Books published by Parallax Press

The secret to happiness is to acknowledge and transform suffering, not to run away from it. In No Mud, No Lotus, Thich Nhat Hanh offers practices and inspiration transforming suffering and finding true joy.Thich Nhat Hanh acknowledges that because suffering can feel so bad, we try to run away from it or cover it up by consuming. We find something to eat or turn on the television. But unless were able to face our suffering, we cant be present and available to life, and happiness will continue to elude us.Nhat Hanh shares how the practices of stopping, mindful breathing, and deep concentration can generate the energy of mindfulness within our daily lives. With that energy, we can embrace pain and calm it down, instantly bringing a measure of freedom and a clearer mind.No Mud, No Lotus introduces ways to be in touch with suffering without being overwhelmed by it. "e;When we know how to suffer,"e; Nhat Hanh says, "e;we suffer much, much less."e; With his signature clarity and sense of joy, Thich Nhat Hanh helps us recognize the wonders inside us and around us that we tend to take for granted and teaches us the art of happiness.

A finalist for the 2001 Nautilus Award, Understanding Our Mind, is Thich Nhat Hanh's profound look at Buddhist psychology with insights into how these ancient teachings apply to the modern world. Based on the fifty verses on the nature of consciousness taken from the great fifth-century Buddhist master Vasubandhu and the teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra, Thich Nhat Hanh focuses on the direct experience of recognizing, embracing, and looking deeply into the nature of our feelings and perceptions. Presenting the basic teachings of Buddhist applied psychology, Understanding Our Mind shows us how our mind is like a field, where every kind of seed is plantedseeds of suffering, anger, happiness, and peace. The quality of our life depends on the quality of the seeds in our mind. If we know how to water seeds of joy and transform seeds of suffering, then understanding, love, and compassion will flower. Vietnamese Zen Master Thuong Chieu said, "e;When we understand how our mind works, the practice becomes easy."e;

Thich Nhat Hanh, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, bell hooks, Bill McKibben, Gary Snyder, Maha Ghosananda, Charles Johnson, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Matthieu Ricard, and many others are featured alongside each other in this foundational trove of Buddhist essays, poems, and teachings.Now a modern classic, True Peace Work is the premier collection of writings on the practice of Engaged Buddhism, a term that Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh coined in the 1960s as part of his peace work in Vietnam that has grown to become a worldwide movement. The topics covered here are especially relevant in today's world: from creating nonviolent social change, to raising climate awareness, to simply learning how to walk (and enjoy it). This is not purely an activist's manual, however. True Peace Work is a spiritual bedrock that is as timeless as it is timely, one that insists on the connection between peace in oneself and peace in the world.Originally published in 1996 as Engaged Buddhist Reader, this revised edition has been expanded for our current time with a new introduction and additional contributors.

For Buddhists seeking perfection, the Sanskrit word "nirvana" is held as the unreachable goal. But in this definitive, direct translation of the Chinese Dharmapada by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, nirvana is not what you think it is."Nirvana is our daily business," Thich Nhat Hanh says. Based on talks given in his home monastery of Plum Village in France at the peak of his long teaching career, The Nirvana Chapter conveys Thich Nhat Hanh's insights on the 36 verses on nirvana in the Chinese Dharmapada. Described there as "the absence of notions that cause suffering," we discover that nirvana can be experienced at any time. Previously unavailable in English, these teachings on the experiential path which can help us touch nirvana are an "instant classic" for Buddhists and meditation practitioners.With his fluency in Classical Chinese and his knowledge of Sanskrit and Pali, Thich Nhat Hanh is the perfect guide to lead the way to a new understanding of nirvana for an international audience. Through his commentary, ranging freely in his vast knowledge of Vietnamese Buddhist history, we gain a master practitioner's view of a tradition of Zen Buddhism that has been, until now, inaccessible to Western students. We also gain insights into the elusive "space outside of space" of nirvana's ultimate dimension.

