Amazon.com
What should we think when on the one hand Buddhism tells us that life is suffering and on the other we are told to enjoy life's every moment? Loved around the world for his simple, straightforward explanations of Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh has finally turned his hand to the very core of Buddhism and conundrums such as this. In the traditional way, Thich Nhat Hanh takes up the core teachings one by one--the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Twelve Links of Interdependent Co-Arising--but his approach is as fresh as a soft breeze through a plum orchard. For illustration, he dips into the vast stores of Buddhist literature right alongside contemporary anecdotes, pointing out subtleties that can get glossed over in other popular introductions. He also includes three short but key sutras, essential source teachings from which all Buddhism flows. Studying the basics of Buddhism under Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is like learning basketball from Michael Jordan. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
In
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh introduces us to the core teachings of Buddhism and shows us that the Buddha's teachings are accessible and applicable to our daily lives. With poetry and clarity, Nhat Hanh imparts comforting wisdom about the nature of suffering and its role in creating compassion, love, and joy--all qualities of enlightenment. Covering such significant teachings as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Doors of Liberation, the Three Dharma Seals, and the Seven Factors of Awakening,
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching is a radiant beacon on Buddhist thought for the initiated and uninitiated alike.
Customer Reviews:
HORRIBLE.......2007-10-01
YOUR SERVICE IS HORRIBLE!! I WANTED A ONE DAY SHIPMENT AND IT TOOK 8 DAYS!!! YOU HAVE THE WORSTE SERVICE EVER! I SPENT EXTRA MONEY TO GET IT HERE IN ONE DAY AND YOU CAN'T COME THORUGH ON THAT!
Deep, profound teachings and commentary.......2007-08-31
For those who think Thay's (Thich Nhat Hanh)teachings are too simple, think again. This shows you the depth and amazing understanding this Zen master has of the Buddha's teachings. I love the way in most of Thay's teachings he can make the profound amazingly simple, easy to understand and practice. This book though is almost like a grad course on Buddhist philosophy/thought/teachings. Amazing and inspiring. For the best read about the Buddha's life check out: Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha
Read the Dalai Lama books instead.......2007-08-15
Prior to reading this book, most of my Buddhist teachings had come from reading Dalai Lama teachings.
I decided to read this book for the following reasons:
1) While shopping for Buddhism books to read, I saw that Thich Nhat Hanh wrote many books which occupied a lot of shelf space at the local Barnes and Nobles, and Borders Book stores. I assumed that the amount of shelf space might correlate to popularity, and that popularity might correlate to people's opinions of the worthiness of the teachings.
2) Also, I saw that this book was a required textbook for a course about Buddhism at a prestigious university near where I live.
I rationalized if 1) the author was so popular, and 2) a PHD (expert?) choose this book from all the others that were available, as a required textbook to learn about Buddhism, I can't go wrong, so I decided to find out what I was missing.
After reading this book, I determined that I don't think I was missing anything. In fact, I believe time would have been better spent, and I would have gotten more out of re-reading the Dalai Lama teachings.
Personally, I think the Dalai Lama teachings are the best teachings I've come across to date. I would like to challenge anyone that gave this book a 4 or 5 star rating to compare this book to almost any of the Dalai Lama teachings. In particular, I highly recommend reading the Dalai Lama's "A Flash of Lightning in the Dark of Night - A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life".
Fabulous!.......2007-06-06
I can never say enough good things about the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and this is no exception. This is a wonderful fabulous book that will speak directly to your heart. His teachings and writings are a treasure, whether one is Buddhist or not. One of my all time favorite authors, we are blessed to have his writings.
Very informative and inspiring book........2007-05-13
Thich Nhat Hanh writes with intellect and heart. This book has been inspiring and helpfull to me.
Average customer rating:
- Very compelling!
- Living Buddha, Living Christ
- Worth the read
- Question of Faith
- Multiple roots via Living Buddha, Living Christ
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Living Buddha, Living Christ
Thich Nhat Hanh
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
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ASIN: 1573225681 |
Amazon.com
If you have always assumed that Christianity and Buddhism are as far apart philosophically as their respective founders were geographically, you may be in for a bit of a surprise. In this national bestseller, Zen monk and social activist Thich Nhat Hanh draws parallels between these two traditions that have them walking, hand in hand, down the same path to salvation. In Christianity, he finds mindfulness in the Holy Spirit as an agent of healing. In Buddhism, he finds unqualified love in the form of compassion for all living things. And in both he finds an emphasis on living practice and community spirit.
The thread that binds the book is the same theme that draws many Christians toward Buddhism: mindfulness. Through anecdotes, scripture references, and teachings from both traditions, Nhat Hanh points out that mindfulness is an integral part of all religious practice and teaches us how to cultivate it in our own lives. Nhat Hanh has no desire to downplay the venerable theological and ritual teachings that distinguish Buddhism and Christianity, but he does cause one to consider that beyond the letter of doctrine lies a unity of truth.
Book Description
Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley reads Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh's inspiring masterpiece.
"When you are a truly happy Christian, you are also a Buddhist. And vice versa."
-- Thich Nhat Hanh
Buddha and Christ, perhaps the two most pivotal figures in the history of humankind, each left behind a legacy of teachings and practices that have shaped the lives of billions of people over the course of two millenia. If they were to meet on the road today, what would each think of the other's spiritual views and practices?
The bestselling author of Peace is Every Step, and one of the most beloved Buddhist teachers in the West, Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh has been part of a decades-long dialogue between the two greatest living contemplative traditions, and brings to Christianity an appreciation of its beauty that could be conveyed only by an outsider. In a lucid, meditative prose, he explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions meet, and reawakens our understanding of both. "On the altar in my hermitage," he says, "are images of Buddha and Jesus, and I touch both of them as my spiritual ancestors."
Customer Reviews:
Very compelling!.......2007-04-25
Thich Nhat Hanh writes an interesting and compelling comparitive analysis between Christ and the Buddah. While interjecting his own opinions regarding both faiths (which naturally skews toward his own professed beliefs), Hanh draws upon many the Sutras of the Buddah and the parables of Christ. He shows many similarities between Christ's teachings and those of the Buddah, focusing primarily on those things peaceful.
Hanh, a Vietnamese born and ordained Buddhist monk, allows for followers of these two world-wide religions the ability to live in harmony with all sentient beings, as well as with the mother Earth herself.
The author also takes time to explore the Holy Trinity, offering his own understanding into a very complex Christian belief, then draws upon that understanding to show similarities between the religions.
It is very important for Christians to know that Hanh goes to great lengths to tell the reader to stick with his/her own religion; he does not attempt to sway anyone to his personal belief system. He simply seeks harmony and peace in an ever more violent world.
Well worth the money, and the read is very short.
