Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74373 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

Synopsis
A Vietnamese monk clarifies the main principles of Buddhism, reveals its roles in creating joy and enlightenment, and encompasses every facet of Buddhist teaching, from the Four Noble Truths to the Three Dharma Seals. Reprint. PW.

Customer Reviews

Enlightenment?
Many people out there have a romantic notion of being 'into' Buddhism. For those wanting to actually take this one step further and learn a little about the religion then Thich Nhat Hanh's book is the ideal starting ground.
The book is not too in-depth with its writings and gives the reader a fantastic insight into the world of Buddhism. Starting with the basics it goes onto explain the origins of the ancient religion and examples of its teaching. A lot of books addressing this subject are dismissed quickly by potential readers because of their technical and complicated prose but The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching does exactly the opposite. It gets to the subject matter without blinding the reader with complications. Covering everything that needs to be known in a quick synopsis of one of the world oldest religions the reader can gain confidence to take their interests to another stage. Covering all basic aspects it will give the reader, as it did myself, a good basic foundation which can or cannot be taken to the next level. If you are interested in learning more about Buddhism but don't want bogged down then this book is the ideal place to start. It may not give complete enlightenment but it at least tells you where the switch is.

The art of simplicity
This is by far the most accessible introduction to buddhism. Not only is this book free of jargon and simply written, but also extremely positive. Unlike some, Nhat Hanh reminds us constantly that suffering can be conquered. He also avoids reference to reincarnation and similar miracluous attributes some authors dwell on.

Buddhism is not a series of philosophy lectures but a tool to liberate oneself. It is the art of being awake and compassionate. Thich Nhat Hanh has mastered that art.

An EXCELLENT book, Thich Nhat Hanh is a wonderful teacher.
The best book on Buddhism I have ever read. Thich Nhat Hanh presents the essential teachings of Buddhism in a way that really makes it come alive. The way he presents the four noble truths and eight-fold path are written with a minimum of fuss and jargon. He points out the mutations Buddhism experienced in its oral transmission over the centuries. His argument for critical thinking while reading Buddhist texts is very important reminder that errors in transmission do exist. The material displays not only his intellectual ability as a scholar but also his incredible compassion. He doesn't just write about Buddhism, he lives it.