Thich Nhat Hanh's translation and commentary for a Buddhist text that has been long considered one of the three key books for monastic meditation practitioners

For monks, nuns, or laypeople, this text from the days of early Buddhism in China calls on us to wake up and live an authentic life dedicated to spiritual ideals. The Admonitions and Encouraging Words of Master Guishan is offered to new monks and nuns at the time of their ordination together with books on monastic codes of conduct, and it remains a companion and guide throughout their career. The importance of Master Guishan's Classical Chinese text cannot be underestimated. Although it is addressed to monks, it is suitable for anyone who seeks to awaken and live with clarity and intention. Thich Nhat Hanh gives a timely commentary based on his lived experience of guiding several generations of monastic and lay students on their path of practice. The text and commentary have been translated from Vietnamese into English by Bhikshuni True Virtue (Sister Annabel Laity), Thich Nhat Hanh's first Western monastic disciple.

The Admonitions and Encouraging Words of Master Guishan, Thich Nhat Hanh, Palm Leaves Press, Paperback, 160 pages, $17.95

Thich Nhat Hanh was a world-renowned spiritual teacher and peace activist. Born in Vietnam in 1926, he became a Zen Buddhist monk at the age of sixteen. Over seven decades of teaching, he published more than 100 books, which have sold more than four million copies in the United States alone. Exiled from Vietnam in 1966 for promoting peace, his teachings on Buddhism as a path to social and political transformation are responsible for bringing the mindfulness movement to Western culture. He established the international Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism in France, now the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe and the heart of a growing community of mindfulness practice centers around the world. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 95 at his root temple, Tu Hieu, in Hue, Vietnam.

CONTENTS: The Admonitions and Encouraging Words of Master Guishan
	Preface by Sr. Chan Duc	v
	Introduction
FULL TEXT OF MASTER GUISHAN IN ENGLISH
	Admonitions and Encouraging Words of Master Guishan	3
COMMENTARY
1.	Awareness of Impermanence	21
2.	Avoid the Habit of Indulgence	31
3.	The Precepts are the Basis	47
4.	Nourishing the Beginner's Mind	57
5.	Practice Before It's Too Late	77
6.	Strive Diligently	83
7.	Closeness to Good Spiritual Friends	101
8.	Earnestly Put Your Heart Into the Practice	115
9.	Diligence in Renunciation According to the Precepts	139
10.	Nourishing Your Great Aspiration	145
11.	Being Sovereign of Oneself	151
12.	Always Going Together	155
	Preserving the Monastery Setting	173
	Appendix: Full Text of Master Guishan in Chinese	181
	Index	187