Living Buddha, Living Christ.......2007-01-10
As a person of both traditions, this is the book I usually recommend to friends who would like to have a quick comparison between the two world religions. Although "orthodox" Christians may find problems theologically with some of Thay's (what the author is called in Vietnamese-meaning "teacher")sayings. Overrall though, I think it contributes greatly to mutual understandings and thus foster peace.
Worth the read.......2006-10-06
Let me start this by saying that when I first read this book, I had just started delving into the subject of "other religions". So, if you are in that position, wanting to see what other belief systems have to say, READ THIS BOOK. He discusses how Christianity and Buddhism are related in their beliefs. Truth is truth no matter who says it. Being able to see how Christian truth is similar to, or the same as, Buddhist truth was very enlightening. Before reading this, Buddhism was a foreign object to me. After reading this, Buddhism was still foreign but it made me want to read more about Buddhism to become more familiar with it.
Question of Faith.......2006-06-19
Thich Nhat Hanh brings together the Buddha and Christ showing the difference and simularity of both ways of living. Christians should not fear the eastern philosophy and the reverse is also true. You can incorporate both into your daily existance as there are no real clashes between the two. Buddha is just an enlightened person, not a son of god. Jesus will always be the teacher of the christian faith and the son of god. Thich Nhat Hanh points out the fact that the Buddah is not a god. People follow a way of attaing peace with Buddha and also follow a way to attain salvation throught Christ. There is room in the world for both teachings to coexsist together not one trampling over the other. I find his books relaxing, and easy to read and understand. In practice of Mindfulness you receive instruction on quieting your mind making full awareness possible to receive teachings from Christ in the present moment and a new understanding. I enjoyed this book and its meaning to me about the misconceptions most Christions have about other ways to explore life.
Multiple roots via Living Buddha, Living Christ.......2006-03-12
Am drawn to this book from an Q&A proceeding involving the author and the extract of the proceedings which you may find of value too:
"I would like to tell you a story. Thirty five years ago I had a student who fell in love with a young man who was Catholic, and the family of that young man required that the young lady abandon the practice of Buddhism in order to be baptized as a Catholic. That was the basic condition for the marriage, and she suffered very much. Her family was also opposed to that. She cried and cried, and one day she came to me. I said that Buddhism is not there to make you unhappy. Buddhism is not an obstacle, so I think in the name of the Buddha I can tell you that you can become a Catholic and marry him, but I would like to make a recommendation. You have received The Five Mindfulness Trainings; you should continue to look on them as the guidelines of your life. You don't have to be called a Buddhist; you only have to be a true Buddhist within yourself. Live accordingly and practice the Five Mindfulness Trainings, and that would make me happy enough. She was so joyful that she was allowed to marry the person she loved. But she did not sleep during that night, and the next morning she came very early, and she said, "Thay, a tradition that is so embracing, so tolerant, so open, if I abandon it and turn my back to it, I am not a person of value. A tradition that is so strict, that has no tolerance, that is not able to understand, how could I formally identify myself with it?" So she just refused to get married to that person. I thought that I would help her get married to that young man, but I caused the opposite to happen. Today, thirty five years later, she is here somewhere in this Sangha.
When I was in Korea a few years ago, I participated in the first dialogue between Buddhists and Christians, and I said that many young people have suffered due to being caught in that kind of situation. So I proposed that we should be able to allow Buddhists and Christians to marry each other, with the condition that the young man would learn and also practice the tradition of the young woman, and the young woman would also learn and practice the tradition of the young man. Instead of having one root, you have two roots. Why not? If you love mangoes, you are free to continue to eat mangoes, but no one forbids you to eat pineapples or oranges. Your favorite fruit is the mango, yes, but you don't betray your mango when you eat pineapple. I think it's too narrow-minded, even stupid, to enjoy only mango, when there are so many different fruits around in the world. Spiritual traditions are like spiritual fruits, and you have the right to enjoy them. It is possible to enjoy two traditions, to take the best of two traditions and live with that. If you like to eat Italian food, you can still enjoy French and Chinese cooking. You cannot say, "I have to be faithful to my Italian cooking", that's too funny."
Source: http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/dailylife/thayq-a.html
Book Description
In this practical, playful, yet spiritual guide, Charlotte Kasl, author of the highly successful Finding Joy: 101 Ways to Free Your Spirit and Dance with Life, shows you what it would be like to have the ancient wisdom of the Buddha to guide you through the dating process.
Kasl brings a compassionate understanding to the anxiety and uneasiness of new love, and helps readers discover their potential for vibrant human connection based on awareness, kindness, and honesty. She approaches the dating process as a means for awakening, reminding us that when we live by spiritual rules, we bring curiosity and a light heart to the romantic journey.
Filled with quotations from Zen, Sufi, and other wisdom traditions, and informed by the experiences of people from all walks of life, here is a relationship book that will appeal to readers looking for more than a Venus-meets-Mars solution to the complex affairs of the heart.
Download Description
"In this practical, playful, yet spiritual guide, Charlotte Kasl, author of the highly successful Finding Joy: 101 Ways to Free Your Spirit and Dance with Life, shows you what it would be like to have the ancient wisdom of the Buddha to guide you through the dating process. Kasl brings a compassionate understanding to the anxiety and uneasiness of new love, and helps readers discover their potential for vibrant human connection based on awareness, kindness, and honesty. She approaches the dating process as a means for awakening, reminding us that when we live by spiritual rules, we bring curiosity and a light heart to the romantic journey. Filled with quotations from Zen, Sufi, and other wisdom traditions, and informed by the experiences of people from all walks of life, here is a relationship book that will appeal to readers looking for more than a Venus-meets-Mars solution to the complex affairs of the heart. "
Customer Reviews:
disappointing.......2007-10-02
Rather than a clear buddhist take on relationships, this book is a melange of pop psychology, superficial ideas of buddhism, and other spiritual approaches (sufism, quakerism). The author is of course entitled to her personal path, but it seems a misrepresentation to use the buddha's name to sell her own brand of advice.
EMPOWERING, and if you're a grrl, read "Women, Sex, and Addiction".......2007-05-10
Kasl's books are amazing, IF YOU ARE ON A SPIRITUAL TIP. Ladies, her earlier book, "Women, Sex, and Addiction" is the most eye-opening book I've ever read in my life. That is more of a "medical therapist" book than this one, but an amazing read that changed the way I view all relationships. I truly feel that this is the perfect book to read AFTER reading "Women, Sex, and Addiction" by Kasl. She is truly a godsend.
A great guide........2006-11-10
This little book is big on good advice. The author explores many different spiritual paths to express her points, but suceeds in making the book very non-denominational. A great choice for anyone who is looking to go a little deeper in their search for a potential mate.
Excellent book.......2006-08-28
This is a great book for someone interested in developing an "intimate partnership". Seeing the truth is difficult in close relationships, as we often deny the things we see in the name of "love". Dr. Kasl encourages us to seek the truth in our relationships, and in that way they continue to mature (or fade away naturally with as little pain as possible).
