The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching

Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation

By: Thích Nhất Hạnh

Narrated by: René Ruiz

Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's Summary

In The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh introduces us to the core teachings of Buddhism and shows us that the Buddha's teachings are accessible and applicable to our daily lives. With poetry and clarity, Nhat Hanh imparts comforting wisdom about the nature of suffering and its role in creating compassion, love, and joy - all qualities of enlightenment. Covering such significant teachings as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Doors of Liberation, the Three Dharma Seals, and the Seven Factors of Awakening, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching is a radiant beacon on Buddhist thought for the initiated and uninitiated alike.

©2014 Thich Nhat Hanh (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Thich Nhat Hanh shows us the connection between personal, inner peace, and peace on Earth." (His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

"Thich Nhat Hanh is a real poet." (Robert Lowell)

One of the very best...

One of the very best overviews of the Buddhist path available today. Written by one of the greatest contemporary Buddhist practitioners. This master of the Dharma shares the teachings and the action steps that if practiced will become a blessing of enlightenment to all sentient beings.

Absolutely the Best Guide to the Buddha's Path

While it is a very long discourse, there is no better or richer teaching than this book on the path that leads us out of suffering into happiness as first taught by the Buddha himself. This book is like a Buddhist's Bible, complex but logical as a comprehensive explanation of how so many over the milenia have found solace in the realizations given to all mankind bt the Buddha. There is no finer teacher other than the author of this book as well.

Great overview of Buddhism

Any additional comments?

If you're genuinely interested in Buddhist teachings and philosophy, at some point you're going to have to actually sit down and learn some specifics other than meditation and mindfulness. That's where I found myself prior to purchasing this book and it serves this purpose very well. I would say this is the kind of book that requires you to pay attention and pause and reflect on the various concepts and I found myself rewinding the narration quite a bit but only because the teachings are very deep. Thich Nhat Hanh does a great job of reintroducing core concepts several times throughout the book from different perspectives which really helps to understand some of the subtleties of the teachings and I feel as though I have absorbed quite a bit.

The only suggestion that I might make to anyone interested in this book would be to consider buying the printed text. The reason is that almost all of the teachings are presented as lists and there are frequently lists within lists which made it a little tough to follow at certain points in the narrated version. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook and the narrator's presentation is possibly the best I've encountered so far.

Good Book - Difficult to Follow

This book was exactly what I wanted. It is a good overview of what Budism is and a high level discussion of its core teachings.

I however found it difficult to follow at times due to the repetitive nature of how it is written.

Buddhist Bible

I believe Thich Nhat Hanh is on a par with the Dalai Lama. That nominated Martin Luther King for the Nobel Peace Prize. I have read this at least four times. It's my favorite book on Buddhism. Excellent!

Homeschool education

My son and I used the book for our daily homeschool coarse on spirituality. It was written in simple language that was easy to follow.

One of the best descriptions of nothing

This book reflects the everlasting light that will guide the way to ultimate understanding.

The narrator reads with a clear and pleasant voice. He is able to adapt his pitch so to make the content come alive.

Great book for those seeking transformation!

A must for beginners and even seasoned practitioners will appreciate the wisdom from this much loved and respected author.

Good traditional information on Buddhism

I found this audiobook version of this great book.

This is a great source of information on Buddhist precepts & philosophy. It is delivered in a more traditional type language which can be a little harder to grasp and process so careful and slow listening is recommended. The narrator does a good job, though I would maybe have liked some more variation in his tone.

I would say this is a more "advanced beginner" type book where a lot of information is well explained, in addition, now we start building upon some fundamental concepts. If this is your first experience with Buddism, take your time, do not rush listening as there is a lot here.

Having a PDF version of some of the listings and interactions would be a great addition to this audiobook.

Life changing

I highly recommend this book! This book has the potential to change the way you think about everyday life. As well, the way in which you live that life.

Excellent overview

Very in-depth overview of core Buddhist teachings. If you are looking for a general introduction however I would not necessarily start with this as it is quite dense and specific. For those wishing to learn a bit more however, this is a perfect reference.

Not a religion person

Excellent description of Gautama Buddhas teaching without the religious layers added. Very interesting guide to a new philosophy for me and how it can be learned and practiced in everyday life. This has really helped through this pandemic. The metaphors and short stories really help guide your understanding and draw your focus on the persuit of happiness

life changing

fantastic insight into buddhism. I would listen to chapters more than once for improved understanding.

lovely book and Story

Nice guide to the system of thinking, very sympathetic and achievable for people wanting to engage.

great thanks 😊 very uplifting

very nice, I shared this with many friend's . it's uplifted me in every way
I appreciate it in so many ways