For a Future to Be Possible

by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Five Mindfulness Trainings — to not kill, steal, commit adultery, lie, or take intoxicants — are the basic statement of ethics and morality in Buddhism. In this fully revised edition, Zen master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh argues eloquently for their universal applicability in daily situations. Nhat Hanh discusses in depth the value and meaning of each precept, offering insights into the roles that they could play in our changing society. In a world marked by moral and spiritual emptiness, he says, The Five Mindfulness Trainings offer a path to the restoration of meaning and value. The author calls the trainings a “diet for a mindful society” that transcends sectarian boundaries, and he presents simple yet powerful ways that people can come together around them to explore and sustain a sane, compassionate, and healthy way of living.

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion, Meditation, Self Help

147 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2007

About the author

Thích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.

Reviews

[Wu Shih · Rating 5 out of 5]

Supasaka Sutra e suo commento.
Parla dei cinque impegni di consapevolezza per i laici e le quattro meditazioni.

[Lon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thich Nhat Hanh has updated the 5 Precepts observed by Buddhists (monastic and lay)for 2500 years to reflect modern challenges and complexities. I appreciate the impulse to broaden the scope of the precepts and to address contemporary issues, but I find the new iterations to be more than a little verbose (and this coming from ME!).

* 2500 year old Precept (#1): "I vow not to kill"
* Hanh's version: "Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world."

The value of the book, though, are the guest commentaries on the Buddhist precepts, called now the 5 Mindfulness Trainings. A particular favorite featured an essay by poet Gary Snyder.

[CUONG TRAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Một sự giải thích và nhắc nhở lại cho mình về sự thực tập 5 giới bằng những điều vô cùng thiết thực và bình dị trong đời sống hàng ngày.

Nếu lạc đường phải đi tìm sao Bắc Đẩu. Nhưng điều đó không có nghĩa là cần phải đến được sao Bắc Đẩu. Chỉ là đang cố gắng đi về hướng ấy.

Làm sao để đem những điều này vào cuộc sống hàng ngày là một sự thực tập kiên trì và nhìn nhận lại thường xuyên.

Không mong mình giỏi giang hơn, chỉ mong bớt đi vài phần ngu dốt hẹp hòi.

[Rebekka · Rating 5 out of 5]

a really good overview of the 5 precepts. I'd highly suggest this to anyone curious about Buddhism or for those about to take / thinking about taking the Five Precepts

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The literature of Buddhism both attracts and repels. On one hand, it is concerned with a practical response to the suffering of this life. This is seen in what Thich Nhat Hanh calls the Two Promises:

I vow to develop understanding, in order to live peacefully with people, animals, plants, and minerals.

I vow to develop my compassion, in order to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals.

The bulk of the book is taken up with the Five Mindfulness Trainings, which form the core of Buddhist ethics. These are useful and practical, and should form part of our own understanding as how to act in any given situation.

But then there sets in a certain patness, together with a proliferation of Sanskrit names and traits which, to learn, must be something like counting cards in Las Vegas. To wit:

The second name of the Buddha is Arhat, meaning "one who is worthy of our support and respect." The third is Samyaksambuddha, "one whose knowledge and practice are perfect." The fourth is Vidyacaranasampana, "one who is equipped with knowledge and practice." The fifth is Sugata, "one who is welcome." The sixth is Lokavida, "one who knows the world well." The seventh is Anutta-apurusadamyasarathi, meaning "unsurpassed leader of people to be trained and taught."

And it goes on from there. Now can you please repeat all those, and perhaps add a few more ... but it is not my intention to poke fun at something that basically works, but which can lead one to blubbering like an idiot. Mi vida loca, my Lokavida -- the same understanding, but when the mouth opens, all are wrong.

