Thich Nhat Hanh's Perspective on Buddhism in China

Thich Nhat Hanh's Perspective on Buddhism in China

In Thich Nhat Hanh's The Heart of Buddha's Teaching, principles of Buddhism are brought to life through explanations of the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, and other Buddhist beliefs. In addition to displaying the fundamentals of Buddhism, Hanh created a guide for anyone to examine and process their Buddhist convictions. I admittedly had limited exposure to Buddhism before reading The Heart of Buddha's Teaching, which left me re-reading a few abstract sections from time to time; however, regardless of my lack of exposure prior to the book, I now understand how Buddhist practices are applied to experience a life of peace rather than despair. Most importantly, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches the reader by offering information without demanding the reader follow the doctrines of Buddhism. Instead, he writes about real examples that any person can practice.

As a perfect introduction into the Dharma, The Heart of Buddha's Teaching & Living Buddha, Living Christ are simple and clear reminders that human suffering is a self-created misconception that can eventually transform into enlightenment. In addition to Buddha's Teaching, Hanh's Living Buddha, Living Christ, attempts to persuade the reader of Buddha and Jesus are in the big picture together. When looking at the culture of China and the role Buddhism plays in Chinese politics, Hanh's advice is important to consider: "Until there is peace between religions, there can be no peace in the world." Because China has an embedded spiritual culture that inevitably dictates policy, the history and principles of the religion must be understood to truly know how China operates.

Hanh's simple explanation of the Four Noble Truths is practical and encouraging. The First Noble Truth is life means suffering. Although this Truth is straightforward, I've found it to be the most difficult to genuinely embrace and accept, especially when reading this book. This is the case because I believe everyone wants to feel that certain things in this world are permanent, such as relationships, comfort, and material things. This is especially the case in America, where pretty much everyone holds on tightly to all tangible items that could somehow be status symbols like clothing and cars and big fancy homes. But because "to live" actually translates into "to suffer," we must realize that just as comforting and happy moments and nice things pass us by, we will also endure moments of suffering. Viewing the positive and negative as a dichotomy is essential to the first Buddhist Truth. Hanh helps us to embrace this First Truth in Heart of Buddha by emphasizing that life is imperfect and we are never able to keep anything permanently because human nature is imperfect. As difficult as the idea is to comprehend,