One of the key tenets of the Zen school of Mahayana Buddhism is that each one of us is already a Buddhaour enlightenment is inherent within us, and the practice of mindfulness is the tool to bring this truth to our full awareness. While it can bring much relief, this simple statement does not preclude the need for practice. We must strive to always be aware of our Buddha nature, rather than waiting until times of emotional upheaval when it is more difficult to practice. Thich Nhat Hanh uses the teachings of ninth century Zen Master Linji to elaborate on this simple truth and to give readers tools that can help awaken them to their true inner nature. Linji's recorded teachings are the most significant we have from the Ch'an school.One of the unique aspects of Linji's teaching, is the need to "e;wake ourselves up,"e; not only by means of sitting meditation and listening to enlightened teachings, but also through unique techniques such as the shout, the stick, and the empty fist. Master Linji emphasized direct experience of our true nature over intellectual explorations of the teachings, and he encouraged his students to not "e;become lost in the knowledge or the concepts of the teaching."e;Powerful, direct, and uncompromising, Thich Nhat Hanh's reflections on the teachings of Master Linji are destined to become classic Buddhist writings.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings (also referred to as "e;Precepts"e;)not to kill, steal, commit adultery, lie, or take intoxicantsare the basic statement of ethics and morality in Buddhism. Zen Master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh argues eloquently for their applicability in our daily lives and on a global scale. Nhat Hanh discusses the value and meaning of each precept, offering insights into the role that it could play in our changing society.Thich Nhat Hanh calls the trainings a "e;diet for a mindful society."e; With this book he offers a Buddhist contribution to the current thinking on how we can come together to define secular, moral guidelines that will allow us to explore and sustain a sane, compassionate, and healthy way of living. The Five Mindfulness Trainings offer a path to restoring meaning and value in our world, whether called virtues, ethics, moral conduct, or precepts they are guidelines for living without bringing harm to others.

Korea's premier poet, the former Buddhist monk Ko Un, presents 108 Zen poems. Ko Un, who is affectionately called "e;the great mountain peak"e; by his friends, is a traveler on the Way. Throughout his eventful life as monk, poet, novelist, political dissident, husband and father, Ko Un has dashed like a galloping horse, always moving and searching.When this volume first appeared in 1997 with the title Beyond Self, Ko Un and the translators were not very happy with it. In addition to now receiving a title which more accurately reflects the the original Korean, the translations have been slightly revised to bring them closer to the originals. Also added were eleven original brush painting by the author.It is a joy to re-introduce Ko Un, a compassionate poet, who said that "e;A poet should cry many days before becoming a poet. A poet must have cried for others when he was three or four years old."e; The poems in this volume offer 108 glimpses of Ko Un. His poems are also 108 ways to look at ourselves.Forewords by Thich Nhat Hanh and Allen Ginsberg. 11 new brush-painting illustrations by the author.

Being Peace is a timeless and eloquent introduction t Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and his most important teachings. First published in 1987 and translated into more than thirty languages, this spiritual classic reveals the connection between our own personal happiness and the state of the world around us. Thich Nhat Hanhs key practices are resented in simple and clear language, offering practical suggestions for how to create a more peaceful world "e;right in the moment we are alive."e; Being Peace is a must-have for those interested in Buddhist practice and a perfect starting point for anyone concerned about how to create peace in themselves and the world.