I hope to practice dating like the Buddha myself someday!
If the Buddha Dated.......2006-08-23
Excellent book about becoming ready to give and receive love. Do not have to be buddhist
Book Description
A vivid, funny, and viscerally powerful memoir about childhood, assimilation, food, and growing up in the 1980s
As a Vietnamese girl coming of age in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bich Nguyen is filled with a rapacious hunger for American identity. In the pre-PC era Midwest, where the devoutly Christian blond-haired, blue-eyed Jennifers and Tiffanys reign supreme, Nguyen's barely conscious desire to belong transmutes into a passion for American food. More exotic seeming than her Buddhist grandmother's traditional specialties—spring rolls, delicate pancakes stuffed with meats, fried shrimp cakes—the campy, preservative-filled “delicacies” of mainstream America capture her imagination. And in this remarkable book, the glossy branded allure of such American foods as Pringles, Kit Kats, and Toll House cookies become an ingenious metaphor for her struggle to fit in, to become a “real” American.
Beginning with Nguyen's family's harrowing migration from Saigon in 1975, Stealing Buddha's Dinner is nostalgic and candid, deeply satisfying and minutely observed, and stands as a unique vision of the immigrant experience and a lyrical ode to how identity is often shaped by the things we long for.
Customer Reviews:
candid memoir of 70-80's American food in the midwest.......2007-09-11
"Stealing Buddha's Dinner" is as much Ms. Nguyen's story as it is mine. Ms. Nguyen reflects back on her childhood memories of TV commericials of Kool Aid, Carnation Instant Breakfast, and Hamburger Helper; her Dutch neighborhood of pork chops and shepard's pie; her grandmother's canh chua and bo xao voi hanh; and as if that wasn't enough, her stepmother Rosa's sopas. Throughout it all, Ms. Nguyen tries to find her identity in all these clashing cultures, desperately wanting to fit in, only to find solace in solitude, TV, and books. But perhaps the greatest mystery is what happened to her real mother.
It's truly a touching story of what it means to be an American with Asian eyes and black hair.
Is it more a problem of poverty or lack of substance?.......2007-08-29
This book is non-commital yet oddly angry and unsympathetic toward the narrator's kin: an ill-fitting immigrant step-mother, her ill-suited marraige and their whole patchwork family hold much potential for warmth and growth...but achieve none. Through the book I hoped for some grace, beauty or forgiveness - that the young narrator might find a connection to her family, her community or her nation(s).
At times there are glimpes of a connection, but in the end all of her self-pitiful assessments remain: her sisters were mean, father was distant, step-mother was an overly ambitious, class-confused control freak.
I'd hoped to learn that these fabulous, interesting people- her father, sisters, step-mother, and so-called friends (nothing more to her than ineffective stepping-stones to social success) actually had valid motives and had made valiant efforts, but in the end it was simple: they had not understood her and she had not understood them.
Most importantly, I learned that through her young life she'd been miserable. She'd wanted a lot of foods and other things she couldn't have, which was startlingly familiar to me because I was a kid at this time and I was poor too! I wanted all of those fabulous things like potato chips and soda-pop and barbie dolls, and I didn't get any of it either.
So perhaps this book is most eloquent as a story about growing up poor in America. Perhaps the difference between being a second generation immigrant and a fourth generation immigrant isn't so great as the difference between being poor and not being poor.
Or perhaps I read too much into this book, which may in fact just be about an angry girl who didn't know or get what she wanted.
If you're looking for an introduction into this time period and into an overlooked American population, or if you want an overview/example of the history and experience of Vietnamese/American refugee/immigrants, this is a good start...very simple and skimming the surface.
But for some really excellent and available Vietnamese literature, try "Novel without a Name" or "Paradise of the Blind" and for the Vietnamese-American experience, consider Le Ly Hayslip's "When Heaven & Earth Changed Places", for starters...for those who want to start with a little depth.
Awesome Book.......2007-08-23
This is an excellent book about growing up as a first generation american. I really identified witht the authors story. I also really enjoyed her style and all the awesome discriptions of food. Every time I finished a chapter, I wanted to get some pringles or a hostess cupcake. However, the thing I liked the most was that after reading this book, I realized that I was not alone. As a child I always felt different, but now that I am college I have learned to embrace who I am because being different is ok. Buy this book! Its great!
Great book!.......2007-07-05
I thought this book was excellent! Bich's memories of food, books and life in the 80s brought a ton of my own memories back to me. I may go back and read the Little House series again! :-) Very well written and compelling. I immediately passed it on to my mom who enjoyed it as well.
a fun, educational and interesting read.......2007-06-09
Growing up in Wisconsin I remember very well when many Vietnamese came to live in and around our city. Bich Ninh Nguyen brings her experience to life from the immigrants perspective and I felt as if I was there with her all along the way. This is an excellently writen book.
Book Description
With a unique combination of ancient and contemporary wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition,
The Diamond Cutter presents readers with empowering strategies for success in their work and personal lives.
Geshe Michael Roach, one of the great teachers today of Tibetan Buddhism, has richly woven
The Diamond Cutter in three layers. The first is a translation of selections from the Diamond Sutra itself, an ancient text comprised of conversations between the Buddha and his close disciple Subhuti. Considered a central work by Buddhists throughout the world, the Diamond Sutra has been the focus of much interpretation over the centuries. In the second layer, Geshe Michael quotes from some of the best commentaries of the Tibetan tradition. In the main text, the third layer, he uses both sutra and commentary as a jumping-off point for presenting his own teaching.
Geshe Michael gives fresh insight into ancient wisdom by using examples from his own experience as one of the founders of the Andin International Diamond Corporation, which was started with capital of fifty thousand dollars and which today has annual sales in excess of one hundred million dollars. Much of the success of Andin has come from applying the business strategies presented in
The Diamond Cutter. Geshe Michael's easy style and spiritual understanding make this work of timeless wisdom an invaluable source for those already familiar with, and those unfamiliar with, Tibetan Buddhism.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
An awesome book.......2007-04-06
Its a very good book, give me lots of inspiration towards my work and my life, sometimes we get confused with our life, but this book leads you to find another way to see our life. such an awesome book.
a bit scary.......2007-03-27
This is a guidebook to achieving 'success" in the business world through application of perception practices developed by Tibetans. The book is based on sound Buddhist methodology, written by a highly competent and experienced person (geshe, no less).
One potential concern is that some of the suggestions and ideas Roach writes about are about becoming a clever manipulator. Becoming skilled in these practices gives one an edge over fellow humans. Roach himself is controversial, has broken his monk vows, was excommunicated from his order, renounced by his teacher Geshe Thubten Rinchen, and is no loner welcome in Dharamsala. One view of his current situation might be that Roach is pioneering a new, revolutionary Vajrayana path; other views are not so charitable.
