, “If we see the truth of one thing in the cosmos, we see the nature of the cosmos.” While reading this book I was surprised to stumble upon an idea that was identical to a sentence in a C.S. Lewis book I recently finished, The Great Divorce: “This moment contains all moments”. The concept in Lewis’ book was applied to our living this life as if it was the beginning of our Heaven or Hell, for who would want to meet a God in Heaven that had not really ‘meant’ earth and its sorrows? Thich Nhat Hanh echoes this, “The present moment contains all future moments”, “you don’t have to die to enter nirvana or the Kingdom of God. You only have to dwell deeply in the present moment, right now” and “Nirvana is not the absence of life. Nirvana [is] in this very life.” Very close the words of Christ, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”, though, to be fair, not everyone wanted to be implicitly included in Christ’s Kingdom.
Now, this is not to say that Buddhism extends itself no further than temporal ‘common sense’ and mindfulness to eliminate suffering and experience joy in life. In its extremities, it certainly catapults to metaphysical speculation and is ‘religious’ in the plurality of its doctrinal lists. But primarily, it is simple and does not conflict with the metaphysical/practical teachings of other religions. It might be criticized as being too general and non-invasive intellectually. It, in my opinion, celebrates mystery without attempting to resolve it, and is behavior-based in its approach to a solution to the problem of soul-lostness. As far as its fundamentals are concerned, I can’t think of hardly a single element in ‘basic Buddhism’ which even a dogmatic Christian would have good ground to dispute its primary teaching.
My summary of ‘basic, cultural Buddhism’—healthy bodies, healthy mind, healthy life. Stop your cycles of suffering, experience the wonder and joy of life every moment and every day. It is through your experience of life that you will find doors opening to a larger experience of life, and ever-expanding vista. Not bad, not bad at all.
Freud was only stating the obvious when he affirmed that religious doctrines bear the imprint of the times in which they arose. Buddhism awoke during a climate of ancient-eastern suffering. All of Buddhism is, at its heart, an answer to, and an attempt to rise above, human suffering. The story of the origin of Buddhism might reveal more.
Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha ("the awakened one"), was a prince in the northeastern Indian subcontinent sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. The story goes that after hearing a prophesy about his son’s destiny to either become the next king OR renounce his inheritance and become an austere holy man, Siddhartha’s father tried to keep his son within the palace walls so that Siddhartha wouldn’t forsake him as the heir. At age 29, Siddhartha finally left the palace and was confronted with the suffering of his world in what has become known as “Four Sights”: an old man, a sick man, a corpse and, finally, an ascetic holy man who was content and at peace with the world. This was enough to compel Siddhartha into a similar lifestyle to pursue peace and enlightenment. After discovering that years of meditation and asceticism alone did not end suffering, he had an experience under a tree during which he is said to have attained enlightenment which was to become the mean between self-indulgence and self-mortification. He then began to spread the word that through enlightenment one can end/transform suffering. “I teach only suffering and the transformation of suffering” (Buddha).
This is exactly the reason why Thich Nhat Hanh said Buddhism “is born out of [our] suffering, not from academic studies”. Cultural Buddhism isn’t a western, rational attempt to reduce the universe to a set of definable laws that can be manipulated to build a better cosmos (isn’t that rationalism in a nutshell?) Rather, in its Eastern roots, it’s existential, it’s intuitive, and it’s a practical technique of working with the universe we have. It is ‘the people’s’ guide to find inherent beauty in this world, and live life without the metaphysical obsession of worrying about another(‘s) life. Truth, love and happiness start with me. That’s really enough to keep us busy for a while.
Buddhism teaches a four-stage cessation of suffering called “The Four Noble Truths”: 1) Acknowledge suffering in our lives and around us, 2) Recognize the origin of suffering (how it came to be), 3) Understand that you can stop suffering (or be transformed by it to rise above it), and 4) Practice The Noble Eightfold Path which is essentially right thinking and right action in all its forms.
There’s nothing to be afraid of here. Buddhism is first and foremost a pragmatic approach to ending suffering in our lives. Enlightenment is emphasized because suffering is part how we view the world, and part how we interact in the world. Instead of begging the world to become less hostile towards us, or blaming our problems on the evil actions of others, we must first realize that suffering begins with us. It’s a very personal approach that emphasizes each individual’s responsibility to end suffering within themselves, and not wait on the world around them to change first. In the words of Buddha Jackson, it’s ‘starting with the man in the mirror’.
I hear it coming. Go ahead and say it, “What about Nirvana? Isn’t that spiritual nihilism?” That’s what you were going to say, wasn’t it? WAS’NT IT??? Well, the answer is, ‘yes and no’. Nirvana means “extinction”, but according to my pal Thich Nhat Hanh, nirvana means first and foremost the extinction of ‘signs’ or concepts. The Buddha taught that in all perception is some deception. Sound familiar? “We see as if through a darkened glass.” In other words, as soon as we have observed something with our human senses, we have branded it with our finite bias. Nirvana is the entrance of ‘being’ into a realm where our concept of ‘being’ is blown wide open, and of course the Buddhist believe this is positive.
What I can especially appreciate about Buddhism is the practice of mindfulness. The Buddha said that if we could fully appreciate the beauty of a single flower, our lives would be changed forever. Why? Because we would enter into the secret of the universe. Says our author, “If we see the truth of one thing in the cosmos, we see the nature of the cosmos.” While reading this book I was surprised to stumble upon an idea that was identical to a sentence in a C.S. Lewis book I recently finished, The Great Divorce: “This moment contains all moments”. The concept in Lewis’ book was applied to our living this life as if it was the beginning of our Heaven or Hell, for who would want to meet a God in Heaven that had not really ‘meant’ earth and its sorrows? Thich Nhat Hanh echoes this, “The present moment contains all future moments”, “you don’t have to die to enter nirvana or the Kingdom of God. You only have to dwell deeply in the present moment, right now” and “Nirvana is not the absence of life. Nirvana [is] in this very life.” Very close the words of Christ, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”, though, to be fair, not everyone wanted to be implicitly included in Christ’s Kingdom.
Now, this is not to say that Buddhism extends itself no further than temporal ‘common sense’ and mindfulness to eliminate suffering and experience joy in life. In its extremities, it certainly catapults to metaphysical speculation and is ‘religious’ in the plurality of its doctrinal lists. But primarily, it is simple and does not conflict with the metaphysical/practical teachings of other religions. It might be criticized as being too general and non-invasive intellectually. It, in my opinion, celebrates mystery without attempting to resolve it, and is behavior-based in its approach to a solution to the problem of soul-lostness. As far as its fundamentals are concerned, I can’t think of hardly a single element in ‘basic Buddhism’ which even a dogmatic Christian would have good ground to dispute its primary teaching.
My summary of ‘basic, cultural Buddhism’—healthy bodies, healthy mind, healthy life. Stop your cycles of suffering, experience the wonder and joy of life every moment and every day. It is through your experience of life that you will find doors opening to a larger experience of life, and ever-expanding vista. Not bad, not bad at all.
March 4, 2010
I loved this book. I think I love Buddhism, but please, please, please, don't make me take a test on it.
When I decided I wanted to know more about Buddhism, it was because of my developing interest in yoga. I can't tell you how exactly Buddhism is related to yoga, but it surely is. First of all, I find no need for faith in yoga or Buddhism. It works. I practice yoga, I feel better. I practice Buddhist principles, I feel better. No faith involved.
Compare this with Judaism. You believe in God? Prove it. Abraham, sacrifice your son. Compare it with Christianity. You believe in God? He sacrificed his son. A little stiff to my way of thinking.
Or guilt. I was raised a Presbyterian and converted to Catholicism in my thirties. Either way, original sin. You're a goner from day one. Presby - predestination. Catholic - although baptism receives you into the church, you get a few years, then you have to start confessing sins. Sins - in your thoughts (thoughts!), in your words, and what you have done, and what you haven't done. Did I miss anything? Is there any moment when I am not sinning?
Buddhism has a few guiding principles. Actually more than a few. Maybe several thousand few principles. But you can get by with a dozen or so. Hanh starts off with the Four Noble Principles and the Eightfold Path.
But these dozen emphasize conduct. Good conduct, not guilt. Wrong action (nothing about wrong thoughts)? Think about it, do better. No shame, no guilt. Different than Catholicism.
