If you have always assumed that Christianity and Buddhism are as far apart philosophically as their respective founders were geographically, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. In this national bestseller, Zen monk and social activist Thich Nhat Hanh draws parallels between these two traditions that have them walking, hand in hand, down the same path to salvation. In Christianity, he finds mindfulness in the Holy Spirit as an agent of healing. In Buddhism, he finds unqualified love in the form of compassion for all living things. And in both he finds an emphasis on living practice and community spirit.

The thread that binds the book is the same theme that draws many Christians toward Buddhism: mindfulness. Through anecdotes, scripture references, and teachings from both traditions, Nhat Hanh points out that mindfulness is an integral part of all religious practice and teaches us how to cultivate it in our own lives. Nhat Hanh has no desire to downplay the venerable theological and ritual teachings that distinguish Buddhism and Christianity, but he does cause one to consider that beyond the letter of doctrine lies a unity of truth.


From Library Journal
In this popular work Hahn, a Vietnamese Zen monk, offers some parallels between Eastern and Western spiritual practice in an accessible style that will please general readers. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Drawing on Christian theology, as well as his own Buddhist beliefs, this bestselling author and beloved monk examines the qualities of compassion and holiness, and eloquently shows that they're integral parts of both traditions. Ben Kingsley reads with class. His British accent is never overbearing or intrusive. He's in command of the text all the way. No doubt his Academy Award-winning role as Gandhi prepared him well for the Indian terms and phrases. P.B.J. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


From Booklist
Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, author of more than 70 books, is truly a universal spiritual teacher whose mission is to translate Buddhist precepts into language everyone can understand and to explain the practice of mindfulness in terms of contemporary life. These efforts are in keeping with the Buddhist belief in open-mindedness and the acceptance of change, as is Nhat Hanh's recognition of Jesus as "one of his spiritual ancestors." As he carefully compares key aspects of Christianity with Buddhism, Nhat Hanh distinguishes between the historical and the living Jesus and Buddha, celebrates common ground shared by their teachings, and explicates important differences. His ability to see beyond dogma is in sharp contrast to the rigidity of certain Christian perspectives, a contrast Nhat Hanh discusses with respect and urgency. If there is to be understanding, compassion, and peace in the world, spiritual teachers must learn to honor the "jewels," or "best values," at the heart of diverse traditions, and to keep their own alive by interpreting them in light of the here and now. Donna Seaman

ANNOTATION

In lucid, meditative prose, Thich Nhat Hanh, whom many consider to be a "living buddha, " explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions of Christianity and Buddhism meet, and reawakens readers' understanding of these disciplines.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Buddha and Christ, perhaps the two most pivotal figures in the history of humankind, each left behind a legacy of teachings and practices that have shaped the lives of billions of people over the course of two millennia. If they were to meet on the road today, what would each think of the other's spiritual views and practices? Thich Nhat Hanh has been part of a decades-long dialogue between the two greatest living contemplative traditions, and brings to Christianity an appreciation of its beauty that could be conveyed only by an outsider. In a lucid, meditative prose, he explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions meet, and reawakens our understanding of both. "On the altar in my hermitage," he says, "are images of Buddha and Jesus, and I touch both of them as my spiritual ancestors."

SYNOPSIS

In lucid, meditative prose, Thich Nhat Hanh, whom many consider to be a "living buddha, " explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions of Christianity and Buddhism meet, and reawakens readers' understanding of these disciplines.

FROM THE CRITICS

Terry C. Muck

Thich Nhat Hanh's....attempts to distill from what Christians say and believe about Jesus Christ a picture that comports well with a similar picture of ...Buddha — someone interested in the health and welfare of all sentient beings. —Books & Culture: A Christian Review

Library Journal

Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Naht Hanh is one of the most respected and revered religious figures in the modern world. During his lifetime he has engaged in a dialog with important Christian figures like Thomas Merton, Dan Berrigan, and Martin Luther King Jr. Here Thich teaches that, contrary to Pope John Paul's assertion of the narrowness of Christian salvation, the concept of mindfulness is the common ground that Buddhism and Christianity occupy. The Buddhist monk explores the ways that each religious community enacts its beliefs, faith, and practice through love, understanding, acceptance, and interbeing. The book is marked by the beauty and simplicity of Thich's mindful wisdom, his evocative prose, and his lucid insights. Highly recommended.

AudioFile - Paul B. Janeczko

Drawing on Christian theology, as well as his own Buddhist beliefs, this bestselling author and beloved monk examines the qualities of compassion and holiness, and eloquently shows that they're integral parts of both traditions. Ben Kingsley reads with class. His British accent is never overbearing or intrusive. He's in command of the text all the way. No doubt his Academy Award-winning role as Gandhi prepared him well for the Indian terms and phrases. P.B.J. cAudioFile, Portland, Maine

Terry C. Muck - Books & Culture: A Christian Review