Being Peace

Thich Nhat Hanh

Being Peace is a classic of contemporary religious literature and an excellent introduction to the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh and to engaged Buddhism. Now in its fourteenth printing, with more than 150,000 copies in print, Being Peace continues to be our most widely-read book.

The classic introduction to Zen Master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh's most important teachings. This eloquent meditation on "being peace in order to make peace" is more relevant than ever. A book for everyone concerned about the state of the world and the quality of our lives, it has lost none of its timeliness since it was first published in 1987. It is filled with practical suggestions on how to create a more peaceful world "right in the moment we are alive." This newly revised, beautiful edition is the perfect starting point for those who are getting their first introduction to Buddhism as well as a must-have for those already engaged in the tradition. The paperback edition contains a new introduction by Jack Kornfield. Illustrated by Mayumi Oda.

REVIEWS

"This book is a treasure. If you look deeply you will see in it the seeds of all Thich Nhat Hanh's most important teachings, and the seeds of your awakenings as well." — Jack Kornfield

"...a jewel of love and wisdom." — Small Press

ISBN: 978-1-888375-40-4, Revised Edition, Paperback, 116 pages.

Also Available in:
E-Book: Kindle
Large Print and other editions for readers with learning difficulties or visual impairments: ReadHowYouWant
Audio CD: Parallax Press

Sample Chapter

Suffering Is Not Enough

Life is filled with suffering, but it is also filled with many wonders, like the blue sky, the sunshine, the eyes of a baby. To suffer is not enough. We must also be in touch with the wonders of life. They are within us and all around us, everywhere, any time. If we are not happy, if we are not peaceful, we cannot share peace and happiness with others, even those we love, those who live under the same roof. If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. Do we need to make a special effort to enjoy the beauty of the blue sky? Do we have to practice to be able to enjoy it? No, we just enjoy it. Each second, each minute of our lives can be like this. Wherever we are, any time, we have the capacity to enjoy the sunshine, the presence of each other, even the sensation of our breathing. We don't need to go to China to enjoy the blue sky. We don't have to travel into the future to enjoy our breathing. We can be in touch with these things right now. It would be a pity if we are only aware of suffering.

We are so busy we hardly have time to look at the people we love, even in our own household, and to look at ourselves. Society is organized in a way that even when we have some leisure time, we don't know how to use it to get back in touch with ourselves. We have millions of ways to lose this precious time we turn on the TV or pick up the telephone, or start the car and go somewhere. We are not being with ourselves, and we act as if we don't like ourselves and are trying to escape from ourselves.

Meditation is to be aware of what is going on-in our bodies, in our feelings, in our rninds, and in the world. Each day 40,000 children die of hunger. The superpowers now have more than 50,000 nuclear warheads, enough to destroy our planet many times. Yet the sunrise is beautiful, and the rose that bloomed this morning along the wall is a miracle. Life is both dreadful and wonderful. To practice meditation is to be in touch with both aspects. Please do not think we must be solemn in order to meditate. In fact, to meditate well, we have to smile a lot.

Add Being Peace to your cart