This work opens the question of compatibility of vajrayana and business practices. I can understand that Roach is selling the idea that business canbe a 'chop wood-carry water' activity, no different from practice as, say, meditation. Yet, i know of no zen monks or Tibetan masters who actually subscribe to or embody this idea. Modern business is based on profit and ego. Perhaps tantrikas rightfully scorn the traditionalists. Yet the guy who comes to mind is no other than the ultimate scam master, Rajneesh himself. Dangerous territory.
The Path to the Dark Side.......2007-03-23
Wow, what a troubling book, wherein the principles of Social Darwinism are twisted with Buddhist philosophy. According to the author, not only does one attain wealth and success by being the smartest, strongest or "fittest"--but by being the most spiritual as well! If only that were true...unfortunately, my life experience in the world of film and business has led me to observe the exact opposite. Let's take this quote from the "Diamond Cutter":
"The greatest business people have a deep inner capacity - they hunger, as we all do, but perhaps more strongly - for a true spiritual life. They have seen more of the world than most of us; they know what it can give them, and what it cannot. They demand a logic in spiritual things; they demand that the method and the results be clear, as clear as the terms in any business deal. Often they have dropped out from an active spiritual life - not because they are greedy or lazy, but simply because no path has measured up to their demands. The Diamond Cutter was literally made for these people - talented, tough and savvy... The wisdom of The Diamond Cutter says that the very people who are attracted to business are exactly the ones who have the inner strength to grasp and carry out the deeper practices of the spirit."
By this rationale, Donald Trump should be one of the most profoundly spiritual human beings on the planet. And the impovershed Buddhist masters of old should be spiritually bankrupt. I am wondering how the author of "The Diamond Cutter" would reconcile his philosophy against the teachings of past Buddhist Masters, such as the following by Ehei Dogen:
"To study the Way, first of all, you learn poverty. After having learned poverty and becoming poor, you will be intimate with the Way. From the time of Shakyamuni, up to the present day, I have never seen or heard of a true student of the Way who possessed great wealth." --Shobogenzo-zuimonki
Or the following from 20th century zen master Kodo Sawaki:
"It's clear what you like: having sex, wining and dining, and making yourself a career without having to make an effort. Running after what you like and running away from what you don't like is what is meant by 'wandering around in the impermanent world'. Even a rat begins to run if you give him an electric shock."
Perhaps that doesn't quite gel with our modern consumerist, "success" oriented culture...and as such, "The Diamond Cutter" may sell more copies by offering needy folks a quick route to fame and fortune. Sad to say, "The Diamond Cutter" is the path to the Dark Side, and directly conflicts with the very foundations of Buddhism. Run a thousand miles from this stuff...
Hidden Potential - Am I willing to see more?.......2007-01-17
I found myself inspired as Roach spoke about hidden potential.
* There is hidden potential in every thing and like a diamond which "is perfectly clear, almost invisible and the hidden potential of every thing around us is just as hard to see... - and the hidden potential in things is their pure and absolute truth"
* There are two ways we "see" potential. One way is by sitting and thinking hard about it until you understand the explanation and it's potential and can use it. The second way is to go into a deep state of meditation and "see" the potential in your mind's eye. You may end up searching your mind for something to compare it. A point that really hit me is that our impression of every thing is simply our perception based upon our experience.
* How we perceive is a mirror of our self. When working with people on leadership or management- I often do an exercise where I ask the person to tell me about their favorite leaders or managers or most inspirational ones. I write down the list of qualities both good and bad and do some more digging. What I notice is that they are freed up to be fully present - because the person they are speaking about is not themselves. Later in the conversation I bring these qualities back to them and speak about the idea of personal perception is a mirror of who you are, who you want to be, and who you no longer want to be. This in itself opens an amazing conversation.
What really hit home...
Based upon how we perceive, which is our natural reactions to both positive experiences and problems - we may simply perpetuate an average solution or we may simply perpetuate the existing problem.
The lights went off and were blinking.
I thought wow - it's all about sitting inside that box and not seeing outside of it. Some us us may be sitting smugly knowing all is well, but we aren't seeing potential of what could be more. And some of us are sitting in that box burying yourself and your business because you are not able to see more - what you see in your own truth, but not a bigger possible truth.
Note to those that want to read more but possibly not the whole book: There is a great explanation of this in the chapter of "how to use the potential yourself."
I keep wondering...
Am I seeing the hidden potential to help my own business and life?
Am I doing and being status quo?
Am I thinking that an idea is huge potential when it is really some thing that fits nicely in my own box?
Am I willing to be vulnerable, to be pushed, to see more?
Am I willing to be more?
Am I willing to push through my own imposed glass ceiling?
Am I willing?
Yes that is what it comes down to...am I willing?
This is just a piece of what is available...enjoy discovering your own hidden potential within The Diamond Cutter.
Universal Truths.......2006-10-12
This is wonderful book that clearly shows how every situation in our life emanates from one's state of consciousness. Whatever religion you are, you can benefit from this book. eg.The law of gravity applies to us all!
Spiritual truths are universal even tho stated somewhat differently.
eg. Karma, you sow what you reap, etc.
I really loved the concrete examples Geshe Roach gives us that delineates very down to earth approaches to various business problems and their solutions. So many other books of this genre are so theoretical and abstract, that it is difficult to apply it to one's life life in any appreciable way.
This book also gives us hope that no matter where we are now in our lives, we can always begin to build anew.
I have recommended this book to all my friends!!
Book Description
For many of us, feelings of deficiency are right around the corner. It doesn’t take much--just hearing of someone else’s accomplishments, being criticized, getting into an argument, making a mistake at work--to make us feel that we are not okay. Beginning to understand how our lives have become ensnared in this trance of unworthiness is our first step toward reconnecting with who we really are and what it means to live fully.
--from
Radical Acceptance
Radical Acceptance
“Believing that something is wrong with us is a deep and tenacious suffering,” says Tara Brach at the start of this illuminating book. This suffering emerges in crippling self-judgments and conflicts in our relationships, in addictions and perfectionism, in loneliness and overwork--all the forces that keep our lives constricted and unfulfilled. Radical Acceptance offers a path to freedom, including the day-to-day practical guidance developed over Dr. Brach’s twenty years of work with therapy clients and Buddhist students.
Writing with great warmth and clarity, Tara Brach brings her teachings alive through personal stories and case histories, fresh interpretations of Buddhist tales, and guided meditations. Step by step, she leads us to trust our innate goodness, showing how we can develop the balance of clear-sightedness and compassion that is the essence of
Radical Acceptance.
Radical Acceptance does not mean self-indulgence or passivity. Instead it empowers genuine change: healing fear and shame and helping to build loving, authentic relationships. When we stop being at war with ourselves, we are free to live fully every precious moment of our lives.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Life Transforming!.......2007-09-24
Sometimes in life you open a book and upon reading the first sentences, paragraphs or chapters you know that the book is already speaking directly to your heart. You know the book is going to give you a new out look on the way you perceive the world. Such was my experience with Tara Brach's - Radical Acceptance; Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha.