So why haven't I become a Buddhist? No creator. I first picked up a book by the Dalai Lama because he is the spiritual leader for many Buddhists. Within the first three paragraphs, I became fully cognizant that there is no creator in his Buddhism. I tried to wrap my mind around this, and I couldn't. I thought about those three paragraphs for about a week and still couldn't fathom no creator. I figured maybe reading the Dalai Lama was sort of like reading the Pope. Dense, unrelenting, and no prospect of fun. So I looked for something more approachable.
My local library had two dozen or so books on Buddhism, half of which were checked out (an auspiciously high proportion). I liked the title and Thich Nhat Hanh has written many books with similarly direct and interesting titles. He starts with the basics and gets into more and more complex structures, but the structures are all inter-related. One loops back to and includes another, which is related to others, which include others.
For example, impermanence. One of the Three Dharma Seals. That person you love? Always changing, so love that person right now, for everything they are. Not for what they were, or you hope they will become. Appreciate that now, for tomorrow they will be different, and so will you. The second of the three seals is nonself. That you that existed when you started reading this screed? Gone - you breathed. The oxygen atoms you inhaled became part of the new you and that houseplant has become you through the CO2 you exhaled. Over the course of your life, every atom has been exchanged on a regular basis. Third seal is nirvana, not to be confused with the dope enhanced nirvana experienced about in smokey rooms (not that I would know anything about this). "Nirvana is the extinction of all notions. Birth is a notion. Death is a notion. Being is a notion. Nonbeing is a notion." Do you see how all three are related? One exists within the other two and those two are present in the other two, and all are one and one are all.
The fun thing is that this is explained fairly well, and if you are alert and patient, you understand everything up to the summation, where we are BEING HERE NOW. If you are here instantly and totally now, nothing came before. There was no creator. You are part of the universe and the universe is part of you and there was no creator.
Sorry, because there is no leap of faith, I can't swallow this whole. In Catholicism, too much faith. In Buddhism too little faith.
This much is clear - Buddhists are more peaceful than Jews, Christians and Muslims. I sense none of the arrogance and non-acceptance in Buddhism which mark the world's major religions. I am becoming more estranged from the Catholic church. I joined because of the universality of the church and because I know that Christ taught by a very good example. I am a cafeteria Catholic, and there is plenty that they are serving that I'm not buying.
My new pope, my new archbishop, and my new priest are cooking up a stew that is significantly different than the stew I was served 25 years ago (Homophobia Goulash, Bully Pelosi, Badger Kennedy). [It has come to the point where I am reluctant to vote for a Catholic because I am afraid they will react to the bullying of the Vatican mafia. (I am represented by three Jewish males, one pro-choice Catholic woman (who is divorced and therefore mostly out of the fold), one Protestant woman and my Pat Robertsonesque Governor).:] Some of the new dishes weren't even on the menu back then. So I'm going to some new restaurants.
So why don't I want to be tested? Too many details. There are Three Dharma Seals, Four Noble Truths, Four Dhyanas, Four Establishments of Mindfulness, Four Great Elements, Four Immeasurable Minds, Four Reliances, Four Standard Truths, Four Wisdoms, Fourfold Right Diligences, Five Aggregates, Five Faculties, Five Mindfulness Trainings, Five Powers and Five Remembrances. This covers two digits. There are dozens more. Reading about each of these details, they all make sense. But as far as remembering them all, I remember about a dozen by name. So don't test me. But they are all one, so I could get at least 50% on an exam.
If you want the quickest possible course in Buddhism, go to a bookstore and read the 28th Chapter, "Touching the Buddha Within". The rest of the book is this good. But don't say I didn't warn you.
When I decided I wanted to know more about Buddhism, it was because of my developing interest in yoga. I can't tell you how exactly Buddhism is related to yoga, but it surely is. First of all, I find no need for faith in yoga or Buddhism. It works. I practice yoga, I feel better. I practice Buddhist principles, I feel better. No faith involved.
Compare this with Judaism. You believe in God? Prove it. Abraham, sacrifice your son. Compare it with Christianity. You believe in God? He sacrificed his son. A little stiff to my way of thinking.
Or guilt. I was raised a Presbyterian and converted to Catholicism in my thirties. Either way, original sin. You're a goner from day one. Presby - predestination. Catholic - although baptism receives you into the church, you get a few years, then you have to start confessing sins. Sins - in your thoughts (thoughts!), in your words, and what you have done, and what you haven't done. Did I miss anything? Is there any moment when I am not sinning?
Buddhism has a few guiding principles. Actually more than a few. Maybe several thousand few principles. But you can get by with a dozen or so. Hanh starts off with the Four Noble Principles and the Eightfold Path.
But these dozen emphasize conduct. Good conduct, not guilt. Wrong action (nothing about wrong thoughts)? Think about it, do better. No shame, no guilt. Different than Catholicism.
So why haven't I become a Buddhist? No creator. I first picked up a book by the Dalai Lama because he is the spiritual leader for many Buddhists. Within the first three paragraphs, I became fully cognizant that there is no creator in his Buddhism. I tried to wrap my mind around this, and I couldn't. I thought about those three paragraphs for about a week and still couldn't fathom no creator. I figured maybe reading the Dalai Lama was sort of like reading the Pope. Dense, unrelenting, and no prospect of fun. So I looked for something more approachable.
My local library had two dozen or so books on Buddhism, half of which were checked out (an auspiciously high proportion). I liked the title and Thich Nhat Hanh has written many books with similarly direct and interesting titles. He starts with the basics and gets into more and more complex structures, but the structures are all inter-related. One loops back to and includes another, which is related to others, which include others.
For example, impermanence. One of the Three Dharma Seals. That person you love? Always changing, so love that person right now, for everything they are. Not for what they were, or you hope they will become. Appreciate that now, for tomorrow they will be different, and so will you. The second of the three seals is nonself. That you that existed when you started reading this screed? Gone - you breathed. The oxygen atoms you inhaled became part of the new you and that houseplant has become you through the CO2 you exhaled. Over the course of your life, every atom has been exchanged on a regular basis. Third seal is nirvana, not to be confused with the dope enhanced nirvana experienced about in smokey rooms (not that I would know anything about this). "Nirvana is the extinction of all notions. Birth is a notion. Death is a notion. Being is a notion. Nonbeing is a notion." Do you see how all three are related? One exists within the other two and those two are present in the other two, and all are one and one are all.
The fun thing is that this is explained fairly well, and if you are alert and patient, you understand everything up to the summation, where we are BEING HERE NOW. If you are here instantly and totally now, nothing came before. There was no creator. You are part of the universe and the universe is part of you and there was no creator.
Sorry, because there is no leap of faith, I can't swallow this whole. In Catholicism, too much faith. In Buddhism too little faith.
This much is clear - Buddhists are more peaceful than Jews, Christians and Muslims. I sense none of the arrogance and non-acceptance in Buddhism which mark the world's major religions. I am becoming more estranged from the Catholic church. I joined because of the universality of the church and because I know that Christ taught by a very good example. I am a cafeteria Catholic, and there is plenty that they are serving that I'm not buying.
My new pope, my new archbishop, and my new priest are cooking up a stew that is significantly different than the stew I was served 25 years ago (Homophobia Goulash, Bully Pelosi, Badger Kennedy). [It has come to the point where I am reluctant to vote for a Catholic because I am afraid they will react to the bullying of the Vatican mafia. (I am represented by three Jewish males, one pro-choice Catholic woman (who is divorced and therefore mostly out of the fold), one Protestant woman and my Pat Robertsonesque Governor).:] Some of the new dishes weren't even on the menu back then. So I'm going to some new restaurants.
So why don't I want to be tested? Too many details. There are Three Dharma Seals, Four Noble Truths, Four Dhyanas, Four Establishments of Mindfulness, Four Great Elements, Four Immeasurable Minds, Four Reliances, Four Standard Truths, Four Wisdoms, Fourfold Right Diligences, Five Aggregates, Five Faculties, Five Mindfulness Trainings, Five Powers and Five Remembrances. This covers two digits. There are dozens more. Reading about each of these details, they all make sense. But as far as remembering them all, I remember about a dozen by name. So don't test me. But they are all one, so I could get at least 50% on an exam.
If you want the quickest possible course in Buddhism, go to a bookstore and read the 28th Chapter, "Touching the Buddha Within". The rest of the book is this good. But don't say I didn't warn you.
