Reviews

I enjoyed the book, the information in it is very useful, but it is very dry at some points. Good point for introduction for those that are ready to really think.

While I’ve never considered myself a religious person, I’m very spiritual in nature and believe in some form of a higher power. Buddhism is one of the few religions I find myself drawn to because of the strong emphasis on mindfulness and meditation, which I not only wrote my senior thesis on but have adopted those practices into my daily life since then.

Thich Nhat Hanh’s ‘The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation’ is in and of itself a meditation. It covers The Four Noble Truths, The Noble Eightfold Path, and other general Buddhist practices. One of my favorite sections from the other general practices section were the ‘Three Dharma Seals’, which are Impermanence, Nonself, and Nirvana. It’s a great starting point if you’re interested in Buddhism, and (from what I’ve gathered) one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s better pieces of work.

Note: this book is very theoretical and dry, at times. Thich Nhat Hanh likes talking some points into the ground, but just know that it’s for emphasis. If you’re patient, have an open mind, and are willing to see this book through, you will appreciate it for all that it’s worth.