"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field, I'll meet you there" My favorite quote from Rumi, graces the first page of this amazing gift of a book. Brach begins by moving from the ideas and descriptions of the "trances" (read kleshas) that we get ourselves involved in, into the ways that we tend to become entrenched throughout our lives, in false truths and stories of our unworthiness. What is done differently in this book is that she moves from the trances into practical, beautiful, useable meditations and ideas for how to move beyond the stories and into a new way of Being in Truth. I have been with this book for a month now. Reading, rereading, practicing the exercises and doing the meditations included at the end of each chapter. While I feel incapable of doing this book justice without going into 10 -15 pages, I must at least suggest, strongly, that if you have opportunity to read it you should consider doing so.
Chapter two; Awakening from the Trance, lays the foundation for Radical Acceptance. In this chapter Brach walks us through the idea of Radical Acceptance as the "dismantling of the very foundation of the trance" (pg 26). The chapter discusses the level of Mindfulness we are called to if we are to move beyond our conditioned reactions and stories of pain, anger, and a host of other sufferings that keep us separated from the Source of our Being. Brach does her reader the service in this chapter, of addressing common misunderstandings of Radical Acceptance. She looks at the false perceptions of Radical Acceptance being an invitation to resignation, defining ourselves by our limitations, self-indulgence, passivity and accepting our self (with a small s). In doing so she allows the reader to enter into the rest of the book with more freedom, released from the questions that might often arise around these topics.
This book feels to me, as a culmination of much that I have learned / heard. Perhaps because of the level of growth that has occurred for me over the last years I have not been able to fully integrate the learnings. This book gave me a phenomenal opportunity to recap if you will. Thus it doesn't seem too surprising for me that chapter three, The Sacred Pause was a brilliant - Aha chapter, within which there was nothing that I did not already know. It was a chapter dedicated to the ability to STOP, ever so briefly. This was not a new discovery. Instead it reminded me, reinforced for me, the question of "What does it mean to be in this world, but not of this world". I found it to be the same type of tool. The briefest of discernment moments if you will - where am I right now?
Chapter four; Unconditional Friendliness, finds the reader being asked to "invite Mara to tea (Mara being the "Evil One"), saying Yes to one's life and Naming what is true. These are the pieces that I spent the longest time with during the last month and the pieces I see as being the most transformational tools. Pieces that already have provided a pathway to releasing that which is not needed and to embracing those things that are true and present in my life.
Moving through the rest of the book we find chapters on coming home to our bodies, longings, and desires. We also see - opening up to Fear and recognizing our own goodness before moving into the closing chapters on integrating and practicing Radical Acceptance in all relationships and Realizing our own true natures.
One particularly moving story was told in Chapter nine; Widening the Circles of Compassion. It is the story of an aged Sikh elder who called two followers to his hut. Giving them each a chicken he tells them to go where no one can see and kill the chickens. One follower returns immediately with the deceased chicken, the other return many hours later with a live chicken. When asked what happened the follower explains that "everywhere I go, the chicken sees". What a powerful picture of our interconnectedness with all!
Ultimately what this book has meant for me is best summed up in the authors words in the final chapter; Realizing our own True Nature. "The path of Radical Acceptance frees us from the voices of Mara that tell us we are separate and unworthy. Whenever we become fully present, we discover the natural wakefulness and care that is inherent within us. We come to understand, in a vivid and cellular way, who we really are." Ms. Brach has truly helped to bring home to me, in a vivid and cellular way who I really am.
An illuminating insight into the backbone of the Buddhist view.......2007-08-29
A Dharma teacher recommended this to me after I told him I was having unexpectedly strong feelings of self-loathing after some meditations - this was a great suggestion, as the focus of this book is learning how to accept yourself, and others, as they are; not as you wish they were. To be in the moment, accept and really see reality as it is - not as you wish it was or fear it might be. 'Radical Acceptance' gave me an insight into how to think like a Buddhist, rather than just trying to act like one. Basically this is a 'self-help' book (with a Buddhist backbone), but as a work in that category it is perhaps a work of spiritual genius. If you have problems with accepting some part of your habitual behaviour (anger, shyness, addiction, depression - even if only seemingly mild) then you are likely to really benefit from this wonderful book
A Touching & Transformational Book For Anyone.......2007-05-12
"Radical Acceptance" is a book that will touch and expand the heart and soul of the reader. Though the content is based on Buddhism Teachings...it matters not what is your religion or spiritual belief. I have been on my own personal and ecclectic spiritual path for many years. I feel that I am an advanced student & yet Tara Brach gave me a new perspective and simple and very practical exercises on how to handle the excruciating pain that sometimes comes from experiencing life. Because she speaks "Truth" her words offer instant strength and makes you feel less alone and isolated when going through touch times. Her extraordinary book came to me at one of the most difficult times in my life and helped me immeasurably! It is a book that can be referred to...over and over. Needless to say, I am indeed so grateful for Ms Brach's touching, warm, inviting and loving content that is filled with ageless wisdom. This is one the most important books I have ever read. I highly recommend it...especially if life is "hitting you in the face" over and over!
Sincerely, Malana Mikella
Readable, Relevant and Real.......2007-03-09
Radical Acceptance sits on my bedside table holding the honored place of a book that can be read and re-read many times. The insights and messages in this book speak to core issues we all face and the possibilities of how to work with them using wisdom and compassion. It is a book with honesty, clarity and strength of purpose that can only contribute to our understanding of self and others.
Best Book for the Road to Recovery.......2007-01-16
One of the best books I have read. I suffer from Social Anxiety and this book allowed me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Before we can begin to conquer our "problems" we first must accept ourselves. I take this book with me everywhere I go and will just open it up begin to read. If you have ever wondered how to achieve an inner peace and to stay within yourself, this is the book for you.
Amazon.com
If you dropped the Buddha into a modern metropolis, would he come off sounding like a 16th-century morality play or more like a drive-time disc jockey? Lama Surya Das doesn't spin platters for a living, but he does have a hip delivery that belies his years of sheltered training in Buddhist monasteries. In Awakening the Buddha Within, he borrows a time-tested bestseller format for a 2,500-year-old tradition that comes off as anything but ancient. With the "Five T's of Concentration," the question of "need or greed," and the story of the monk who bares his backside to prove a point, Surya Das invokes a path of wisdom that is as accessible and down-to-earth as a worn pair of loafers. It's not an easy path--it demands thought, effort, and discipline. But Surya Das is there for you, lighting the way to wisdom training, coaxing you into ethics training, and laying out step by step the path of meditation training. And if that's not enough to get you to live in the now, consider these words of the enlightened lama: "You must be present to win." --Brian Bruya
Book Description
Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker.
