Teachings on Love - Softcover

Buddhist teachings for today. Simplified, modified. A small book that never fails to inspire. --By Majo on 30 July 2014

Once more our beloved Zen master and amazing poet does it again in yet another spiritual masterpiece, guiding us all towards a more meaningful and joyful life. I actually may very well believe that this particular text is the very finest you will ever read on this much debated topic: Love. In Buddhism there is a teaching known as The Four Immeasurable Minds. They are love, compassion, joy, and equanimity. The root and source of love is in all human beings, and it is our responsibility to realize this and cultivate love as the way of our very lives. He starts with beneficial practices here on just how to do that seemingly arduous task; how to listen to others with patience, how to accept and love yourself, and ultimately how in a sense "rewrite your karma." Thich covers issues like anger and jealousy, which of course cause ourselves and countless others innumerable amounts of stress and trouble. As with some of his other works where he advises we create, for instance, our own sutra -Thich likewise develops 4 original mantras in a chapter here intended to develop a loving relationship with all that is through a program of awareness, respect for ourselves and others, nurturing, and perhaps most importantly communication. It's with practice suggestions and the like which Thay provides here that make this work a landmark in his teaching career. Just when you think you've reaped all which Thich Nhat Hanh has to offer you, a book like this comes along to refresh your expert mind back to a baby. After all, a baby's mind is open to most anything, it has nothing to do but learn. And so is our practice. Learning, cultivation, hardship. To sum up, practice is our life. Teachings on Love may be that book you are looking for in times of Great Doubt which reminds you of the potential of your practice, thus renewing your Great Belief. This work is a testament to the wonderful teachings this modern master always seems to deliver. I can't actually recommend this one enough. Enjoy it. --By Swing King

"Teachings on Love" helps water those seeds of love in your heart. Here one of the parts I liked the most: "Look into the eyes of your beloved and ask deeply, "Who are you, my love, who has come to me and taken my suffering as your suffering, my happiness as your happiness, my life and death as your life and death? Who are you whose self has become my self? Why aren't you a dewdrop, a butterfly, a bird, a pine tree? Ask with your whole body and mind. Later, you will have to ask the person who causes you the most suffering the same questions...To understand, you have to become one with your beloved, and also one with your so-called enemy. You have to worry about what they worry about, suffer their suffering, appreciate what they appreciate. You and the object of your love cannot be two. They are as much you as you are yourself...See and listen with the whole of your being. If you are fully present, the rain of the Dharma will water the deepest seeds in your store consciousness, and tomorrow, while you are washing the dishes or looking at the blue sky, that seed will spring forth, and love and understanding will appear as a beautiful flower." Beautiful isn't it? Now I must go, I need to begin my practice... --By Olga Loaiza