Brief Description

This is a translation and commentary by Thich Nhat Hanh on the Sutra on Knowing the Better Way To Live Alone, the earliest teaching of the Buddha on living fully in the present moment.

"Highly recommended because it offers the reader profoundly simple and practical words of ancient and rich Buddhist widsom on the ever-crucial issue of how to be fully alive in the present moment."--Seeds of Peace Magazine

Sample Chapter

The Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone

Translated from the Pali

I heard these words of the Buddha one time when the lord was staying at the monastery in the Jeta Grove, in the town of Sravasti. He called all the monks to him and instructed them, "Bhikkhus!"

And the bhikkhus replied, "We are here."

The Blessed One taught, "I will teach you what is meant by 'knowing the better way to live alone.' I will begin with an outline of the teaching, and then I will give a detailed explanation. Bhikkhus, please listen carefully."

"Blessed One, we are listening."

The Buddha taught:

Do not pursue the past.
Do not lose yourself in the future.
The past no longer is.
The future has not yet come.
Looking deeply at life as it is
in the very here and now,
the practitioner dwells
in stability and freedom.
We must be diligent today.
To wait until tomorrow is too late.
Death comes unexpectedly.
How can we bargain with it?
The sage calls a person who knows
how to dwell in mindfulness
night and day
"one who knows the better way to live alone."