One Buddha is Not Enough

A Story of Collective Awakening

Look inside
How do we learn to believe in ourselves and not just rely on our spiritual teachers? This question often directly posed to Thich Nhat Hanh as "Who will be your successor?" was answered in August of 2009 when over a thousand people came to Colorado to spend a week with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh only to find he was in the hospital and wouldn’t be able to lead the retreat. The result of this event is One Buddha Is Not Enough, a book on how to become your own teacher and create your own community where you might least expect it.

One Buddha Is Not Enough offers fresh and original insight from emerging Buddhist teachers on topics such as how to handle grief, strengthen our relationships, deal with anger and other strong emotions, and find happiness in the present moment. Through letters, stories, poems, calligraphies, and photographs, Thich Nhat Hanh shares his unique insights on illness, health, and different healing modalities.

Far-reaching in its implication and tremendously encouraging, One Buddha Is Not Enough is a true expression of American Buddhism: We all already contain all the insight and wisdom we need. We are surrounded by the people who can help us on our journey. Sometimes all it takes is a wake up call to remind us of what we are capable of.
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.

About

How do we learn to believe in ourselves and not just rely on our spiritual teachers? This question often directly posed to Thich Nhat Hanh as "Who will be your successor?" was answered in August of 2009 when over a thousand people came to Colorado to spend a week with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh only to find he was in the hospital and wouldn’t be able to lead the retreat. The result of this event is One Buddha Is Not Enough, a book on how to become your own teacher and create your own community where you might least expect it.

One Buddha Is Not Enough offers fresh and original insight from emerging Buddhist teachers on topics such as how to handle grief, strengthen our relationships, deal with anger and other strong emotions, and find happiness in the present moment. Through letters, stories, poems, calligraphies, and photographs, Thich Nhat Hanh shares his unique insights on illness, health, and different healing modalities.

Far-reaching in its implication and tremendously encouraging, One Buddha Is Not Enough is a true expression of American Buddhism: We all already contain all the insight and wisdom we need. We are surrounded by the people who can help us on our journey. Sometimes all it takes is a wake up call to remind us of what we are capable of.

Author

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.