August 27, 2025
If you're looking for an erudite, comprehensive overview of mainstream Buddhist thought, "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching" is an adequate choice, but prepare for a long, hard slog. Thich Nhat Hanh is at his best when he's telling stories from his own life— his time in Vietnam during the war, or stories about the Buddhist community he started in France. Unfortunately, most of the book isn't told from his personal point of view— it's an academic rundown of major Buddhist ideas (and endlessly listy— sure, you've heard of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, but maybe the reason you're not familiar with The Seven Factors of Awakening and Twelve Links of Inderdependent Co-Arising is because all of the other people who heard about them died of boredom before they could pass on those truths.)
If you're looking for more approachable Dharma teachings, try Pema Chodron.
If you're looking for more approachable Dharma teachings, try Pema Chodron.
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December 26, 2025"Let us look at a wave on the surface of the ocean. A wave is a wave. It has a beginning and an end. It might be high or low, more or less beautiful than other waves. But a wave is, at the same time, water. Water is the ground of being of the wave. It is important that a wave knows that she is water, and not just a wave. We, too, live our life as an individual. We believe that we have a beginning and an end, that we are separate from other living beings. That is why the Buddha advised us to look more deeply in order to touch the ground of our being which is nirvana. Everything bears deeply the nature of nirvana. Everything has been 'nirvanized' That is the teaching of the LOTUS SUTRA. We look deeply, and we touch the suchness of reality. Looking deeply into a pebble, flower, or our own joy, peace, sorrow, or fear, we touch the ultimate dimension of our being, and that dimension will reveal to us that the ground of our being has the nature of no-birth and no-death.
"We don't have to ATTAIN nirvana, because we ourselves are always dwelling in nirvana. The wave does not have to look for water. It already is water." pg. 211
"...The Buddha said that in the depth of our store consciousness, alayavijnana, there are all kinds of positive and negative seeds - seeds of anger, delusion, and fear, and seeds of understanding, compassion, and forgiveness. Many of these seeds have been transmitted to us by our ancestors. We should learn to recognize every one of these seeds in us in order to practice diligence. If it is a negative seed, the seed of an affliction like anger, fear, jealousy, or discrimination, we should refrain from allowing it to be watered in our daily life. Every time such a seed is watered, it will manifest on the upper level of our consciousness, and we will suffer and make the people we love suffer at the same time. The practice is to refrain from watering the negative seeds in us....
"We also try to recognize the positive seeds that are in us and to live our daily life in a way that we can touch them and help them manifest on the upper level of our consciousness, manovijnana. Every time they manifest and stay on the upper level of our consciousness for a while, they grow stronger. If the positive seeds in us grow stronger day and night, we will be happy and we will make the people we love happy. Recognize the positive seeds in the person you love, water those seeds, and he will become much happier.... Whenever you have time, please water the seeds that need to be watered. It is a wonderful and very pleasant practice of diligence, and it brings immediate results.
"Imagine a circle divided in two. Below is the store consciousness and above is mind consciousness. All mental formations lie deep down in our store consciousness. Every seed in our store consciousness can be touched and manifests itself on the upper level, namely our mind consciousness. Continued practice means trying our best not to allow the negative seeds in our store consciousness to be touched in our daily life, not to give them a chance to manifest themselves. The seeds of anger, discrimination, despair, jealousy, and craving are all there. We do what we can to prevent them from coming up. We tell the people we live with, 'If you truly love me, don't water these seeds in me. It is not good for my health or yours.' We have to recognized the kinds of seeds not to be watered. If it happens that a negative seed, the seed of an affliction, is watered and manifests itself, we do everything in our power to embrace it with our mindfulness and help it return to where it came from. The longer such seeds stay in our mind consciousness, the stronger they become." pg. 206-207
Wheel of Becoming
"We don't have to ATTAIN nirvana, because we ourselves are always dwelling in nirvana. The wave does not have to look for water. It already is water." pg. 211
"...The Buddha said that in the depth of our store consciousness, alayavijnana, there are all kinds of positive and negative seeds - seeds of anger, delusion, and fear, and seeds of understanding, compassion, and forgiveness. Many of these seeds have been transmitted to us by our ancestors. We should learn to recognize every one of these seeds in us in order to practice diligence. If it is a negative seed, the seed of an affliction like anger, fear, jealousy, or discrimination, we should refrain from allowing it to be watered in our daily life. Every time such a seed is watered, it will manifest on the upper level of our consciousness, and we will suffer and make the people we love suffer at the same time. The practice is to refrain from watering the negative seeds in us....
"We also try to recognize the positive seeds that are in us and to live our daily life in a way that we can touch them and help them manifest on the upper level of our consciousness, manovijnana. Every time they manifest and stay on the upper level of our consciousness for a while, they grow stronger. If the positive seeds in us grow stronger day and night, we will be happy and we will make the people we love happy. Recognize the positive seeds in the person you love, water those seeds, and he will become much happier.... Whenever you have time, please water the seeds that need to be watered. It is a wonderful and very pleasant practice of diligence, and it brings immediate results.
"Imagine a circle divided in two. Below is the store consciousness and above is mind consciousness. All mental formations lie deep down in our store consciousness. Every seed in our store consciousness can be touched and manifests itself on the upper level, namely our mind consciousness. Continued practice means trying our best not to allow the negative seeds in our store consciousness to be touched in our daily life, not to give them a chance to manifest themselves. The seeds of anger, discrimination, despair, jealousy, and craving are all there. We do what we can to prevent them from coming up. We tell the people we live with, 'If you truly love me, don't water these seeds in me. It is not good for my health or yours.' We have to recognized the kinds of seeds not to be watered. If it happens that a negative seed, the seed of an affliction, is watered and manifests itself, we do everything in our power to embrace it with our mindfulness and help it return to where it came from. The longer such seeds stay in our mind consciousness, the stronger they become." pg. 206-207
Wheel of Becoming
February 15, 2019
Thich Nhat Hanh 's book is hard to rate for a variety of reasons having to do with its laudable accomplishments and/but embarrassing shortcomings. His scholarship is undeniable: each section of the book is organized, each concept is fleshed out and Nhat Hanh goes through great lengths to interweave tangential abstractions together in the hopes of elucidating the more complex teachings Buddhism and its many schools has to offer. As a source of contemporary Buddhist criticism, however, The Heart of Buddha's Teaching staggers. This has to do with Nhat Hanh 's approach to teaching and the unorthodox and contemporary method he uses to convey information. Each section begins with an introduction of some core idea, be it the Dharmas, The Four Noble Truths, or the Eightfold Path (among many other pillars of Buddhist thought). Nhat Hanh then ties his explanations to some major criticism or religious text (often a Sutra). Finally, Nhat Hanh tries to make a contemporary statement about their meaning that often takes the form of a politically correct comment or even a general tone. Having not looked at the book's date of publication, it did not take me long to guess that it was written in the 90's with its recurrent emphasis on vegetarianism, plurality, and the push for world peace. While on the surface such an interpretation (or use) of Buddhist texts may appear to be progressive and productive, coming to them nearly twenty years later has shown them to - more often than not - sound cliche, generic, or naive. Several instances referring to the Israeli-Arab conflict come to mind. Nhat Hanh uses this incredibly complex and polarising conflict to push his interpretation of how we can apply a certain Buddhist interpretation of love to solve the conflict: if only the Isralies could empathize with the Arabs and vice versa, the conflict would end. Such naive and simplistic interpretations just ruin the actually profound knowledge nested in much of Nhat Hanh writing. The number of issues like this, where Nhat Hanh imposes simplistic politically correct solutions to incredibly complex issues under the guise of Buddhist wisdom really hurt the integrity of this book giving it a New-Agey kind of vibe. That being said, again, Nhat Hanh scholarship is great, and if you have the patience to read past all the fluff, The Heart of Buddha's Teaching is actually a remarkably well organized and informative book.
As a side note, I'm convinced Nhat Hanh's theory of Flowers from Garbage was inspired by Leonard Cohen's Suzanne. Look out for oranges, 'touching her perfect body with your mind' and of course, flowers among the garbage and seaweed.
As a side note, I'm convinced Nhat Hanh's theory of Flowers from Garbage was inspired by Leonard Cohen's Suzanne. Look out for oranges, 'touching her perfect body with your mind' and of course, flowers among the garbage and seaweed.