The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In
Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life. It illuminates the guidelines and key principles embodied in the noble Eight-Fold Path and the traditional Three Enlightenment Trainings common to all schools of Buddhism:
Wisdom Training: Developing clear vision, insight, and inner understanding -- seeing reality and ourselves as we really are.
Ethics Training: Cultivating virtue, self-discipline, and compassion in what we say and do.
Meditation Training: Practicing mindfulness, concentration, and awareness of the present moment.
With lively stories, meditations, and spiritual practices,
Awakening the Buddha Within is an invaluable text for the novice and experienced student of Buddhism alike.
Customer Reviews:
"Don't get too close to the page!!!!".......2007-10-05
Being a sceptical logically minded person of a catholic upbringing I have recently opened up my mind to new religions and faiths, in order to find the right one for me or to take the best of a few. This is why i bought this book. At first the story of the author drew me in and I began to listen to the lessons that were being tought. However over time I found the book disturbing in the way it led from offering points of view and describing what was believed right by the different buddhist faiths to force feeding the reader with what's right and wrong, and which path is ideally followed.
Overall I was dissapointed with how the book was written but I still learnt alot about the buddhist faith, I just think we should follow our faith in our own way, a non uniformist buddhist way is, i believe, what the future needs.
A Master...........2007-09-30
Lama Surya Das has given us westerners a vital gift- he has interpreted the wisdom of the ancients and communicated Buddhism's core message in a way that has immediate relevance to our lives. Regardless of whether you practice a particular religion, or are more an independent seeker along the spiritual path, this sends forth Buddhisms philosophy and practice as clearly as a bell. A gift...
Good intro to Buddhism but too voluminous for what it offers.......2007-06-26
This is an easy to read book that touches on some basics on Tibetan Buddhism and meditation techniques. Although it briefly explains the basics, this book is not about the Buddha and Tibetan (Mahayana or Dzogchen) Buddhism. It is more about the views and experiences of a westerner (Lama Surya Das) who spent some time in Tibet and studied Buddhism. Overall, it is a positive book that is primarily focused on meditation for beginners. With that said, I found it a bit challenging to go through the entire 400 pages of it.
Fly like a guru.......2007-06-25
Buddhist practitioners can levitate. They can see the future. When they die, their bodies turn to light.
So claims Surya Das.
I genuinely enjoyed Awakening the Buddha Within. The book is a primer on Buddhism, with a chapter on the Four Noble Truths, and one each on the Eightfold Path, clearly explained and illustrated for the western reader making his or her first encounter with Buddhism. Surya Das' writing is breezy and conversational, an easy-to-read style that keeps you turning the pages. Das doesn't get bogged down in the minutiae of theology or philosophy and personalizes his teachings by relating relevant stories from his own life and his own search for meaning. As much "what is," the book also offers "how to" in the form of simple meditations and other exercises, such as keeping a dream journal or a journal of favorite spiritual quotations, simple steps to for helping build new awareness.
As much as I liked the book, I also found some fairly outlandish claims within, such as the section on Lucid Dreaming, in which Das writes that we can multiply our bodies, travel to heavenly realms to receive special spiritual teachings, and that he himself was able through such practices to see into the future.
He sets us up early on by letting us know that such super human powers, while manifest among the Buddhist elite, are ultimately mere distractions along the path.
================QUOTE================
Seekers, curious about the unknown, might want to know more about levitation, conscious dying, lucid dreaming, astral travel, rainbow bodies, and clairvoyance. However, that's not finally what it's all about. The Buddha did perform certain miracles, but he always instructed his disciples not to demonstrate miraculous powers except to inspire faith in the skeptical. Lamas say the same thing. The magical, mysterious and occult are special effects that can be produced, but it's not the whole story. The miracle of Buddhism is a miracle of love, not levitation. [pp 12-13]
==============END QUOTE==============
As we're only on page 12, it might be reasonable to expect some future explication of such feats, but the only thing I recall reading is a couple of paragraphs in the last quarter of the book, in the section on Lucid Dreaming.
================QUOTE================
By seizing a dream we can perform spiritual activities, multiply our bodies, as well as go to pure realms of existence to receive teachings and blessings from Buddhas, transcendent Bodhisattvas, and saintly sages. In this way we train to master altered states and different ways of being, including astral travel and other out-of-body experiences.... With guidance from my teachers, ... I was able to get some indication of future events and to understand certain signs, portents and omens. [pp 330-331]
==============END QUOTE==============
Amazing.
Perhaps not so amazing for a Tibetan who's grown up listening to stories about such super-human feats. But Tibetans are not likely to be reading this book, at least not in large numbers. This book is for Europeans and North Americans, the people most likely on planet Earth to be skeptical - and curious - about such claims.
And yet Das provides no evidence, no proof, not even an accounting of what he experienced or what he witnessed. For over 300 pages he covers the Four Noble Truths and the Eight Fold Path, a topic that is covered by most authors in a few pages. Das' account is padded with quotations, examples, stories, and illustrations, from the lives of saints, from every day life, from his own life. But here - nothing. He falls strangely silent.
I do not claim that such feats are impossible. They certainly may be. But Das' refusal to engage the subject makes it seem he has something to hide, which in turn casts a shadow of doubt across the rest of what is a well-written introduction to Buddhism. If he can't talk to us honestly about this, then what else can't he discuss openly? What else might he be hiding?
I know of no evidence demonstrating these powers or abilities. If Das does, then he owes it to his readers to explain.
#
Probably the Best.......2007-05-07
In a nutshell, the man was a varsity HS athlete and CUNY graduate who gave up these values to find his own unique niche of enlightenment. This is kinda rare. What I gather from his teachings is that since he did it, so can I if I wanted to. This book is written in laymen's terms.
If you have trouble identifying with writers, because they are from a different generation, ethinicity, agenda, etc... LSD (his intials?!) breaks down his belief system into a context which is entertaining, relevant and thoughtful. LSD takes a boring and complex subject matter and presents it to the reader with generously tremendous insight.
Lama Surya Das not only talks the talk, but he walks the walk.
Book Description
Perennial favorites, Charlotte Kasl's If the Buddha Dated and If the Buddha Married have inspired readers with their empowering blend of spiritual and psychological insights. Her latest, If the Buddha Got Stuck, is a wise yet lighthearted book that will speak to anyone who's ever experienced being stuck in life and wanted to break free. With her signature clarity, wisdom, and warm heart, Kasl presents readers with seven steps that tap into life's bigger picture: Notice Where You're Stuck; Show Up; Pay Attention; Live in Reality; Connect with Others; Move From Thought to Action; and Let Go. Full of insight from Buddhist and other teachings that emphasize the joy that comes with letting go of attachments to events and things, If the Buddha Got Stuck is an inspirational and practical roadmap to a more joyful, peaceful, and fulfilling life.
