Customer Reviews

Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Another great book by Thich Nhat Hanh. This book is basically divided into two sections. The first is a very indepth look at the 14 mindfulness trainings and then the second part is a review of ceremonies surrounding these trainings.

I found the first part of the book to be great. It offered some new information on the 14 minfulness trainings (which I already had some knowledge of). The second half of the book on the ceremonies was not useful to me and I can't really picture it being useful to anyone but in the monastic community.

Overall, great book. Get it, read it, and incorporate the mindfulness trainings in your life.

As someone who has received and accepted the 5 Precepts, I have found the 14 Guidelines for Engaged Buddhists to be for the more dedicated of followers of T.N.H.'s version of Mahayana Buddhism. These guidelines take the 5 precepts of not killing, not stealing, not having illicit sexual relations, not speaking unjustly, and not imbiding intoxicatants a full step further.

I highly recommend this book for the intermediate to very serious seeker.

This book definitely helps one see the reality of our "interconnectedness" with others and with our environment and also illustrates how our actions often have many implications beyond "the self". The fundamental precepts or mindfulness trainings outlined and described here, when practiced, have the capacity to bring about positive societal and global change. This book is another major step towards understanding, compassion and peace.

This is a great book for anyone interested in the Order of Interbeing or the 14 Mindfulness Trainings as taught by Thich Nhat Hanh. This book has a decent, brief history of the OI's beginnings in Vietnam and its development afterwards. Also good presentation and deeper insights from Thay (Thich Nhat Hanh) about each individual 14 Mindfulness Training. I highly recommend Sister Chan Khong's book, "Learning True Love : How I Learned to Practice Social Change in Vietnam" for a more in depth view of the beginnings and development of the OI and also an amazing woman's story about the war in Vietnam and social struggle and Engaged Buddhism.

The basic concepts of Interbeing are carefully explained. As a practicing Buddhist, it is refreshing to see that the core beliefs as postulated by the Buddha e.g. the "Four Noble Truths" and the "Eightfold Path" are reinforced as fundamental beliefs. It makes no difference if you are Theraveda or Mayahayna, these beliefs bind us together as Buddhists. Even the Lotus Sutra schools can find little to disagree with in this book. I certainly recommend it to both practicing Buddhists and non-Buddhists who desire to become socially active.

I have been inspired by Thich Naht Hanh's books for many years and while they are all priceless, I like to read this one and Peace is Every Step at night with my family (including my middle school and high school aged children). We almost always have valuable discussions afterward whether we read a full chapter or just a paragraph.

This book is about the 14 trainings. It contains the actual ritual practices for achieving mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh discusses "The Order of Interbeing" as a community for "Engaged Buddhism". This book was recommended to me by a monk from Deer Park Monastery in California. He thought of it as a way towards becoming a Budhisattva.

Thich Nhat Hanh's unique practice of Buddhism, formulated during the Cold War, is a refreshing antidote to the chaos of modern life. He combines traditional Zen teachings with ideas and practices from Theravada Buddhism and Western psychology to form a modern approach to meditation practice.