November 29, 2015
Lucid and helpful with great presentation of Noble Eightfold Path especially.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am incorporating parts of it in my meditation.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading it and am incorporating parts of it in my meditation.
August 18, 2020
It's hard for me to give a 3 star rating for Buddha's teachings. I have to blame the audiobook, the narration was robotic and I felt that the contents are not properly structured and organized and I often felt difficult to follow.
Will revisit this book with paperback format in future.
Will revisit this book with paperback format in future.
March 12, 2018
One of the more difficult books I have read, to the point where I am not sure I got out even a tenth of what Thich Nhat Hanh put into it. I will want to revisit this in the future, once I have let it settle in.
I was bothered by some of the symbolism and examples, such as this: "The Buddha offered this example. A young couple and their two-year-old child were trying to cross the desert, and they ran out of food. After deep reflection, the parents realized that in order to survive they had to kill their son and eat his flesh. They calculated that if they ate such and such a proportion of their baby’s flesh each day and carried the rest on their shoulders to dry, it would last the rest of the journey. But with every morsel of their baby’s flesh they ate, the young couple cried and cried."
I was pulled entirely out of the book by this. I don't know whether this is an effective teaching technique or not -- did it secretly teach me to confront my own preconceived notions, "formations", about eating one's own child? Maybe? Mostly I found the examples like this (and there are many) to be deeply weird.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist, which is one of many traditions of Buddhism, and there are passages about the Vietnam War, and one of his students being killed. Perhaps this is not the right view of Buddhism for me.
There were long passages that felt repetitive, as the same thoughts were suggested in a variety of different ways -- I'm not sure if I failed to notice the subtle differences, or whether this was just different ways of teaching the same thing, or both.
There are references to gods, holiness, and past lives -- all of which I am having trouble reconciling with what I have learned of Buddhism elsewhere, and in this very book. I'm still not sure whether Thich Nhat Hahn means that we, as individuals, have experienced past lives and will experience future lives, or whether he means that we, as part of everything and being interdependent with everything, are a consequence of other people's past lives. All very complicated, and difficult to wrap my head around.
—-
11 March 2018: I keep coming back to this book, and finding something new and relevant each time. The repetitive parts still bother me, and the 12 thingies that might be 4, 5, or 10 just bores me.
4 Noble Truths, an 8 fold Noble Path, an ungodly number of formations and up to a dozen links of interdependence... it feels needlessly complicated.
But I keep coming back to it. Maybe it’s just for the metaphor of parents eating their kid.
I was bothered by some of the symbolism and examples, such as this: "The Buddha offered this example. A young couple and their two-year-old child were trying to cross the desert, and they ran out of food. After deep reflection, the parents realized that in order to survive they had to kill their son and eat his flesh. They calculated that if they ate such and such a proportion of their baby’s flesh each day and carried the rest on their shoulders to dry, it would last the rest of the journey. But with every morsel of their baby’s flesh they ate, the young couple cried and cried."
I was pulled entirely out of the book by this. I don't know whether this is an effective teaching technique or not -- did it secretly teach me to confront my own preconceived notions, "formations", about eating one's own child? Maybe? Mostly I found the examples like this (and there are many) to be deeply weird.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist, which is one of many traditions of Buddhism, and there are passages about the Vietnam War, and one of his students being killed. Perhaps this is not the right view of Buddhism for me.
There were long passages that felt repetitive, as the same thoughts were suggested in a variety of different ways -- I'm not sure if I failed to notice the subtle differences, or whether this was just different ways of teaching the same thing, or both.
There are references to gods, holiness, and past lives -- all of which I am having trouble reconciling with what I have learned of Buddhism elsewhere, and in this very book. I'm still not sure whether Thich Nhat Hahn means that we, as individuals, have experienced past lives and will experience future lives, or whether he means that we, as part of everything and being interdependent with everything, are a consequence of other people's past lives. All very complicated, and difficult to wrap my head around.
—-
11 March 2018: I keep coming back to this book, and finding something new and relevant each time. The repetitive parts still bother me, and the 12 thingies that might be 4, 5, or 10 just bores me.
4 Noble Truths, an 8 fold Noble Path, an ungodly number of formations and up to a dozen links of interdependence... it feels needlessly complicated.
But I keep coming back to it. Maybe it’s just for the metaphor of parents eating their kid.
July 4, 2025
.5 stars for writing
1 star for impact
1 star for premise
1 star for research (you should chuckle about that one).
.5 stars for liking it
OK, so overall this was great. I started to get lost in some of the more esoteric parts (not that I didn't comprehend, but more of a taste issue). I tend to have this common disagreement with writers from this tradition. Emotions (in my opinion) are just data, neither good nor bad.
1 star for impact
1 star for premise
1 star for research (you should chuckle about that one).
.5 stars for liking it
OK, so overall this was great. I started to get lost in some of the more esoteric parts (not that I didn't comprehend, but more of a taste issue). I tend to have this common disagreement with writers from this tradition. Emotions (in my opinion) are just data, neither good nor bad.
March 25, 2017
This is an excellent book to read to understand the core fundamentals of Buddhism. It covers the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, in a good amount of detail. It also goes further than that, drawing on key concepts which are common to most variants of Buddhism.
I liked the fact on how Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes the need for depth in life - developing it by living the values, the Buddha taught and practised. Mindfulness is expectedly a strong theme throughout the book.
The only aspect which could have been better is that while many sections do have good anecdotes from either Thich N hat Hanh's own life or the Buddha's, there are a few sections which are entirely theoretical and dry. Hence, while reading a portion of a book, it feels like simply reading the obvious.
Overall, an excellent introductory book to the essence of the Buddha's teachings, and well worth a read.
I liked the fact on how Thich Nhat Hanh emphasizes the need for depth in life - developing it by living the values, the Buddha taught and practised. Mindfulness is expectedly a strong theme throughout the book.
The only aspect which could have been better is that while many sections do have good anecdotes from either Thich N hat Hanh's own life or the Buddha's, there are a few sections which are entirely theoretical and dry. Hence, while reading a portion of a book, it feels like simply reading the obvious.
Overall, an excellent introductory book to the essence of the Buddha's teachings, and well worth a read.
December 15, 2025
220506: later addition. have to up the rating as I am now reading many more buddhism books, particularly of this author. and so my knowledge her ten years has matured, my memory of this text persists, and certainly insights more apparent than ever, eg. impermanence... (and one of few philosophy/religion books my mother also likes!)
160813: this is a very useful book for me, helping to clarify exactly what is the difference between religious and philosophical texts, what I like about Buddhist thought, what I learn, what I generally do not note. as far as difference: ethical assertions within a metaphysical superstructure, ontological arguments, referring often to texts or authorities or stories, is religion. conceptual exploration of said superstructure, of metaphysics, of arguments, referring often to other philosophical texts, is philosophy...
there are a lot of numbers here, lists of behaviours or concepts, which are perhaps useful for practitioners but confusing or boring to usual readers, do hold together, do seem to best reconcile various apparent disagreements- through the distinction of relative truth and absolute truth, for example- but I remember only the primary lists found in all Buddhist texts: the four noble truths, the eightfold path, the three baskets, the three jewels. the other lists, well described, would probably be something for extensive study...
like his insistence on the inter-dependence aspect of the world, his chosen metaphor of the individuality of each wave but the essential unity of the water which manifests each wave, his truthful recognition to which we must agree in how every flower is in fact the entire world, the sun, the rain, the soil, the gardener who tends it. some beautiful poetic insights, some accessible metaphors, which you can extend according to your knowledge...
so for a serious student of the religion, this book rates higher, but for me, whose interest is philosophical, it is perhaps interesting to read how Buddhism has developed, how a Buddhist monk explains it, but does not convince me to assume Buddhist thought on any practical level beyond recognizing the basic lists, the ideas of lust, hatred, delusion, the inescapable reality of transience... and this sounds like a little, but as any wave is of an entire ocean, this is actually everything...
