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Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers | 
 enlarge | Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
Publisher: Riverhead Trade
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
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Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 295510
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 4.6 x 0.8
ISBN: 1573228303
Dewey Decimal Number: 294
EAN: 9781573228305
ASIN: 1573228303
Publication Date: October 1, 2000
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Amazon.com Review
Did you know that Jesus meditated? In Living Buddha, Living Christ, Thich Nhat Hanh delivered a powerhouse bestseller about the affinities of Buddhist and Christian ideals. In Going Home, he focuses on fundamental concepts that still drive a wedge between the two religions--such as rebirth vs. eternal life, God vs. nirvana, and so on. After praising the differences between Christianity and Buddhism, Nhat Hanh proceeds to dissolve them in virtuosic style. Not only did Jesus meditate, he says, but God is equivalent to nirvana. This effort to free us from limiting concepts is Nhat Hanh's way of paving a road back to Christianity for Christians who have been attracted to Buddhism but alienated from their original faith. In effect, Nhat Hanh is dressing up Christianity in the garb of philosophical Buddhism, which isn't too far off from what certain progressive Christian thinkers have themselves done in different terms. Mindfulness engenders concentration, concentration leads to understanding, understanding strengthens faith, and faith provides the energy to practice mindfulness. More conventional Christians may balk at this blending of traditions, but for many lost souls, it will be a beacon back to a warm hearth. --Brian Bruya
Product Description
Exiled from Vietnam over thirty years ago, Thich Nhat Hanh has become known as a healer of the heart, a monk who shows us how the everyday world can both enrich and endanger our spiritual lives. In Going Home he shows us the relationship between Buddha and Jesus by presenting a conversation between the two. In this unique way we learn how such concepts as resurrection and mindfulness converge. The brotherhood between Jesus and Buddha can teach us to "practice in such a way that Buddha is born every moment of our daily life, that Jesus Christ is born every moment of our daily life."
"[A] beautiful and inspiring gift to all seeking a more meaningful spirituality."-Library Journal
"His book speaks powerfully about the need for tolerance and love in overcoming differences."-Publishers Weekly
"Explores the connections between Buddhism and Christianity...a valuable addition to the growing literature on these two religious traditions."-Kirkus Reviews
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 dharmalakshana vs madhyamika... interesting! August 11, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
im afraid i have only given this book two stars because i feel it is not in itself representative of a crucial turning point in human life. there are other books on mindfullness.
he's definately brilliantly in touch whith the dharmalakshana approach which emphasises awareness of what 'is', ie forms.
taste the sunshine in the orange, slow down and see, slow down and taste! be aware of what you are doing right now, be mindful.
he mentions in this book the pudgalavada buddhists and their view that there is a 'self', the pudgalavadas (or personalists) at one time he mentions numbered in the tens of thousands in india.
my own experience is that though the i is obvious, if looked for it cant be found in the materialist 5 skhandas. the i is spiritual not material (as are the 5 khandas).that we have an 'i' is also made obvious by its abscence once blown out.
being a christian i follow jesus teaching that what we seek for is what we find... that is, the madhyamika seek emptiness and so find it, whilst the dharmalakshana seek form and so find it. thich understands that both emptiness and form are of equal value and are wihin each other.
my own view is that jesus and buddha would have said that either view is just fine, but not to get stuck on it! reality tends to give people what they want when it comes to philosophical speculation. i find that experience is the best teacher, but every individual has his or her own unique experience of reality. so, who am i to preach!
i do think that this book will give insight into TNH's tradition, but i shouldnt think that many christians will be that impressed by it. this is since it is really a book on the buddhist view of things christian.
jesus did experience a separation from his father on the cross, this is since we (humans) exist as not only a unity, but also as individuals with unique experience and personal relationships.
