Walking Beside the Buddha: A Reflective Review of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Old Path White Clouds

Thich Nhat Hanh’s Old Path White Clouds is not merely a biography of the Buddha; it is a quiet pilgrimage through the human heart. In eighty-one chapters, the Vietnamese Zen master weaves a narrative that spans the life of Siddhartha Gautama - from his birth as a prince in Kapilavastu to his final moments beneath the sal trees at Kusinara. Yet, what makes this book extraordinary is not its chronological account, but the calm clarity with which it transforms history into living wisdom. The reader does not simply learn about the Buddha’s life; one walks beside him, feeling the dust of ancient roads and the weight of compassionate understanding.