The Art of Living, this work is more technical...
more
What the Buddha Taught
Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhist Philosophy: Essential ReadingsNishida and Western Philosophy
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: An Introduction
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 by Bruce Tift
Indian Buddhist Philosophy: Metaphysics as Ethics
160813: this is a very useful book for me, helping to clarify exactly what is the difference between religious and philosophical texts, what I like about Buddhist thought, what I learn, what I generally do not note. as far as difference: ethical assertions within a metaphysical superstructure, ontological arguments, referring often to texts or authorities or stories, is religion. conceptual exploration of said superstructure, of metaphysics, of arguments, referring often to other philosophical texts, is philosophy...
there are a lot of numbers here, lists of behaviours or concepts, which are perhaps useful for practitioners but confusing or boring to usual readers, do hold together, do seem to best reconcile various apparent disagreements- through the distinction of relative truth and absolute truth, for example- but I remember only the primary lists found in all Buddhist texts: the four noble truths, the eightfold path, the three baskets, the three jewels. the other lists, well described, would probably be something for extensive study...
like his insistence on the inter-dependence aspect of the world, his chosen metaphor of the individuality of each wave but the essential unity of the water which manifests each wave, his truthful recognition to which we must agree in how every flower is in fact the entire world, the sun, the rain, the soil, the gardener who tends it. some beautiful poetic insights, some accessible metaphors, which you can extend according to your knowledge...
so for a serious student of the religion, this book rates higher, but for me, whose interest is philosophical, it is perhaps interesting to read how Buddhism has developed, how a Buddhist monk explains it, but does not convince me to assume Buddhist thought on any practical level beyond recognizing the basic lists, the ideas of lust, hatred, delusion, the inescapable reality of transience... and this sounds like a little, but as any wave is of an entire ocean, this is actually everything...
The Art of Living, this work is more technical...
more
What the Buddha Taught
Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment
Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy
Buddhist Philosophy: Essential ReadingsNishida and Western Philosophy
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: An Introduction
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 by Bruce Tift
Indian Buddhist Philosophy: Metaphysics as Ethics
October 27, 2018
I think this may be the most interesting book on Buddhism I’ve read in a while. Certain concepts fell into place while listening to it. Mind you, it’s not the easiest, nor the simplest book on the subject out there.
It covers a lot of ground, and maybe it’s one of those books that one really needs to re-read before getting it completely, and I think I will do that in some time. But I got a lot out of it anyway. Especially the first half.
He touches up on religious dogmatism early on, and handles that very well. But on the other hand there is a part in the second half of the book where he starts to talk about what TV shows, and things like that, and how those things may affect you, which sounds pretty puritanical. These two parts seem a bit at odds with one another.
On the whole, I liked this book because how informative it was about the evolution in Buddhism, and the different schools, and so on. I don’t think I would recommend it as the first book for anyone interested in Buddhism, but it is a good one. I will definitely re-read it someday.
It covers a lot of ground, and maybe it’s one of those books that one really needs to re-read before getting it completely, and I think I will do that in some time. But I got a lot out of it anyway. Especially the first half.
He touches up on religious dogmatism early on, and handles that very well. But on the other hand there is a part in the second half of the book where he starts to talk about what TV shows, and things like that, and how those things may affect you, which sounds pretty puritanical. These two parts seem a bit at odds with one another.
On the whole, I liked this book because how informative it was about the evolution in Buddhism, and the different schools, and so on. I don’t think I would recommend it as the first book for anyone interested in Buddhism, but it is a good one. I will definitely re-read it someday.
August 3, 2020
This is one of the best books I've read in recent times. The book is a meditation in itself. I was looking forward to a book which explains a layman about the teachings of the Buddha.
Thich Naht Hanh explains about the core ideas of Buddhist philosophy and is written to assist the reader in practicing those ideas in his daily life.
The Eightfold path is explained beautifully. Buddhism as a philosophy aims to alleviate the sufferings of the humankind and eightfold path is the Buddhist idea of how to achieve that.
It reminds me of the practice of RCA- Root Cause Analysis that we use for problem solving. This is what Buddha advocated 2500 years ago. The key messages of empathetic listening as a part of Right Speech and the ideas of impermanence and inter-being were presented very beautifully.
This book has definitely helped me to understand and appreciate the virtues propounded by Buddha and implement them in day to day life.
5 Stars to this wonderful book!
Thich Naht Hanh explains about the core ideas of Buddhist philosophy and is written to assist the reader in practicing those ideas in his daily life.
The Eightfold path is explained beautifully. Buddhism as a philosophy aims to alleviate the sufferings of the humankind and eightfold path is the Buddhist idea of how to achieve that.
It reminds me of the practice of RCA- Root Cause Analysis that we use for problem solving. This is what Buddha advocated 2500 years ago. The key messages of empathetic listening as a part of Right Speech and the ideas of impermanence and inter-being were presented very beautifully.
This book has definitely helped me to understand and appreciate the virtues propounded by Buddha and implement them in day to day life.
5 Stars to this wonderful book!
May 26, 2018
there is a lot here. sometimes it feels like too much. take small bites. chew. repeat.
July 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Gentle Guide, But Sometimes Too Dense
I love Thich Nhat Hanh’s work. His voice is always calm, wise, and deeply compassionate, and I admire his lifelong effort to make mindfulness accessible for Westerners. I meditate daily and relish my breathing and walking breaks—his teachings have been a quiet, grounding presence in my life. His thoughtful reflections are a joy to ponder during practice.
The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching contains many beautiful insights and moments of deep clarity. Hanh emphasizes that mindfulness is not just about calming the mind—it’s about living with compassion, understanding, and purpose. That message is deeply needed today.
In a world where popular meditation apps like Headspace and others often focus solely on relaxation or focus, Hanh reminds us that true mindfulness includes a moral compass. It’s not just about zeroing in your attention—it’s about leading a virtuous life. That ethical grounding is one of the book’s greatest strengths.
That said, I found this particular book tries to do too much. It’s packed with numbered lists, doctrinal terms, and systematic explanations that, at times, feel overwhelming. In trying to organize the Dharma, some of its natural beauty and simplicity gets buried under structure.
Still, for all its density, there are real gems here—especially for those willing to read slowly and reflect. Thich Nhat Hanh’s peaceful presence shines through, even when the path gets a bit tangled.
I love Thich Nhat Hanh’s work. His voice is always calm, wise, and deeply compassionate, and I admire his lifelong effort to make mindfulness accessible for Westerners. I meditate daily and relish my breathing and walking breaks—his teachings have been a quiet, grounding presence in my life. His thoughtful reflections are a joy to ponder during practice.
The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching contains many beautiful insights and moments of deep clarity. Hanh emphasizes that mindfulness is not just about calming the mind—it’s about living with compassion, understanding, and purpose. That message is deeply needed today.
In a world where popular meditation apps like Headspace and others often focus solely on relaxation or focus, Hanh reminds us that true mindfulness includes a moral compass. It’s not just about zeroing in your attention—it’s about leading a virtuous life. That ethical grounding is one of the book’s greatest strengths.
That said, I found this particular book tries to do too much. It’s packed with numbered lists, doctrinal terms, and systematic explanations that, at times, feel overwhelming. In trying to organize the Dharma, some of its natural beauty and simplicity gets buried under structure.
Still, for all its density, there are real gems here—especially for those willing to read slowly and reflect. Thich Nhat Hanh’s peaceful presence shines through, even when the path gets a bit tangled.
August 26, 2009
I have been savoring this book for some time, and was lucky to have it with me while trapped on planes and in airports and on an overnight detour to Detroit--Hanh's teachings didn't quite transform the ordeal into great spiritual practice, but they did vastly improve the experience. Many of his other books can be read almost as a philosophy of Buddhism; here he explains the basic religious tenets in depth (and with more clarity than I'd previously encountered in introductory texts). While not quite as poetic as some of his other works, this is a beautiful book, inclusive of all beliefs and faiths while celebrating the Buddha's teachings. If you'd like an accessible description of the Four Noble Truths, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and more, you've found your book. My favorite passage (of many marked) describes Nirvana: "Nirvana is not the absence of life. Drishtadharma nirvana means 'nirvana in this very life.' Nirvana means pacifying, silencing, or extinguishing the fire of suffering. Nirvana teaches that we already are what we want to become. We don't have to run after anything anymore. We only need to return to ourselves and touch our true nature. When we do, we have real peace and joy." It becomes clear in Hanh's writing that he surely has found real peace and joy, and his life is a great embodiment of the teachings he presents so lovingly here.