[Agatha Glowacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book to study the five mindfulness trainings before taking them formally, and found the explanations and descriptions very helpful. The second half includes essays by notable Buddhists and their perspectives on the trainings, and it was fascinating to see how varied and uniquely each person perceives each training. I appreciated how Thay frames these teachings as a "diet for myself and for society" and that a proper diet is crucial for self transformation and for the transformation of society. He also suggests that the way you practice the trainings reveals the depth of your peace and depth of your insight. Your behavior also influences others, and you teach others through your actions and not just with words. In a beautiful way, he also shows how keeping these trainings is impactful beyond just yourself and the current society - he says that you impact your parents, ancestors, and future generations. Highly recommended as a consideration for these troubling times.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why I have such a dislike for Thich Nhat Hanh's writing. I had high hopes for this one, but got too distracted by the specifics to get full appreciation of the underlying generalities... Preserving the life of humans, animals, and plants is tough enough, but... minerals, too? And then as part of the explanation, saying we are all made out of elements found in nature such as rainbows and clouds? Ugh. It did eventually get better. There was one bit about the water and waves, in relation to the Four Dharma Seals that I thought was pretty good. Other than that, though, I found the book to be just as unrelatable and too-wordy as his other books have seemed. I had a tough time appreciating Pema Chodron's books earlier on, too, but have softened to them over the years. Guess it is going to be another few years before I give a book from Thay another try.

[Bonnie Westmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend asked me to read this with her. I may be a Benedictine Oblate, but I practice the 5 mindfulness trainings and as a celibate vegetarian, I feel I practice the teachings of Buddha probably more than any Buddhist I know. I love Thich Nhat Hanh and continue to devour his books. This promotes such a peaceful, calm lifestyle. The book will teach you how to practice mindfulness as you garden, drink tea, and do everything throughout your day with love and attention. The world would be at peace if everyone could adhere to these 5 simple mindfulness steps. The teachings go hand in hand with my Catholic contemplative prayer and 12 step program. A beautiful book teaching a restful, peaceful lifestyle, one I continue to strive for.

[Rosa Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thich Nhat Hanh breaks down the Five Mindfulness Trainings in a digestible way while retaining their nuance. Each chapter focuses on a different training and provides clear examples for practicing and adapting it to daily life. The last chapters marry the Five Mindfulness Trainings with the Three Jewels: Buddha, Darhma, and Sangha. After explaining the precepts of Buddhism, Tháy distinguishes between practices of devotion and transformation, noting that one's consistency in their practice & how they take refuge in the Darhma nurtures their seed of mindfulness. Although not explicitly stated, there are some mantras throughout the book for meditating on awareness and selflessness. Overall, I found this book to be a beautiful and helpful guide for beginner students of Buddhism.

[Kevin Maness · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and the emphasis on the Five Mindfulness Trainings, which form an essential set of core values and practices for living a life of understanding and love. Reading books like this has been important, and I am making small attempts to practice. But I need to redouble those efforts and, more difficult given my situation, seek out and participate in a sangha—irl or online.

I didn't glean a great deal of benefit from the "responses." They weren't bad, but I'm really here for Thich Nhat Hanh.

[One · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read numerous books by Thich Nhat Hanh and this is my least favorite. While some of it was interesting, most of it seemed to be very repetitive and often uninteresting. Also, it's a small book and yet quite a few of the pages are not written by him, including foreword, the afterword, and the frequently asked questions. It was not an easy book to come by, and not one I loved either. He has some much better ones out there!

[Adrian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I vaguely remember reading this book. But from what I remember I was super hyped on it because I love books on Buddhist philosophy. And I was sorely let down. There was a lot of hype and praise for it. But some of my less favorite reads, exceeded the take away from this old book. I recall it being difficult to read in its wording and technical phrases. If your looking for a down to earth perspective on Buddhism. Then this is not the place in my humble opinion.

[Mo Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome introduction to The Five Mindfulness Trainings/Five Precepts of Buddhism. I have only recently become interested in this subject, but found the writings to be easy to comprehend and practical. Furthermore, the idea of engaged buddhism is something I think anyone (even those not interested in spirituality) could get behind.