In Good Citizens, Thich Nhat Hanh lays out the foundation for an international solidarity movement based on a shared sense of compassion, mindful consumption, and right action. Following these principles, he believes, is the path to world peace. The book is based on our increased global interconnectedness and subsequent need for harmonious communication and a shared ethic to make our increasingly globalized world a more peaceful place. The book will be appreciated by people of all faiths and cultural backgrounds.While based on the basic Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path, Thich Nhat Hanh boldly leaves Buddhist terms behind as he offers his contribution to the creation of a truly global and nondenominational blueprint to overcoming deep-seated divisions and a vision of a world in harmony and the preservation of the planet. Key topics include the true root causes of discrimination; the exploration of the various forms of violence; economic, social, and sexual violence. He encourages the reader to practice nonviolence in all daily interactions, elaborates on the practice of generosity, and teaches the art of deep listening and loving speech to help reach a compromise and reestablish communication after misunderstandings have escalated into conflicts.Good Citizens also contains a new wording of the Five Mindfulness Trainings (traditionally called "e;precepts"e;) for lay practitioners, bringing them in line with modern-day needs and realities. In their new form they are concrete and practical guidelines of ethical conduct that can be accepted by all traditions.Good Citizens also includes the complete text of the UN Manifesto 2000, a declaration of transforming violence and creating a culture of peace for the benefit of the children of the world. It was drafted by numerous Peace Nobel Prize recipients and signed by over 100 million people worldwide.Coinciding with a US presidential election year, Good Citizens reaches across all political backgrounds and faith traditions. It shows that dualistic thinkingRepublican/Democrat, Christian/Muslimcreates tension and a false sense of separateness. When we realize that we share a common ethic and moral code, we can create a community that can change the world.

Solid Ground: Buddhist Wisdom for Difficult Times is a lively and topical book that offers guidance on how to respond to the individual crises that inevitably arise in all of our lives as well as to the political, economic, and social challenges society is currently facing. The issue of difficulty in life is at the very essence of Buddhism. The first noble truth could certainly be translated as "e;life is full of difficulties."e; And the remaining noble truths could be seen as Buddhisms analysis of our difficulties and of a path to working with them. Celebrated Buddhist teachers Sylvia Boorstein, Zoketsu Norman Fisher, and Tsoknyi Rinpoche use their diverse wisdom to address the immediate and practical concerns in our lives and to explore the most basic and profound questions of Buddhism: the difficulty of life in general and how we can work with that and ameliorate it.Filled with humor and personal stories, Solid Ground offers specific teachings for concrete situations as well as a way to explore the larger questions of finding equanimity in difficult times.

Drawn from Dharma talks given directly to young people, replete with contemporary illustrations, A Pebble for Your Pocket presents the basic teachings of the Buddha in accessible and modern language. Through vivid metaphors, original allegories, and colorful stories, young people learn about handling anger, living in the present moment, and "e;interbeing"e; --the interconnectedness of all things. Thich Nhat Hanh teaches ways to practice mindfulness in order to cultivate peace and happiness and to awaken the Buddha-nature that exists in all of us.

A rhyming, charming exploration of "flower-watering"-the art of appreciating others-for kids We are all flowers! We all need to be seen and genuinely appreciated to be our best selves, just like flowers need water. This fun and sweet book introduces children to the practice of flower-watering: the-much needed art of recognizing and appreciating good qualities in the people around you, which brightens and lifts everyone's spirits. Also includes a section on watering your own flowers to grow your own self-esteem.

A Buddhist monk's pithy guide to the Buddha's instructions for greatness, The Eight Realizations of Great Beings assures us that anyone, anywhere can walk the path of mindfulness, and embody the powerful insights that make us "great."The Buddha essentially says, "If you would like to be enlightened, take on these eight subjects for meditation and apply their corresponding insights to your daily life. Then you will realize the path for yourself." Brother Phap Hai's lively, down-to-earth explanation of spirituality's original self-help manual makes this an essential read for all seeking to unlock the important things in life.A monk since 1997, Brother Phap Hai has been practicing mindfulness on a daily basis for nearly twenty-five years. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh authorized him to teach in 2003, and since then, he has guided and mentored thousands of students in meditation. Brother Phap Hai calls this book his "Desert Island Sutra" because it distills the essence of the Buddhist path. In his words, it is everything you need in a practical meditation manual, "a very structured exposition of realizing the entirety of the Buddhist path for yourself."