June 16, 2012
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1935728.html
A book by a prominent Buddhist monk outlining key teachings of Buddhism. I started off rather liking it as an approach to mindfulness and how to process suffering and the good things about life. But after he Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, I started to get a bit irritated with the constant discovery of new lists of important spiritual things, from the Two Truths up to the Twelve Links of Interdependent Co-Arising; it seems to me that over-describing the undescribable is fundamentally a mistake. I also started wondering to what extent Thich Nhat Hanh is presenting a mainstream account of Buddhism or his own particular take (or his school's). And I wonder also if there is much sense of the numinous in Buddhism; there didn't seem a lot here. Anyway, it is still the most interesting book by a Buddhist on Buddhism that I have read.
A book by a prominent Buddhist monk outlining key teachings of Buddhism. I started off rather liking it as an approach to mindfulness and how to process suffering and the good things about life. But after he Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, I started to get a bit irritated with the constant discovery of new lists of important spiritual things, from the Two Truths up to the Twelve Links of Interdependent Co-Arising; it seems to me that over-describing the undescribable is fundamentally a mistake. I also started wondering to what extent Thich Nhat Hanh is presenting a mainstream account of Buddhism or his own particular take (or his school's). And I wonder also if there is much sense of the numinous in Buddhism; there didn't seem a lot here. Anyway, it is still the most interesting book by a Buddhist on Buddhism that I have read.
February 5, 2026
Tenemos que aprendrer a utilizar nuestra conciencia como una herramienta de transformación.
April 3, 2021
Siddhartha Gautama and Zeno of Citium probably would have been friends. Like Stoicism, Buddhism teaches that suffering (dukkha) is endemic to life, and that it arises from our attachment to impermanent things as if we could ever truly possess them. Both traditions maintain that this suffering may be overcome, and that liberation and fulfillment may be attained, through a practice of detachment from the objects, or “formations”, of our egoistic desires and a greater understanding of the nature of reality. But whereas Stoicism tends to envision the liberation of the self from external objects that lie outside of its control, Buddhism goes further by viewing the self as our most deep-rooted illusion and the most perilous object of our immiserating attachment. There is a fundamental interbeing of all things—everything exists in relation to everything else—so there is ultimately no distinction to be made between the self, or the consciousness in which it is seated, and the objects of perception. This is why the Buddhist enlightenment is more experiential, while the Stoic pursuit of eudaimonia tends to be rooted in the exercise of reason in accordance with the universal logos; but this may be a difference of degree rather than of kind.
At the core of every Buddhist tradition are the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are the existence of suffering (our pervasive sense of privation and dissatisfaction), the cause of suffering (tanha: namely, “craving” or desire), the potential for a cessation of suffering (by letting go of desire and, ultimately, the self, which is both an object of desire and the vehicle of all other desires), and the path of liberation from suffering and desire. This latter Truth is the Noble Eightfold Path, an interlocking series of practices that constitute a golden mean between extremes of asceticism and sensual indulgence, and through which we may attain Nirvana: an extinguishment of suffering, desire, self, and all concepts in a kind of mystical absorption into the all-negating foundation of being.
The elements of the Eightfold Path are Right View, Right Thinking, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Diligence, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. The elements are interdependent—to practice one is necessarily to practice all the others—and all are oriented toward the cultivation of compassion and the alleviation of suffering.
As in Stoicism, suffering is not something for the Buddhist to ignore or wish away. It is not something we get around, but something we go through. Suffering is the medium of our transformation, a ladder of spiritual ascent. We climb the ladder through the relinquishment of desire, while becoming ensnared by a craving for transient things weighs us down. Suffering is a stumbling block for the uninitiated, but a teacher of the Dharma, enlarging our compassion, for the journeyman bodhisattva.
Many fruitless arguments have been waged over the question of whether Buddhism may be classified as a religion. There is no concept of a personal God in Buddhist cosmology, but many Asian Buddhists practice elements of a kind of folk religion, recognizing a number of spiritual beings, including the “earth gods” who proclaimed the ceaseless turning of the Dharmachakra after the Buddha’s enlightenment, various wrathful spirits who protect the Dharma from corruption, and, of course, the ascendant, bodiless bodhisattvas who inhabit the liminal space between Samsara and Nirvana but remain attached to the former to help alleviate the suffering of other beings. Western Buddhists tend to regard these elements as mere accretions on a self-sufficient philosophy of mindfulness and meditative practices, and to scrub them away to make a product more pleasing to the secular palate.
A British political philosopher named Phillip Blond has said of Buddhism, “it’s a superb philosophy of the conditioned but has virtually nothing to say about the unconditioned”. There is some truth to that. It is a highly sophisticated body of teachings on the nature of the contingent, but its vision of the Absolute is a vacuum, or a pure negation; the word “Nirvana”, in Sanskrit, refers to the “blowing out” of a flame. Buddhism may be about as far as human wisdom can go without the counterpart of revelation. Many religious mysticisms, of course, speak of God apophatically, recognizing the incomprehensibility of the divine nature. But even while He retains His mystery, the Christian God takes on a positive quality in the figure of Christ. In Christ, God is revealed as Life itself; not a negation or a “quenching”, but the fountainhead of a superabundant outflowing of being. If Buddhism, Stoicism, and all of the world’s great wisdom traditions are about living well in the shadow of death, then Christianity might be about dying well in the radiance of Life. But now I’m getting carried away.
At the core of every Buddhist tradition are the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are the existence of suffering (our pervasive sense of privation and dissatisfaction), the cause of suffering (tanha: namely, “craving” or desire), the potential for a cessation of suffering (by letting go of desire and, ultimately, the self, which is both an object of desire and the vehicle of all other desires), and the path of liberation from suffering and desire. This latter Truth is the Noble Eightfold Path, an interlocking series of practices that constitute a golden mean between extremes of asceticism and sensual indulgence, and through which we may attain Nirvana: an extinguishment of suffering, desire, self, and all concepts in a kind of mystical absorption into the all-negating foundation of being.
The elements of the Eightfold Path are Right View, Right Thinking, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Diligence, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration. The elements are interdependent—to practice one is necessarily to practice all the others—and all are oriented toward the cultivation of compassion and the alleviation of suffering.
As in Stoicism, suffering is not something for the Buddhist to ignore or wish away. It is not something we get around, but something we go through. Suffering is the medium of our transformation, a ladder of spiritual ascent. We climb the ladder through the relinquishment of desire, while becoming ensnared by a craving for transient things weighs us down. Suffering is a stumbling block for the uninitiated, but a teacher of the Dharma, enlarging our compassion, for the journeyman bodhisattva.
Many fruitless arguments have been waged over the question of whether Buddhism may be classified as a religion. There is no concept of a personal God in Buddhist cosmology, but many Asian Buddhists practice elements of a kind of folk religion, recognizing a number of spiritual beings, including the “earth gods” who proclaimed the ceaseless turning of the Dharmachakra after the Buddha’s enlightenment, various wrathful spirits who protect the Dharma from corruption, and, of course, the ascendant, bodiless bodhisattvas who inhabit the liminal space between Samsara and Nirvana but remain attached to the former to help alleviate the suffering of other beings. Western Buddhists tend to regard these elements as mere accretions on a self-sufficient philosophy of mindfulness and meditative practices, and to scrub them away to make a product more pleasing to the secular palate.
A British political philosopher named Phillip Blond has said of Buddhism, “it’s a superb philosophy of the conditioned but has virtually nothing to say about the unconditioned”. There is some truth to that. It is a highly sophisticated body of teachings on the nature of the contingent, but its vision of the Absolute is a vacuum, or a pure negation; the word “Nirvana”, in Sanskrit, refers to the “blowing out” of a flame. Buddhism may be about as far as human wisdom can go without the counterpart of revelation. Many religious mysticisms, of course, speak of God apophatically, recognizing the incomprehensibility of the divine nature. But even while He retains His mystery, the Christian God takes on a positive quality in the figure of Christ. In Christ, God is revealed as Life itself; not a negation or a “quenching”, but the fountainhead of a superabundant outflowing of being. If Buddhism, Stoicism, and all of the world’s great wisdom traditions are about living well in the shadow of death, then Christianity might be about dying well in the radiance of Life. But now I’m getting carried away.
