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From 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
Review
"A warm, accessible, deep, brilliantly written exploration and adventure along the Buddhist path." --Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.
"[T]his is a great achievement and I feel deeply grateful for it."
--Thich Nhat Hanh, author of Living Buddha, Living Christ
"This open-hearted offering of the Buddha's teachings ranges from fundamentals to magic. It is a wonderful gift."
--Sharon Salzberg, author of Loving Kindness
"Wise and wonderful, gentle and profound. . . . This is surely one of the finest spiritual manuals meant for a larger public and it succeeds brilliantly."
--Ken Wilbur, author of A Brief History of Everything
"[T]his is a great achievement and I feel deeply grateful for it."
--Thich Nhat Hanh, author of Living Buddha, Living Christ
"This open-hearted offering of the Buddha's teachings ranges from fundamentals to magic. It is a wonderful gift."
--Sharon Salzberg, author of Loving Kindness
"Wise and wonderful, gentle and profound. . . . This is surely one of the finest spiritual manuals meant for a larger public and it succeeds brilliantly."
--Ken Wilbur, author of A Brief History of Everything
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
a jug on his head and carry it up the hill and leave it outside my hut. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
a jug on his head and carry it up the hill and leave it outside my hut. Read the first page
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Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
part of a great trilogy...,
By
This review is from: Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment (Paperback)
I recommend Lama Surya Das' three books to anyone interested in Buddhism, spirituality, or the search for happiness. His background as a Jewish kid growing up in NY allows him an understanding of the Western world that even the Dalai Lama doesn't have.His books are written in a plain-talk style instead of a textbook style. But, most importantly, he explains how you can incorporate Buddhist practices and beliefs into your daily life without abandoning your native religion and/or converting to Buddhism.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic Handbook to Living,
By
This review is from: Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment (Paperback)
Lama Surya Das has masterfully written an enlightening introduction to Buddhism, which should prove to be an enduring classic on the subject for years to come. He takes the ancient teachings of Buddhist traditions and wisdom and delivers them succinctly and wholeheartedly to the Western mind. His astounding work is a source of inspiration and awareness that serves as a "handbook for living" that should be carried with us at all times and used often on our spiritual path. Regardless of the reader's religious or spiritual affiliation, these simple golden rules could change your life. His introduction to the classic Buddhist teachings of The Four Noble Truths and The Eight-Fold Path are the most comprehensible and understandable that I have yet read. Finally, we are presented with a rich compilation that makes absolute sense and many readers will understand, for the first time, how to integrate this ancient Tibetan wisdom into everyday life. Often, those of us curious about Buddhist philosophy and practice, find it hard to get beyond the dogma of the many teachings. Lama Surya Das succeeds in bringing the reader the most simple and fundamental ideas and lessons of Buddhism. Throughout the book, he reminds us to be responsible for our own thoughts and actions and to find the kindness, compassion and grace that are inherent in all of us. For those challenged by meditation, Lama Surya Das strips away all the confusion and mystery around the practice of meditation and brings to the reader a profound understanding and "how to" guide to meditation -- the importance of which must be realized and embraced. Toward the end of the book, he further reminds us that "We are modern mystics - living in monasteries without walls. The entire planet is our heaven on earth. Instead of being overly dependent on anyone else, we must be leaders and seers." This book teaches us how to lead by example. You do not have to have an interest or belief in Buddhism to enjoy, understand and be moved by this book. It is a book to be read, read and read again.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Start Here,
By
This review is from: Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment (Paperback)
What an amazing book! In this hefty volume Lama Surya Das explains, in great detail, the Buddha's teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eight-Fold Path. I've read similar teachings from other books, but what sets Awakening the Buddha Within apart is Lama Surya Das' Western view. Four hundred pages full of fabulous wisdom for the Westerner wanting to start a secular spiritual life using the ancient teachings of the Buddha.
Lama Surya Das writes very well, and is highly engaging, making this book an absolute pleasure to read, especially with all his colourful tales from his experiences in India learning from Tibetan monks. Aside from the historical Buddha teachings, the Tibetan teachings, and his own experiences, Lama Surya Das also provides many suggestions on how to incorporate these practices into our own lives, with lots of marvelous guided meditations, each one building on the previous meditation, plus providing many, mainly Tibetan, fulfilling mantras. So, if just starting out, this one book will build your practice for several years without needing any other book. One thing to note though: Lama Surya Das writes about how enlightening the practice and teaching of Lojong (compassionate living) can be, but he doesn't go into much detail, only providing several of his favourite "slogans", so if you are interested in learning more (or obtaining) all of the 59 Tibetan "slogans" you will need to find them in another book. Start Where You Are by Pema Chodron goes through the "slogans" in detail. Lama Surya Das does provide a lovely Tonglen meditation though. This book is so great! It provides such a wealth of inspiration and practical information, I could write so much more about Awakening the Buddha Within...but I will write just one more thing: I have read several Buddhist books now, mainly on Zen, and so, this is my first book on Tibetan Buddhism, and while I like the clean, simple teachings of Zen, I'd have to say I find Tibetan Buddhism to be delightful, full of such vibrant compassionate living. Just lovely!
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