Download Description
Perennial favorites, Charlotte Kasl's If the Buddha Dated and If the Buddha Married have inspired readers with their empowering blend of spiritual and psychological insights. Her latest, If the Buddha Got Stuck, is a wise yet lighthearted book that will speak to anyone who's ever experienced being stuck in life and wanted to break free. With her signature clarity, wisdom, and warm heart, Kasl presents readers with seven steps that tap into life's bigger picture: Notice Where You're Stuck; Show Up; Pay Attention; Live in Reality; Connect with Others; Move From Thought to Action; and Let Go. Full of insight from Buddhist and other teachings that emphasize the joy that comes with letting go of attachments to events and things, If the Buddha Got Stuck is an inspirational and practical roadmap to a more joyful, peaceful, and fulfilling life.
Customer Reviews:
Keep on going.......2007-10-01
Very inspiring and lots of little insight to help personal growth. I love it.
I am changing my religion.......2007-03-08
I am a Hard Core Christian go to Church every Sunday and Wednesday. I am active in Church group activities and do my duty to preach to others. However, after reading this book, I decided to become a Buddhist. I have NEVER EVER met Buddhist I did not like, unlike Christian world where people are all about ME ME ME, JESUS loves ME, you need to be like me......Buddhism teaches DEEPER inside of you, not some artificial, external hope and wish to make you feel better with ego. I wish USA was Buddhist Nation, then there will be no war.
tremendous.......2007-02-09
As someone barely familiar with Buddhist tenets, but very interested, this book was no over my head. In fact the author takes the basic principles and applies them to both a spiritual and psychological approach. I read this book with tremendous enthusiasm and feel I have begun a change I will carry forward with me. I look forward to reading this author's other books.
A gem of a book that everyone should read.......2007-01-31
Absolutely wonderful book that gives do-ale suggestions for unsticking all the places your life is in a rut. Kasl is a psychotherapist in addition to practicing buddhism. Her advice is well thought out and clearly presented. I found myself digging deep within myself and my motivations. It may be a little "fluffy", but I strongly feel most people who benefit from this book. I know I was able to make some positive changes. Highly recommend.
Excellant Guide to Getting Unstuck.......2006-08-31
I am only half way through this book and have found enough good suggestions to ponder for weeks.
Book Description
This modern translation of the Abhidhammattha Sangaha (Manual of Abhidhamma) offers an introduction to Buddhism's fundamental philosophical psychology. Originally written in the 11th or 12th century, the Sangaha has served as the key to wisdom held in the Abhidhamma. Concisely surveyed are Abhidhamma's central themes, including states of consciousness and mental factors, the functions and processes of the mind, the material world, dependent arising, and the methods and stages of meditation. This work presents an exact translation of the Sangaha alongside the original Pali text. A detailed, section-by-section explanatory guide and more than 40 charts and tables lead modern readers through the complexities of Adhidhamma. A detailed introduction explains the basic principles of this highly revered ancient philosophical psychology.
Customer Reviews:
No god, no soul, but kharma.......2005-11-09
You need to enter that book slowly and then let it guide you at the pace that will be proper for you. It is long, complex and extremely profound. You may not understand the Pali text but you will understand the commentary and notes. There is, first of all, a vision of the world and of man in the world as a complete continuum of many parameters that create permanent change and movement. At each moment we lose something and we gain something else. At each moment we may grieve because of the loss, or rejoice because of the gain. Dukkha, the long process of change and decay that leads to death also contains the necessary forces and qualities that our mind can use to gain wisdom and clear knowledge at every moment of this road of decay. And that's the real challenge Buddhism contains. Every single person, if they want, can decide to use their minds to push away the negative parameters that lock them up in decay, and develop the positive parameters that lead them to realizing that all is change, all is dissatisfaction in a way or another, all is the absence of an eternal godlike soul in us. The only chance we have to evade this path that leads to death is to cultivate our mind and get on the path of mental liberation, of enlightenment, of sukha. The book contains beautiful pages that are ahead of their times on time, language, the « flippant » personality of a subject that is changing all the time and how he can try to control and dominate the change by preparing his escape from it. This is the paradox of the book . There is no escape from this slow movement towards death through the death of each instant and the birth of the next one. And yet there is a way to go beyond and reach nirvana, a pure mental existence completely oblivious of the world and the body. As it is so justly said in note 7 in chapter IX, this is a hypnotic circle. You are self-hypnotizing yourself into nirvanic bliss. And that should enable you to get free of all ties, fetters and other chains and become ready to serve the world and others in order to improve reality and make the decaying process less painful, free of violence and war, free of greed, free of alienation. The Buddha, the Blessed One, imagined a way to improve the world by improving human individuals. But hurry up because there is still a lot to do to ban violence, war, greed, alienation, ignorance and poverty from this world. You feel optimistic when you reach the last page.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Université Paris Dauphine, Université Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne
All you ever wanted to learn about the Theravada Abhidhamma.......2004-01-16
I heard that this book is supposed to be an *introduction* to the Abhidhamma. I heard that in Burma, this text must be memorized before one will have the opportunity to study from the Abhidhamma masters. The original canonical Abhidhamma is supposed to go into thousands of pages, with the commentaries adding more pages. However, Acariya Anuruddha managed to squeeze practically ALL of the accumulated and developed Abhidhamma doctrine from the time of Emperor Asoka (3rd century BCE) to the 12th century CE (1500 years!) into about 50 pages!!!
Needless to say, this text was renowned for being not only extremely comprehensive, but incredibly concise (perhaps "compressed" is a better word). Various English translations, most notably the Ven. Narada version came and went. Bhikkhu Bodhi had outdone himself in this translation, since he included extensive diagrams of the matika (matrix) and was also supported by two Burmese monks. His own commentary was extremely helpful in deciphering this heavy, difficult (but not impossible) text.
I don't think there was any topic of the Abhidhamma which was missed in this text. It's all here! Not only are there the categories of consciousness, mental factors, matter, etc., but there are two extremely interesting chapters on the cognitive and rebirth processes. There are also sections on karma, pannati (concepts), and the Unconditioned Itself (Nibbana). Anyone reading this will walk away knowing more about the Abhidhamma than most other people. If you're a meditator, then this book is a MUST because it provides a general framework of study, as well as potential meditation objects.
A great buy for meditators.......2003-12-02
Though the advice of Achaan Chah about studying one's own heart rather than Abhidhamma should be kept in mind like a shining star when tackling anything regarding it, still the reading of this book may provide a framework for one's own mind where to insert experiences: one in which conventional items may not be needed for their comprehension.
A final line: of course meditate, let go of the unwholesome factors, cultivate the wholesome ones and purificate you mind, but also consider buying this book and dedicate the high degree of attention it needs to be understood and perhaps the world will look even a little more different than usual afterwards :-)
Amazon.com
Beneath the enormous umbrella of Buddhism, there is a diverse galaxy of customs and beliefs, but there is also a kernel of truth that every sect holds dear. Rahula Walpola, scholar and monk, discovers this foundation of Buddhism for us first through straightforward explication, never skipping over a point that has yet to be substantiated, then through translations from key scriptures. Logical and focused, these are the essentials of Buddhism; know them first, then move comfortably on to other Buddhist works.