the ocean of mind is made of the molecules of individual awareness and feeling. the one is after all the many, and the individuals are indeed what makes the ocean, just as cells make the body. each and every one with its own awareness and 'personal' experience. forget about waves, we are water molecules, and at the same time the little one is the big all through interconnection. its easy to theorize about this but difficult to experience the united mind of love. if you love, the definitions of subject (me) and object (you) dissolve. there will be no individual molecule set against an ocean, but all will become one. love is the ultimate dissolver of all boundaries. i say this theoretically, since it is not something i have experienced!
all in all a nice little book, but not one of the greats (classics) and so sadly it does not merit more than two stars. but i do believe that to master mindfullness, which is really what this book is about (lets face it!) would be a wonderful thing to do. so thank you TNH for taking time to give us these thoughts.
i love u.
snow-flake xxx
 The Essence of Divine March 17, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Siddartha Gautana, a crown prince of ancient Nepal, conquered Mara (illusion) and became Buddha (enlightened one) after meditating under the Bodhi tree for 40 days.
Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter, fasted and prayed in the desert for 40 days and was tempted by the dark One, after which he became Christ (the annointed one)
Whether you are fervant in your Christianity or immersed in your Buddhism ... the fundmantal intention of any legitimate world religion ... is to evolve the soul and character of a person.
This is a dialogue that forges forward a holistic view of comparative religion. Jesus taught forgiveness and compassion. Buddha taught detachment and compassion. Many of their lessons were not written down until centuries after they were gone from Earth. By their fruits you shall know them .... for while many cults have vanished upon the death of a founder ... both Christianity and Buddhism flourished even more as time unfolded. Despite an oral tradition these two world religions became dominant in the world.
There is much mystery still on the origins of religon. However, Buddha and Christ would probably get along if they were in a room together. So why shouldn't their followers. True faith is love and healthy fear born of respect not fear born of ignorance.
Thich Nhat Hanh has a wonder here.
 Parallels August 24, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Like many other readers of this book, I have been exploring the parallels between Christianity and Buddhism for many years. While many in Western Culture immediately shun this idea, the parallels between the two faiths exist. Thomas Merton's work in this area opened many doors of dialogue in Western Culture on this front. In more recent times, Thich Nhat Hanh has offered to continue the exploration.
Much to my disappointment, I found this book to be slanted to the audience that is already Buddhist and struggling with reconciling an affiliation toward Christianity. Viewing the book from an opposite perspective made me feel somewhat isolated. The book is essentially a series of discussions led by Thich Nhat Hanh in which Christianity and the life of Jesus is placed in a Buddhist perspective. Heavily laced with discussion of Dharma, the dialogue frequently loses sight of Christianity or gives an explanation is much too simplistic.
Parts of the book are really worth reading. However, the flaws I found in the book may create a feeling of isolation with some readers. Yet the flaws I find in this books may allow this book to be of greater use to other readers. As an alternative, I would suggest "The Good Heart" written by the Dalai Lama.
 Dissapointed January 28, 2005
9 out of 19 found this review helpful
I was raised Christian, but very recently have been actively pracicing Buddhism. Although I have rejected many of the belifs from Christian church, I am still trying to reconcile my Christian upbringing with Buddhism. I read Living Buddha, Living Christ a while ago and although the message was simplistic, I enjoyed the book. I was expecting further discussion of Christianity and Buddhism in Going Home, but was dissapointed that it was a disjointed series of dharma talks with the difficult to understand, circular language that many Buddhism books contain and little real content on Christianity and Buddhism.
Just what I needed! January 4, 2004
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
The celebrated Vietnamese Buddhist monk writes (speaks) to all those who feel it necessary to abandon the Christianity of their childhood. Hanh explains the similarities between Jesus/Buddha and Christianity/Buddhism, hoping to convince Westerners that it is possible to bring the two traditions together in one's life.
This book is recommended for any spiritualist, but mostly for the Buddhist struggling with his/her innate sense of Christianity, or for the Christian who wishes to incorporate Buddhism into his/her life.
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