Books by Cuong Lu

You are the calm of the ocean, not the pounding wave. The tumultuous, confusing, and unbearable feelings that arise in life will never overtake your true essence and the peace you can find below the surface.

Written as a love letter to those in pain, Wait encourages us to seek out a path to peace and freedom from suffering. Cuong Lu, a long-time disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh, personally witnessed a shooting while fleeing Vietnam in 1975. The memory of this trauma prompted him to dedicate his life to sharing the wisdom of deep listening, finding understanding, and in his words, “defusing the bombs in our hearts.” We have waited long enough for the violence to stop. Now is the time to help turn the tide, interrupt the cycle of violence, and create a world where love and understanding thrive.

Praise

“Wise words to touch your heart, change your mind, and affect your actions—a path to view and experience life differently.”—Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer of Google [X], author of Solve for Happy

“Truly a book for our times. A poetic invitation to clarity and heartful living. Cuong Lu issues this call as someone who’s known the depths of trouble and pain and discovered relief and richness on the path. This voice is a much-needed balm in the heat of a divisive world.”—Ralph De La Rosa, LCSW, author of Don’t Tell Me to Relax and The Monkey Is the Messenger

“With simple, poetic, and honest prose, Cuong Lu offers indelible wisdom for a life well-lived. We learn about the power of the human experience, in all its sorrows and all its joys, through heartfelt stories and beautifully crafted language. A must-read for anyone wanting to cultivate genuine peace in the heart.”—Devon Hase, author of How Not to Be a Hot Mess.

Stop chasing happiness and reconnect to the meaning of each moment with this poignant guide, told through vignettes of life growing up as a Buddhist monk under the spiritual leader Thich Nhat Han.

We spend so much time in pursuit of happiness—trying to purchase it, experience it, meditate our way toward it—but happiness is elusive and doesn’t last. According to the teachings of the Buddha, this is not a problem! As Cuong Lu writes, “suffering is not a problem to be solved. It is a truth to be recognized.” Happiness Is Overrated invites us to look deeply at the truths in our lives—not glossing over or denying our suffering—and focus on the meaning and value already within us.  

Each chapter shares a lesson drawn from Buddhist psychology and the Four Noble Truths, which are accessible to all readers. Short practices at the end of each of the 30 short chapters help readers apply the teachings in their own.

Happiness Is Overrated helps readers get in touch with their true selves and their true minds, through meditation and mindfulness practices that include paying attention to the breath, considering our minds, connecting with our hearts, interconnectedness with others, and more.

In The Buddha in Jail, Cuong Lu demonstrates how to be in a helping relationship without getting caught in roles. As a prison chaplain, he did not attach to the idea of being a helper, or even of ‘helping.’ He sat quietly, deeply present with each inmate, and saw each of them as a soul, not just their personality or their troubled past. By dwelling in love with each person, accepting them without judgment, one by one they transformed, and their recidivism was close to zero. I congratulate Cuong Lu for the depth of his prison ministry and this beautiful book.” —Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now and Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying

“Read these stories carefully, a few at a time, and apply them to our encounters with those who have acted badly, those we don’t particularly like, and ourselves, for all these dialogues are taking place within each of us all the time.” —Roshi Joan Halifax

“To free ourselves, we have to unlock the doors from within. Chaplains like Cuong Lu play an essential role in freeing those in prison from their inner demons, offering guidance, support, and loving kindness, teaching stillness and self-reflection, learning to connect with their fierce and loving hearts. I highly recommend The Buddha in Jail, a good read and a great resource for understanding prisoners and for finding the keys to the prisons in our own minds.”—Spring Washam, author of A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage, and Wisdom in Any Moment