Book Description
A classic introductory book to Buddhism, What the Buddha Taught contains a selection of illustrative texts from the original Pali texts, including the Suttas and the Dhammapada. The author, himself a Buddhist monk and scholar, removes a number of common misconceptions about Buddhism, and provides a comprehensive, compact, lucid, and faithful account of the Buddha’s teachings that persistently enjoys great popularity in colleges, universities, and theological schools both here and abroad. “For years," says the Journal of the Buddhist Society, "the newcomer to Buddhism has lacked a simple and reliable introduction to the complexities of the subject. Dr. Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught fills the need as only could be done by one having a firm grasp of the vast material to be sifted. It is a model of what a book should be that is addressed first of all to ‘the educated and intelligent reader.' Authoritative and clear, logical and sober, this study is as comprehensive as it is masterly."
Customer Reviews:
An Effective Introduction.......2007-07-22
"What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula is an effective introduction to Buddhist thought, dealing primarily with the Four Noble Truths, and the Eight-Fold path of Buddhism. The text focuses mostly on the doctrine, and not on the life of Buddha, or the various types of Buddhism that exist. Some excerpts of classical Buddhist texts also accompany the work. Rahula offers a clear, concise introduction to Buddhist thought that should be illuminating for the introductory reader or student.
Simply the best at the basics.......2007-07-06
An excellent primer on the basic principles the buddha taught. I have bought this book several times as gifts for those inclinded to the dhamma and so interested. Even though I have the translations on the sutta pitaka, compendiums of abhidhamma and numerous other books focused on the therevada tradition, this is the book that I find I go back to repeatedly for inspiration and clarification of basic principles.
A somewhat biased but useful introduction.......2007-06-13
No one really knows exactly what the Buddha taught because of course he wrote nothing down. We have the report of his followers and of their followers and so on. It doesn't take much insight to realize that over the years the doctrines will take on the coloring of those who have memorized them and are passing them down. Rahula's great confidence that he knows for sure what the Buddha taught is probably the most disconcerting aspect of this otherwise laudable introduction to Buddhist thought.
Consequently I am not enamored of didactic arguments about what the Buddha taught and what he didn't teach except as such ideas relate to the overall world picture that is Buddhism. I take Zen Buddhism as my guide here since it is a reaction to all the endless arguments about what the Buddha taught and did not teach and especially about what he meant. The only way to settle these arguments for yourself is to study Buddhism and see if the doctrines in question fit the overall conception.
Anatta or no-soul or no-self is perhaps the most contentious Buddhist doctrine of all. It is also one of the most difficult. I think Rahula does a good job of explaining what is at issue, but I suspect that even his one chapter on the subject in this book is not really understood by most readers. The problem goes back to the Vedas and the idea of the Atman. The Buddha understood the idea of the Atman as part of Brahman, but he subtlety changed the understanding. What he did was show that the idea of the self or the soul can be understood on two levels. On one level there is the self as experienced by people on a day-to-day, naturalistic basis. This is what in yoga is considered the ego-I or the self with a small "s." Then there is the eternal Self, the Atman which is to Ultimate Reality as a drop of water falling off the lotus leaf is to the ocean of Brahman.
The Illustrious One denied the existence of the first self as he denied all of the phenomena world as impermanent and every changing. It's not that trees and people and selves do not exist. The point is they do not exist in the way we think they exist. Our real identify is not as separate from the rest of the world, but as part of that world. We and all we see are one. All is in flux and so are we.
On the eternal soul that is unchanging (the Atman), the Buddha was silent. We know he was silent because the whole of the Buddhist teaching requires that he be silent on all matters that do not lead to enlightenment. Whether there is a God or whether there is a heavenly abode on the other side of the universe were not matters the Buddha was interested in, because for him it was more than enough to get to a plan and a methodology to deal with the unsatisfactoriness of the world.
As time passed and countless monks and others have grappled with the Buddha's teachings it has gradually been realized that underlying the so-called denial of the self is the idea that what is really at issue is identification with the self. In everybody this identification is the same. This identification is what is delusive and is what is reincarnated. This identification is powerful. It comes from the evolutionary mechanism and serves to make us protective of our physical body and to fear death.
I know personally that Rahula is not the best authority on Buddhism from reading the chapter on meditation. It is clear to me that Rahula's meditative practice was haphazard at best. This can be seen from two observations. Rahula writes, "It is for this 'meditation' only ["Awareness of in-and-out breathing" meditation] that a particular and definite posture is prescribed in the text. For other forms of meditation...you may sit, stand, walk, or lie down..." He goes on to say that "It is very necessary for this exercise that the meditator should sit erect, but not stiff; his hands placed comfortably on his lap." (p. 69)
I think it can be said that when somebody writes "very necessary" we can conclude that he is lost. You CAN meditate on your breath lying down. The problem with any kind of lying down meditation is that (1) the quality of the meditation differs (except perhaps for very advanced meditators) because the bodily stance signals to the mind a different quality of awareness; (2) you're more likely to fall asleep lying down; and (3) a dreamlike meditation perhaps with visuals comes more readily when lying down.
Rahula recommends on the following page that you try to meditate for five or ten minutes. Trust me, five or ten minutes will not get it done. Again except for the unusually gifted, it takes many, many hours to train ourselves to meditate, and instead of five or ten minutes, one should aim at an hour or more. For most people the meditative mood cannot be entered into for at least twenty or thirty minutes because it takes that much time for the mind to realize that things are secure enough and that the intention really is to meditate.
Rahula also writes that "As long as you are conscious of yourself you can never concentrate on anything." (p. 70) Actually if you are truly conscious of yourself (even beyond your breathing) you are THERE. This is not the same thing as being self-conscious.
Many Buddhist ideas, like the ideas of all religions can be understood on two levels, one, the literal denotative level, and two, the symbolic or metaphorical level. Karma, reincarnation, the "gods" that the Buddha sometimes referred to, etc. are best understood on the symbolic level. Rahula fails to make this distinction.
Don't worry be joyous!.......2007-06-06
This book is fanastic - I too hae given loads of copies way to friends. It saved me from several years of cynical gloom and nihilism brough about by studying western philosophy and that dualist suff that has ruined our lives for so long - mind and body are not two - and there is no eternal indivisible self - so don't worry be happy and joyous!
This is Thee best intro to Buddhism book out there!.......2007-04-20
In all my years and studies of the Dhamma I've never found a better intro to Buddhism than Walpola Rahula's. I've recommended and given away many copies to friends who wanted to know just what it are we Buddhists believe because this is the one book I won't have to make any excuses for or add any extra explanations to.
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Awakening the Buddha Within : Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World
No Death, No Fear
