The raft is not the shore: Conversations toward a Buddhist/Christian awareness (Beacon paperback ; 523) [Hardcover]

Daniel Berrigan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Meeting for long, midnight conversations in Paris, two poets and prophetic peacemakers-one an exiled Buddhist monk and Zen master, the other a Jesuit priest-explore together the farthest reaches of Truth. East and West flow together in this remarkable book. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 139 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080701124X
• ISBN-13: 978-0807011249
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,797,287 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And The Shore Is Not In The Gulf, January 20, 2003

By 

"laclay" (Boulder, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Raft is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward a Buddhist-Christian Awareness (Paperback)

The Raft Is Not the Shore is a profound and inspired exchange between a gentle Buddhist monk and teacher from Vietnam Nhat Hanh and a Christian dissident Daniel Berrigan, originally published in the 1970s, but, sadly in many ways, striking in its relevance to the current international crisis in the Middle East. Unlike a mere theological conference, where matters revolve around "conceptual" issues, pedantic scripture exegesis and other superficial attributes of "knowing the way," Nhat Hanh and Berrigan's dialogue is a true sharing of religious experiences and personal insights that invites the reader to "be on the way". Akin to the saints whose greatness both admire, their own lives serve as a moving example of containing the Good in the very movement to it.

Revolving around many of the issues related to the Vietnam War and how it affected religious life in both Vietnam and America, the book focuses on such eternal dilemmas as the meaning of life and death, retaining wholeness in the face of living in modern society, and the role of a religious person in the world, as well as discusses resistance to violence, dogma and conformity. It offers a unique exchange of perspectives on suffering and spiritual life, which, in the true spirit of ecumenism, affirm that faith is ultimately in the heart and that peaceful meditation and listening to each others' stories of suffering is a viable alternative to national strife and terrorism.

Both authors believe that no doctrine, whether religious or philosophical, should be treated as the absolute truth, but rather serve only as a guiding means for developing awareness, tranquility and opening one's heart to others. They see organized religion as an institution parallel to society and oftentimes as bankrupt, complacent and antihuman as to make an individual's true spiritual quest by necessity one of perpetual resistance. Since both Nhat Hahn and Berrigan attempted mediating between Israelis and Palestinians without taking sides, they bring a freshly unbiased and much needed perspective on how to prevent the nation states from "protecting" the well-being of their citizens through sacrificing the lives of these very citizens. The book is full of memorable stories from the Diamond, Lotus and Heart Sutras, the Bible, contemporary life of Vietnamese monks and nuns, and religious communities of resistance in the United States. One of them relates the curious rites to which the Le Dynasty emperors in Vietnam were bound in times of major national disasters: since it was believed that emperors caused calamities by not having pure enough hearts, they were expected to confess their sins publicly, eat vegetarian meals and sleep on a mat for a while, to atone for their misguided leadership. Would it be a gross misunderestimation not to expect the same from a Texas rancher?

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prescient, October 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Raft is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward a Buddhist-Christian Awareness (Paperback)

Written over 25 years ago, this book is so fresh it's scary. Their discussion of the situation in the middle east offers a much needed window on the spiritual dimensions of the problem of believing that violence ever ultimately solves anything. I would recommend this book to anyone seeking spiritual guidance and salve during this difficult time after the World Trade Center attack. Nhat Hahn is very task oriented, Berrigan very heart oriented, a great mix. It is a true ecumenical dialog, which enlightens.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two gifted masters and friends, April 21, 2001

By 

A. Hogan (Brooklyn, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Raft is Not the Shore: Conversations Toward a Buddhist-Christian Awareness (Paperback)

Thich Nhat Hanh and Daniel Berrigan, S. J. are longtime friends and soulmates. These conversations , taped in paris in the 1970's,show the depth and breath of their friendship and spirituality. After 26 years these conversations are still fresh,if not vital[vital is totally subjective].The Buddhist -Christian dialogue was not started by these men, though it was taken to a new level by these poets. Unlike many of these books,there is no need by either man to explain away their beliefs nor make it so palatable to the other that all of the original tang is lost. This is more like two poets speaking at a cafe{which it was,in part} talking about their lives, and the forces and times in which they live. Since I view these two men to be two of the best spiritual guides alive, this book is important and interesting and much much LIGHTER than the titile would suggest{.Also, of similar intetest,THE GETHSEMANI ENCOUNTER.} Excellent book by two giants