The Novice

The Novice

A remarkable story of love and truth

Summary

A devoted student and diligent worker at the Dharma Cloud Temple monastery, Kinh Tam is not who he appears to be. And yet the novice's true identity cannot be revealed without Kinh paying a terrible price.

To continue on the path to enlightenment, Kinh must suffer false accusations, physical hardship and public humiliation without complaint. With absolute grace, astounding compassion and unwavering resolve, the novice perseveres in the face of every challenge. Ultimately, Kinh Tam's moving fate will transform lives and offer hope for us all.

In these pages, Zen master, poet and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh retells an ancient Vietnamese folk tale, sharing Kinh's story as a teaching and proposing a real way of being in the the world that is utterly relevant now, in the twenty-first century.

Reviews

  • One of our most treasured spiritual teachers tells a story that will touch your heart. So beautiful.
    Marianne Williamson, author of A Return to Love

About the author

Thich Nhat Hanh

Born in Hue, Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh was a Buddhist Zen Master, poet, scholar and human rights activist. In 1967, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King. He founded the Van Hanh Buddhist University in Saigon, the School of Youth and Social Service and the Plum Village Buddhist community and meditation centre in France, where he lived for many years. He was the author of many acclaimed books including Peace is Every Step, Old Path White Clouds and Fear, which have sold millions of copies around the world. In 2018, he returned to Vietnam to live at the Tu Hieu Temple, where he was first ordained when he was sixteen years old. He died on 22nd January 2022, at the age of 95.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more