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One Buddha is Not Enough: A Story of Collective Awakening
How do we learn to believe in ourselves and not just rely on our spiritual teachers? This question often directly posed to Thich Nhat Hanh as "Who will be your successor?" was answered in August of 2009 when over a thousand people came to Colorado to spend a week with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh only to find he was in the hospital and wouldn’t be able to lead the retreat. The result of this event is One Buddha Is Not Enough , a book on how to become your own teacher and create your own community where you might least expect it.
One Buddha Is Not Enough offers fresh and original insight from emerging Buddhist teachers on topics such as how to handle grief, strengthen our relationships, deal with anger and other strong emotions, and find happiness in the present moment. Through letters, stories, poems, calligraphies, and photographs, Thich Nhat Hanh shares his unique insights on illness, health, and different healing modalities.
Far-reaching in its implication and tremendously encouraging, One Buddha Is Not Enough is a true expression of American We all already contain all the insight and wisdom we need. We are surrounded by the people who can help us on our journey. Sometimes all it takes is a wake up call to remind us of what we are capable of.
One Buddha Is Not Enough offers fresh and original insight from emerging Buddhist teachers on topics such as how to handle grief, strengthen our relationships, deal with anger and other strong emotions, and find happiness in the present moment. Through letters, stories, poems, calligraphies, and photographs, Thich Nhat Hanh shares his unique insights on illness, health, and different healing modalities.
Far-reaching in its implication and tremendously encouraging, One Buddha Is Not Enough is a true expression of American We all already contain all the insight and wisdom we need. We are surrounded by the people who can help us on our journey. Sometimes all it takes is a wake up call to remind us of what we are capable of.
224 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
30 people are currently reading
300 people want to read
About the author
Thich Nhat Hanh
981 books12.9k followersThích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 28, 2019
Between 3.5 and 4 stars.
I really enjoyed some of the essays in this book because they broke core Buddhist concepts into very simple and concrete terms. The first essay, "This is It" was perhaps my favourite in its description of what it means to live mindfully. I also really liked "No Mud No Lotus" and its message of giving up the idea of perfection in our meditation practice. Another favourite was "A Story of Collective Awakening" in how it talks about letting anger move through us.
I didn't particularly love the book as a whole, because it is by and about a group of people who attended a specific retreat, and thus it had a feeling of looking from the outside in, like when somebody shows you their vacation photos. I thought I would be more interested in the perspectives of the 'ordinary' people who attended, but mostly I just felt like you had to be there.
It still felt like a worthwhile read, but probably not my first choice for a first Thich Nhat Hanh reading. I am, however, interested to read his other books and to read more of the writings of the monks and nuns of Plum Village.
I really enjoyed some of the essays in this book because they broke core Buddhist concepts into very simple and concrete terms. The first essay, "This is It" was perhaps my favourite in its description of what it means to live mindfully. I also really liked "No Mud No Lotus" and its message of giving up the idea of perfection in our meditation practice. Another favourite was "A Story of Collective Awakening" in how it talks about letting anger move through us.
I didn't particularly love the book as a whole, because it is by and about a group of people who attended a specific retreat, and thus it had a feeling of looking from the outside in, like when somebody shows you their vacation photos. I thought I would be more interested in the perspectives of the 'ordinary' people who attended, but mostly I just felt like you had to be there.
It still felt like a worthwhile read, but probably not my first choice for a first Thich Nhat Hanh reading. I am, however, interested to read his other books and to read more of the writings of the monks and nuns of Plum Village.
November 29, 2023
Despite this book being 14 years old, I felt the spirits of Thay and the Sangha preserved clearly. This is an inspirational read for anyone on a long journey.
May 24, 2016
Just as the retreat participants who contributed to this book discovered, the teaching and the teacher are intertwined, but they are not identical. This book grew out of the mud of disappointment,whichblossomed into the lotus of understanding.
This book celebrates the Sangha. So often we focus too much on the Buddha and the Dharma. It reminds us that we each carry different pieces of the Dharma within us, and that while we look to our teachers for guidance, we should also look to the Buddha nature within ourselves.
This book celebrates the Sangha. So often we focus too much on the Buddha and the Dharma. It reminds us that we each carry different pieces of the Dharma within us, and that while we look to our teachers for guidance, we should also look to the Buddha nature within ourselves.
February 27, 2012
A very good three star book pushed to five due my photo being in here.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews