Thich Nhat Hanh

[David, Moderator]

I read Being Peace about 20 years ago, and then again a couple of years ago. It was the first book by the Buddhist teacher and writer for me, and it is, I think, a seminal work, capturing in one short volume the essence of what he would go on to explicate in his many books since this one. The first time I read this book, I had never heard of Thich Nhat Hanh and was attracted to the title. I read it in a couple of sittings. The second time through, I read the book in short bursts, one per week, in the company of other people who also follow Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. It took several months, and it was a more profound experience because each short segment has layers of meaning and feeling that take time to settle into the soul. Highly recommended as a first place to meet this wise teacher's work.

[Stephanie]

I was never drawn to Thich Nhat Hanh as so many people were, but his book Cultivating the Mind of Love: The Practice of Looking Deeply in the Mahayana Buddhist Tradition is one of the most brilliant I've ever read. He uses his personal experience of falling in love with a nun when he was a young monk to draw out the meanings of the Diamond, Lotus and Flower Garland sutras. It is just amazing.

[David, Moderator]

I haven't read that one. Thanks for telling us about it! I'd like to see that more personal, vulnerable side of his life, as well as delve more deeply into some of the sutras. We're reading his introduction to Buddhism in my local sangha, and this sounds like a natural next book from him.

[Björn]

Stephanie wrote: "I was never drawn to Thich Nhat Hanh as so many people were, but his book Cultivating the Mind of Love: The Practice of Looking Deeply in the Mahayana Buddhist Tradition is one of the..."

Thank you for the book recommendation, this will be my introduction to Thich Nhat Nanh!