[Dorum · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the five precepts are basically the only morality you need.

[Trey Nowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Thich Nhat Hanh book that touches the soul and makes you think. This book highlights The Five Mindfulness trainings, stressing the benefits of abstaining from things that can cause us to be reckless, voicing our concerns, controlling anger, respecting life, respecting our bodies, and respecting all of creation from the complex to microorganisms. This book has trainings that no known man, even the Buddha, could follow perfectly. The parallels to Christianity and teachings of Christ are something Hanh often connects in his writings and does here as well. It has a good section after the book ends with questions often asked regarding The Five Mindfulness trainings and on how to ritualize these in practice. This book and author I would recommend to anyone with an open mind looking to improve their life and follow a code that will lead them to a life of higher enlightenment. The Five Mindfulness trainings are very difficult to follow and not easy to dismiss, which makes these for people that are very disciplined.

[Rubina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compact guidebook focusing on the Five Mindfulness Trainings which represent the Buddhist precepts on ethics and morality. As it often is with Buddhist practices, the Five Mindfulness Trainings are not only relevant to Buddhists but for anyone who wants to be calmer and have better insights and enlightenment. It provides a wonderful introduction to Buddhist philosophy and the practice of Mindfulness.

[Jerry Rocteur · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the journey of the Dharma.
You will learn about the five mindfulness trainings in the way only Thich Nhat Hanh can including the personal stories of his experience on his journey!
Parts of the book are verbose and required special attention on my part to read in their entirety but that is up to the reader to follow or not.
And afterward by Jack Kornfield was a nice surprise and the FAQ by Sister Chan Khong was a pleasant read.

[MariMel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this, but not as much as some of his other books. He gave a lot of examples that seemed really negative; it gave me the sense that there is so much suffering, and Buddhism can slightly buffer all this misery. I haven't had that sense from any of his other books, so I prefer some of his others, like Living Buddha, Living Christ.

[Anna Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

friends - read this! activists - read this! artists - read this! parents - read this! Buddhists in other traditions - read this! It's so so so helpful about basic practices that allow one to feel a sense of ethical well-being - it's SO smart. Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings are deceptively simple. That's because he's a really good teacher, and really gets the heart of Buddha's main points.

[Dana Larose]

Hoped this would be a detailed look at the Five Precepts but it was a bit too...mystical for me right now. I liked the presentation in Eight Mindful Steps much better (although I think I picked up For a Future before the former but happened to read EMS first).

At any rate, it was a small book and I always find TNH's writing very relaxing.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this at a thriftstore, as if it was just waiting for me. I always go to Thich Nhat Hanh's books and quotes, and this work will be read over and over for my practice. The cover alone makes me smile - just the girl holding and staring at an orange is very precious. I keep reminding myself that I don't have to 'be' anything in particular. Just pay attention.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a clear and concise explanation of the Five Mindfulness trainings. After working with TNH, it's refreshing to hear what he has to say about the trainings in print, since they correspond clearly to his dharmatalks.

[Dan Robinson]

So far, a very helpful book in terms of understanding ourselves and our mistaken cultural beliefs about relationships.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great short review of the main Buddhist concepts. It is definitely a good book to read over and over again.

[Wagner Nobres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lot of learnings regarding how to build peace in this world. Thich talks about his experiences during Vietnam War.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a practical book on ethics which I wish my ecological-minded friends would read. It will be worth reading again.

[Cecily Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

great

[Pennyjelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life changing.

[Abbas Jaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent introduction to the Five Mindfulness Trainings. And Jack Kornfield provides a great contextualization for non-Buddhists.

[George Bremner · Rating 4 out of 5]

His voice is clearly heard, like a fireside chat with a dharma teacher. Aphoristic style, but the content is clear. He expands the precepts into modern everyday living.