March 29, 2018
I've had this book on my shelf for years, and I've attempted to read it several times, but I've always abandoned it part way through. This has been a recurring thing for me since I was about sixteen years old: I get interested in Buddhism, read a couple of books, but then I quell the interest by convincing myself that suffering and angst are conducive to good work (just look at the arts!), that it's good to feel bad sometimes, and I leave it alone. A few months later, I get interested again. And so on and on.
But this time, my interest was piqued and I stuck with it. And man, how I wish I'd stuck with it before! Thich Nhat Hanh tells us that Buddhism is not about not suffering per se. It's not about eradicating suffering entirely and becoming an unfeeling shell, or about viewing the world from an ivory tower of detached self-peace, it's about transforming your own suffering as and when it arises. Buddhism isn't about never suffering, it's literally about transforming suffering when it's there. And that sounds good to me.
Much of the book is devoted to the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and ideas surrounding non-self and impermanence. There is a HUGE emphasis on mindfulness and meditation, the latter of which I have been inspired (at Thich Nhat Hanh's gentle persistence in every other chapter) to finally try. And in the second half of the book, he goes a little deeper into some other teachings, all of which are interconnected ("inter-are"). I rather felt that these other basic teachings required a book of their own because they are more in depth, but still, it's good to know where to start looking deeper now.
In all, would recommend this to anyone as an introduction to Buddhism.
But this time, my interest was piqued and I stuck with it. And man, how I wish I'd stuck with it before! Thich Nhat Hanh tells us that Buddhism is not about not suffering per se. It's not about eradicating suffering entirely and becoming an unfeeling shell, or about viewing the world from an ivory tower of detached self-peace, it's about transforming your own suffering as and when it arises. Buddhism isn't about never suffering, it's literally about transforming suffering when it's there. And that sounds good to me.
Much of the book is devoted to the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and ideas surrounding non-self and impermanence. There is a HUGE emphasis on mindfulness and meditation, the latter of which I have been inspired (at Thich Nhat Hanh's gentle persistence in every other chapter) to finally try. And in the second half of the book, he goes a little deeper into some other teachings, all of which are interconnected ("inter-are"). I rather felt that these other basic teachings required a book of their own because they are more in depth, but still, it's good to know where to start looking deeper now.
In all, would recommend this to anyone as an introduction to Buddhism.
July 10, 2017
I was not able to finish reading this book. I read about 70% of it through sheer determination and eventually threw in the towel from utter boredom. I thought it was too repetitive and could've been summarised into an essay. It was not for me, but perhaps others will find it enjoyable.
I started reading about Buddhism looking for a new worldview to help me cope with grief and a sense of meaninglessness and helplessness in the face of all the suffering in the world. I thought I was reading this book with an open mind, but I quickly realised I could no longer digest spirituality. This was probably the main obstacle in the way of my enjoying this book.
My analytical mind and secular worldview make it hard for me to accept the spirituality which is at the heart of any religion, including Buddhism.
I also found Buddhism to be incredibly passive as a belief system. Any good in my life has come from refusing to accept the status quo and trying to change it. Buddhism seems to promote the identification or recognition and acceptance of the problem but doesn't seem to emphasise finding a solution and taking action. I stand to be corrected on this of course.
I did find the book meditative though and learned more about the importance of self-awareness.
I also think Buddhism is commendable for its efforts in promoting compassion, empathy and deep understanding and for its commitment to non violence.
If I could accept religion, I'd be a secular Buddhist :)
I started reading about Buddhism looking for a new worldview to help me cope with grief and a sense of meaninglessness and helplessness in the face of all the suffering in the world. I thought I was reading this book with an open mind, but I quickly realised I could no longer digest spirituality. This was probably the main obstacle in the way of my enjoying this book.
My analytical mind and secular worldview make it hard for me to accept the spirituality which is at the heart of any religion, including Buddhism.
I also found Buddhism to be incredibly passive as a belief system. Any good in my life has come from refusing to accept the status quo and trying to change it. Buddhism seems to promote the identification or recognition and acceptance of the problem but doesn't seem to emphasise finding a solution and taking action. I stand to be corrected on this of course.
I did find the book meditative though and learned more about the importance of self-awareness.
I also think Buddhism is commendable for its efforts in promoting compassion, empathy and deep understanding and for its commitment to non violence.
If I could accept religion, I'd be a secular Buddhist :)
November 9, 2012
This book by Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh goes into a lot of the background from the later-life teachings of the Buddha such as the Lotus Sutra, so in a way, it's more about what the Zen school of Buddhism or Mahayana sects in general teach. Concepts are well-explained with copious footnotes, and it remembers the Indian roots of Buddhism throwing in Sanskrit / Pali terms in addition to Japanese and Chinese terms.
But while the book is easy to read, it often overwhelms the reader with a lot of overlapping concepts which often basically seem to be saying the same thing. Being bombarded with so many terms can often be distracting. What's good though is he doesn't just teach from one set of Buddhist teachings, but presents teachings from a wide body of books which makes it feel a lot more inclusive.
But while the book is easy to read, it often overwhelms the reader with a lot of overlapping concepts which often basically seem to be saying the same thing. Being bombarded with so many terms can often be distracting. What's good though is he doesn't just teach from one set of Buddhist teachings, but presents teachings from a wide body of books which makes it feel a lot more inclusive.
January 6, 2016
A thorough and very easy to digest review, in depth, of the teachings of the Buddha. Thay delivers here...illuminating the path with clarity.
April 6, 2025
Ik heb dit jaar mindfulness leren tot doel gesteld, omdat ik merk dat ik de laatste tijd sommige dingen te onoplettend doe, en vaak afgeleid en gehaast ben, en me soms moeilijk kan focussen op de dingen die me eigenlijk het meeste plezier brengen, vooral als ik gestrest ben of niet lekker in mijn vel zit. Ik eet te snel en kauw te weinig, ik scroll teveel door apps heen terwijl er eigenlijk niets binnenkomt, en neem me voor om op een dag te gaan lezen, en kom aan het einde van de dag tot de conclusie dat ik het boek niet eens heb opengeslagen... Dit boek werd me aangeraden als introductie en ook om mijn kennis over het boeddhisme weer op te frissen. Maar ik worstel al een paar week met dit boek en ben nog maar op pagina 37... Ik geef het op. Ik neem niets op door de vage schrijfstijl met lange zinnen en legio uiteenzettingen en voorbeelden waardoor de focus constant verplaatst wordt. Het is te zweverig en gaat van de hak op de tak. Ik ga een ander boek proberen dat puur gericht is op mindfulness, maar ik vermoed dat ik misschien meer baat zou hebben bij een cursus, want ik ben te snel afgeleid xD
June 25, 2022
This is a very tough book to rate or review - the 5 star rating is largely on an emotional basis, as many parts of this book were absolutely brilliant!
For anyone who is curious about the various teachings of the Buddha and schools of Buddhism, this is an excellent and a comprehensive source (at least for a beginner, which I am). All the concepts are explained very simply and clearly, making use of beautiful metaphors to effortlessly drive complex, abstract points home. The wave-water metaphor is one that immediately comes to mind.
The flip side to this is that the comprehensiveness of this book, coupled with the abstract, philosophical nature of many of the teachings, can get overwhelming after a point, if the reader is not careful in pacing the read. Add to this the fact that many of the teachings in the second half of the book are very similar in essence to the teachings in the first half (at least, appeared that way to me on a first reading) even if arrived at differently, and it is very easy to get the teachings mixed up by the end. This could be intentional as it is reiterated several times in the book that if someone understands one teaching completely, they would understand all of them. In any case, it is probably unimportant to know the exact source of a particular teaching or the jargon for a casual reader, who is more interested in getting a general idea of the Buddha's teachings and how they can be applied to their daily life. In that regard, this book more than serves its purpose.
And now, I must explain the 5 star rating. I cannot recall the last time that a piece of writing has had an almost therapeutic effect on me. The language is simple, but often very soothing and has a lyrical flow, especially in the first half where we learn about The Noble Eightfold Path. My favorite part of this book was when he talks about the importance of resting adequately - just reading the words made me feel relaxed and refreshed (also, I will never forget his advice to rest like an animal!). It is possible that I was in exactly the right frame of mind while reading this, but I believe it also has to do with the care and affection Thich Nhat Hanh has exercised in writing this book. There is a chapter dedicated to mindful communication (Right Speech) and its benefits on both the communicator as well as the recipient - this book (which the author mentions was written with mindfulness) is a strong example of the difference that writing with mindfulness can make on the reader. For that alone, I give it 5 stars!
