Book excerpt: In Thundering Silence Thich Nhat Hanh presents the early teachings of the Buddha on not becoming so attached to his teachings that we don’t see reality clearly anymore and become stuck in notions and ideologies, however noble they may be. These teachings can liberate us from the prisons of our mental constructions and allow us to enjoy life fully and be a resource for others. Near the end of his life, the Buddha declared, "during forty-five years, I have not said to encourage his disciplines not caught by words or ideas. Thich Nhat Hanh calls this "the roar of a great lion, the thundering silence of a Buddha". The attitude of openness, non-attachment from views, and playfulness offered by the Buddha in this sutra is an important door for us to enter the realm of Mahayana Buddhist thought and practice. In Thich Nhat Hanh's commentaries he makes use of such classic Buddhist allegories, as The Raft is not the Shore, and The Finger Pointing at the Moon and demonstrate the practical applications of these teachings in everyday life. This revised edition contains new material based on Thich Nhat Hanh’s more recent teachings. The new material makes commentaries on the Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Catch a Snake more accessible and broader in scope.