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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
74 of 75 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I original read this book because of my interest in meditation and I think Thich Nhat Hanh has a very simple and beautiful approach to meditation.
The book is not only an inspiring work on a practical level but it also makes an ancient text 'The Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness' accessable to the modern mind and is a practical guide to these wise words.
The book first prints the Sutra and a short history and summary of the Sutra; the rest of this quite substantial book consists of a Commentary on the Sutra. This is broken down into four main parts and each section has meditation exercises and or visualisations which ground these ancients words of wisdom. It is like a manual each part can be contemplated and realised.
Some of the body visualisations have always been a source of fascination to me. Having heard about those strange eastern practices where monks or holy men hang around the charnel ground contemplating the dead body I was interested in Thich's interpretation of this and was able to understand why they behaved in this alien way.
However this is only a small part of the book.
Another helpful part of the book was getting to grips with the differences between body, feelings, mind and mind objects. Thus the book invites a curiousity about subtle sensations which can help me focus more on the present moment and free me from distracting thoughts and worrying about more mundane issues.
I feel great gratitude to this sunny and loving man and I find this particular book to be his best although it is not his most accessble or his most simple book. It has allowed me insight to rather dry scriptures and has deepened my meditation practice.
The book is not only an inspiring work on a practical level but it also makes an ancient text 'The Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness' accessable to the modern mind and is a practical guide to these wise words.
The book first prints the Sutra and a short history and summary of the Sutra; the rest of this quite substantial book consists of a Commentary on the Sutra. This is broken down into four main parts and each section has meditation exercises and or visualisations which ground these ancients words of wisdom. It is like a manual each part can be contemplated and realised.
Some of the body visualisations have always been a source of fascination to me. Having heard about those strange eastern practices where monks or holy men hang around the charnel ground contemplating the dead body I was interested in Thich's interpretation of this and was able to understand why they behaved in this alien way.
However this is only a small part of the book.
Another helpful part of the book was getting to grips with the differences between body, feelings, mind and mind objects. Thus the book invites a curiousity about subtle sensations which can help me focus more on the present moment and free me from distracting thoughts and worrying about more mundane issues.
I feel great gratitude to this sunny and loving man and I find this particular book to be his best although it is not his most accessble or his most simple book. It has allowed me insight to rather dry scriptures and has deepened my meditation practice.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By manjushri
Format:Paperback
This book is very learned and shows that the author is a as well as .very simple books can write a very deep and detailed commentary on the sutra.HE explores three transmissions of the sutra and compares the likelihood of which are more likely to be an accurate transmission of what the buddha taught.THe book needs to be read slowly and practised bit by bit.I have found it very helpful to use alongside my daily practice.I expect to be still reading it in 5 or 10 years time....
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.9 out of 5 stars
14 reviews
64 of 65 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent guidance on mindfulness
17 Feb 2002
By Richard Harrold
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Thich Nhat Hanh's structure of how he presents and reviews the suttas of the Pali cannon is very easy to follow and broken down into manageable portions. For a novice Buddhist like myself, I find this format very helpful. So many other discussions on the suttas make my head spin!
In this text, as in others, the sutta in its entirety is presented in the Therevada translation. He then follows this with a section by section explanation of what the sutta means and how to apply it. The last sections of the book include other translations of the sutta, which are quite interesting because you see how these translations change sometimes the meaning of the sutta.
This book is very helpful for beginning meditators as well because it gives you the basics of breathing and how to use your breathing for meditation and contemplation. Once you master one step, the sutta provides you with the next step to take. I am so happy I have found this and the other books by Thich Nhat Hanh. My life is already the better for it.
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short, to the point, well written. Exactly what you want.
18 July 2006
By sbissell3
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the author's presentation of the Satipatthana Sutra, the basic sutra on mindfullness. As in all of his works he does the work of a good Dharma teacher very well. He keeps his own personality and teaching idiosyncrasies out of the way so that the student's understanding can arise naturally. There are more elaborate and academic descriptions of the Sutra available and more detailed descriptions of how to use the Sutra in meditation. But this is good basic information presented in a good manner with no frills or personal quirks. The author gives a good commentary on the Sutra and explains why he translates certain passages, but he also gives the alternate interpretations.
This is a fine basic introduction to the central issue in Vapassana meditation. Highly recommended.
This is a fine basic introduction to the central issue in Vapassana meditation. Highly recommended.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
No one does it better
13 Aug 2006
By Douglas H. Eckhoff
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
No one explains the essential elements of Buddhism bettter Thich Nhat Hanh. Here he continues to examine the basic teachings of meditation as taught by the Buddha and handed down through the Pali Canon. A perfect companion to his book, Breathe! You Are Alive, this work carefully explains for both the novice and more experienced pratitioner the nuances of deeper mediatation techniques as laid out in the Satipatthana Sutta. Thich Nhat Hanh writes with clarity and and makes the joy of meditation accessable to everyone with the desire find true happiness.
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4.9 out of 5 stars
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