Recommended for anyone who is more than casually curious about Buddhism and/or mindful living. While the first half is still worth reading in and of itself, for someone who just happens about this book and considers giving it a read, this can be a messy one.
For anyone who is curious about the various teachings of the Buddha and schools of Buddhism, this is an excellent and a comprehensive source (at least for a beginner, which I am). All the concepts are explained very simply and clearly, making use of beautiful metaphors to effortlessly drive complex, abstract points home. The wave-water metaphor is one that immediately comes to mind.
The flip side to this is that the comprehensiveness of this book, coupled with the abstract, philosophical nature of many of the teachings, can get overwhelming after a point, if the reader is not careful in pacing the read. Add to this the fact that many of the teachings in the second half of the book are very similar in essence to the teachings in the first half (at least, appeared that way to me on a first reading) even if arrived at differently, and it is very easy to get the teachings mixed up by the end. This could be intentional as it is reiterated several times in the book that if someone understands one teaching completely, they would understand all of them. In any case, it is probably unimportant to know the exact source of a particular teaching or the jargon for a casual reader, who is more interested in getting a general idea of the Buddha's teachings and how they can be applied to their daily life. In that regard, this book more than serves its purpose.
And now, I must explain the 5 star rating. I cannot recall the last time that a piece of writing has had an almost therapeutic effect on me. The language is simple, but often very soothing and has a lyrical flow, especially in the first half where we learn about The Noble Eightfold Path. My favorite part of this book was when he talks about the importance of resting adequately - just reading the words made me feel relaxed and refreshed (also, I will never forget his advice to rest like an animal!). It is possible that I was in exactly the right frame of mind while reading this, but I believe it also has to do with the care and affection Thich Nhat Hanh has exercised in writing this book. There is a chapter dedicated to mindful communication (Right Speech) and its benefits on both the communicator as well as the recipient - this book (which the author mentions was written with mindfulness) is a strong example of the difference that writing with mindfulness can make on the reader. For that alone, I give it 5 stars!
Recommended for anyone who is more than casually curious about Buddhism and/or mindful living. While the first half is still worth reading in and of itself, for someone who just happens about this book and considers giving it a read, this can be a messy one.
December 22, 2022
Winter 2022:
Another reread. Because for many months I was out of the practice, I was miserable and depressed, and I needed to find the right supports to find my way back in. To restart the neural connections I was building. To find a way back to pruning the ones that make us suffer.
Maybe I'm less ecstatic about this book now, but inevitably it is because of what I wrote below. A text can only point the way, the real freedom comes from practicing in the mud of real life. No mud, no lotus, etc etc etc
A few chapters in this book are worth rereading monthly, though. Glad to have finally purchased a paper copy for ease of use.
Spring 2021:
I (re)read this one about a month back or so and just didn't log it. Changing the rating from 3 to 5 stars.
I recall the first few times I tried to read about Buddhism and finding it like hitting a brick wall. The lists were infuriating - how can anyone think there's truth in something when there are three of this, three of that, three of this, seven of that, twelve of this. Then there's the twelve links of dependent origination, which I'm sure a glance of is enough to turn most Western people away back to the TV set immediately. Discussion about 'the present moment', or that your consciousness is collective consciousness, and collective consciousness is your consciousness, means nothing without some sense of direct experience in seeing what consciousness is, seeing it flare into wildfires from a touch on the wrist, or watching it cool, sometimes infinitesimally, with single breaths. Zen is a bizarre language and the teachings he writes about are meant to be tools to help start and deepen practice, not to directly generate understanding and enlightenment from reading itself.
Buddhism wasn't meant to be learned through a book, and now after a few years of practice, returning to this book is a different experience. It had so many teachings, reminders, and slaps to the face that I needed. It helped me let go, and at the moment that is my current meterstick for a Dharma book.
TNH's writing is singular. One feels almost as if they were with him underneath a fig tree while he silently shows you a lotus, for his words embody something that takes you beyond words.
The danger of waxing poetic and writing a rave review about a dharma book is that it might give someone the impression that reading the book is enough to experience the same thing, but really the only way is by meditating and letting go of all the stories your mind makes up.
Another reread. Because for many months I was out of the practice, I was miserable and depressed, and I needed to find the right supports to find my way back in. To restart the neural connections I was building. To find a way back to pruning the ones that make us suffer.
Maybe I'm less ecstatic about this book now, but inevitably it is because of what I wrote below. A text can only point the way, the real freedom comes from practicing in the mud of real life. No mud, no lotus, etc etc etc
A few chapters in this book are worth rereading monthly, though. Glad to have finally purchased a paper copy for ease of use.
Spring 2021:
I (re)read this one about a month back or so and just didn't log it. Changing the rating from 3 to 5 stars.
I recall the first few times I tried to read about Buddhism and finding it like hitting a brick wall. The lists were infuriating - how can anyone think there's truth in something when there are three of this, three of that, three of this, seven of that, twelve of this. Then there's the twelve links of dependent origination, which I'm sure a glance of is enough to turn most Western people away back to the TV set immediately. Discussion about 'the present moment', or that your consciousness is collective consciousness, and collective consciousness is your consciousness, means nothing without some sense of direct experience in seeing what consciousness is, seeing it flare into wildfires from a touch on the wrist, or watching it cool, sometimes infinitesimally, with single breaths. Zen is a bizarre language and the teachings he writes about are meant to be tools to help start and deepen practice, not to directly generate understanding and enlightenment from reading itself.
Buddhism wasn't meant to be learned through a book, and now after a few years of practice, returning to this book is a different experience. It had so many teachings, reminders, and slaps to the face that I needed. It helped me let go, and at the moment that is my current meterstick for a Dharma book.
TNH's writing is singular. One feels almost as if they were with him underneath a fig tree while he silently shows you a lotus, for his words embody something that takes you beyond words.
The danger of waxing poetic and writing a rave review about a dharma book is that it might give someone the impression that reading the book is enough to experience the same thing, but really the only way is by meditating and letting go of all the stories your mind makes up.
There is nothing to stop you from being in touch with life in the present moment. The question is, Do you have eyes that can see the sunset, feet that can touch the earth?
February 17, 2016
I consider myself a spiritual person. And have for as long as I remember being alive, wanted to stay away from religion, any religion. Reading about Buddhism, I truly recognized myself, and the way I live my life inside the faith and practises.
What I like most is the here and now way of living.
Through meditation and living mindfully, is what I believe to be the most important qualities for any soul to practice. In order to understand the here and now, is all that really matters.
As I read more about the religion, it started to dawn on me how annoying it all started to sound. The problem I've always had with religion, is that it makes me feel like rules are being laid out for you. That is when my interest starts to fade, and I find myself walking away.
Inside these pages is great insight, and the noblest of truths. Love, peace and an understanding of oneself and the world around. What I wish for is that one day all religions can strip itself from any labels, and simply LIVE FOR LOVE.
What I like most is the here and now way of living.
Through meditation and living mindfully, is what I believe to be the most important qualities for any soul to practice. In order to understand the here and now, is all that really matters.
As I read more about the religion, it started to dawn on me how annoying it all started to sound. The problem I've always had with religion, is that it makes me feel like rules are being laid out for you. That is when my interest starts to fade, and I find myself walking away.
Inside these pages is great insight, and the noblest of truths. Love, peace and an understanding of oneself and the world around. What I wish for is that one day all religions can strip itself from any labels, and simply LIVE FOR LOVE.
September 11, 2017
I first read this book about five years ago. I found it both heavy going and life changing. Returning to The Heart of Buddha's Teaching, I was pleased that I was able to understand more but it is still overwhelming. I think the problem is the huge amount of information: the four noble truths, the twelve turnings of the wheel, the eight fold path, the twelve links of interdependent co-arising, I could go on... And although each item made sense, the overall feeling was indigestion but perhaps that's what happens when a whole tradition is being covered in ONE book. Or perhaps I need to read it a couple of times more before I can get the full benefit?
January 4, 2022
I didn't finish this as I found that I learned a lot from the first half and then things just became a little too complicated for me. I'm now reading "Old Path White Clouds" which seems to be less encyclopedic and more story-like, while still retaining the essence of Buddhism.
December 31, 2020
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