Our Appointment with Life (Updated): Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone
✍️ Hanh, Thich NhatCurrently unavailable
This book is sold out right now. Leave your email — we'll let you know if it comes back, and you'll get 10% off any book today.
In stock now — readers of this book also loved:
This insightful volume presents Thich Nhat Hanh's accessible interpretation of the ancient "Sutra on Knowing the Better Way To Live Alone." Far from advocating isolation, Hanh illuminates how true solitude lies in cultivating profound mindfulness. He guides readers to release the grip of bygone days and future anxieties, urging a deep immersion in the immediate now. By embracing this present-moment awareness, one truly engages with existence, unlocking intrinsic peace, boundless joy, and lasting contentment. It's an invitation to fully encounter life as it unfolds.
Praise for this book
“In this slight but sagacious book, [Thich Nhat Hanh] gives his reading of the Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone, the earliest teaching of the Buddha. According to Thich Nhat Hanh, to live alone does not mean to be lonely or to live apart from others. It means to live in the present moment, deeply witnessing what is going on around us and within us.”
📝 Description: Our Appointment with Life (Updated): Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
This book offers a gentle, profound guide for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the rush of modern life or trapped in anxiety about the future. It is ideal for seekers who desire practical tools to cultivate inner peace without abandoning their daily responsibilities. Readers will find solace in learning how to transform solitude from loneliness into a rich, mindful presence. By releasing attachment to past regrets and future fears, one discovers that true engagement with existence brings boundless joy. It serves as a warm invitation to slow down, breathe, and meet life exactly as it unfolds, making it essential for those craving stability amidst chaos.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Thich Nhat Hanh delivers a beautifully accessible interpretation of the ancient sutra, emphasizing mindfulness over isolation. The text is clear, compassionate, and deeply practical, offering immediate relief to the anxious mind. However, readers seeking rigorous academic analysis of Buddhist philosophy or complex theological debates may find this approach overly simplistic. It is not suited for those who prefer intellectual abstraction or who view spirituality as strictly ritualistic rather than experiential. While the message of present-moment awareness is universally valuable, the tone remains consistently gentle, which might feel repetitive to readers preferring more dynamic or challenging spiritual narratives.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you yearn for deeper peace amidst life's chaos, or seek to anchor yourself firmly in the present, this book is for you. It offers a gentle yet profound path for anyone exploring mindfulness, Buddhist philosophy, or simply a more intentional way of experiencing each moment.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Embracing the Present Moment
Hanh unpacks the profound practice of mindfulness, not as a fleeting exercise, but as a continuous state of being. He demonstrates how deeply observing the current experience, free from past regrets or future worries, is the pathway to genuine living and inner tranquility.
True Solitude, Inner Peace
The book reinterprets "living alone" as an internal state of self-awareness rather than physical isolation. It's about cultivating a mindful connection with oneself and the world, independent of external distractions, leading to a profound sense of peace and self-sufficiency.
Releasing Past and Future
A central tenet explored is the liberation found in detaching from yesterday's burdens and tomorrow's uncertainties. Hanh shows how this act of release allows one to fully inhabit the "here and now," opening the door to authentic happiness and a richer engagement with life.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Sutra
- Mindfulness
- Zen Buddhism
📔 Questions to reflect on
- In what specific ways do you find yourself dwelling on the past or anticipating the future, and how might releasing these tendencies impact your daily experience?
- How would you redefine "living alone" in your own life, moving beyond physical isolation to a state of mindful presence?
- What appointment with life are you currently missing by not fully inhabiting the present moment, and what small step can you take to reclaim it?
📖 Read on the blog
✍️ More books by this author Hanh, Thich Nhat
All books by this author →
🏛 Books from this publisher Parallax Press
All books from this publisher →
You might also like
See more →
Have a question about this item?
Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.
