Customer Reviews

The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I run a small business for more than 10 years now and have my share of ups and downs, from facing near bankruptcy to hitting big contracts. But whatever the outcome, I am always short of money and I am constantly struggling to make ends meet. That is, until I read this book. It has changed my business. I now find money flowing in without me chasing after it and I work less than before. To all of you out there who are struggling in business or in your personal life, buy this book and follow the principles. They work and they will make you a better person.

For all the "suits" out there: You've tried every business fad from empowerment to micromanagement; why not try something with a real track record?

As a busy manager, the book suited me perfectly. Geshe Roach gives you the no mumbo jumbo, how to test Buddhism in the work place guide. Most people who have studied Buddhism as deeply as Roach can't explain it well and especially to a business person. No such problems here. The book demonstrates his knowledge of real-life business situations enough to make him convincing for sceptical business people and explains only the salient points of Buddhist practice.

Sort of Buddha for dummies who want money type of book. When one reads about the West African bloobaths commited over these stupid little stones it might be a better use of Roachs' skills to start a boycott of diamonds

I found this book to be very disturbing on at least two levels. First, I found myself repeatedly cringing as the principles of buddhism were described as tools to get lots of money rolling into one's life. On that level, this book struck me as just one of many "ancient secrets of the (buddha, bible, torah, koran, etc) can make you rich!" type books. Inevitably conflicts arise between the demands of business and religious principles which, in some cases, the author either glossed over or ignored altogether, as if he almost didn't see the contradiction. For instance, early on he describes how his diamond business ran some sort of telephone or electric wire between two buildings, something that he cheerfully acknowledged was illegal. I don't know if we were supposed to find this cute or creative or what, but for me it raised a number of issues about one's committment to buddhist precepts versus one's committment to making a profit. Is it ok for anyone to break the law in order to promote their profits? Which laws are ok to break? How about all those pesky govt. environmental regulations - can those be overlooked too? The point is, I can think of lots of people (people who own oil tankers, run coal mines, etc.) who think of lots of laws as being trivial, annoying, unimportant, etc. What are they supposed to take away from a lesson like this? Obey the law if you feel like it? I don't think this is a trivial point - I think it gets right at the heart of how one can be a truly committed buddhist in the world of business.

The other level on which I found this book to be somewhat disconcerting involved the more cognitive types of discussions. The author spends a great deal of time talking about "imprints" on the mind, karmic impressions derived from one's actions and behaviors. I certainly acknowledge the importance and ubiquity of karma, and strongly believe that one's experience and much of what happens to one in life is a direct result of one's own past actions. However, I don't agree with the author's contention that these imprints actually determine the nature of one's reality as in "behaving honestly will make those around you honest." While I think it is likely that such behavior will promote greater honesty in one's closest colleagues and daily partners, I doubt it would have much of any impact on other, more infrequent acquaintances in the business world.

This author is obviously a highly trained and knowledgable buddhist. He is also obviously a successful business person. However, I think this book misses the mark and makes it all seem somehow very easy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with working hard to make a profit for one's business, and of course there is certainly nothing wrong with being a buddhist. However, these two "practices" will lead to occasional conflicts - the example of breaking the odd little law discussed above being one.

Diamond Cutter by Michael Roach is a very, very interesting business book. Interesting insights about buddhism as applied in the world of business specifically the diamond business. I really enjoyed his fresh approach to using a unique philosophy and fascinating techniques to dealing with people, situations, and business objectives. His website is also a fascinating place to visit. The book is a very good primer to buddhism and HOW to apply centuries old strategies, and concepts to everyday business life and personal life. Create clean and pure thoughts to regenerate a better business and learn how to expand your life with something ancient.

My best friend sent me this book and I am so grateful that she did! The Diamond Cutter affirms, in matter of fact way, the power of integrity, generosity and positive thinking as proved throughout history. You can be of any belief system including no belief system to gain insight from this book. The author provides a case study, for human behavior, based on his experiences in the Diamond business. I applied many of the work specific examples including how to handle someone yelling at you!

'Any work has honor if it's honest work and it's OK to make money so long as you are not stingy;' I needed to hear this!

You can apply one or two or all of these ideas gradually or all at once into your daily living but at least read and decide how you can make peace. It is not easy to live out these concepts but hey, we can at least try. As each of us takes full and active ownership for our value system, we will change the world!

We all understand cause-and-effect. If we hit our thumb with a hammer, it will hurt. If we get drunk, we will have a hangover. But these "correlations", as the author calls them, also expand to include "positive effects". If you feed a dog, it will respond to you. If you hug your wife sincerely, you will have a more loving relationship. Everything that you are experiencing now is the result of past actions and thoughts. Millions of past actions and thoughts. Negative actions bring negative results. Positive actions bring positive results. Everything, literally everything, is the result of cause and effect. As the author states, "There are no limited resources". And as the Dalai Lama states, "We are all sharing the same karmic experience". In other words, we are here now because we all share similar effects of our actions. It does not matter if it is fair. It does not matter if it is right. It just is. If you drop the hammer on your toe - your toe will become swollen. If you don't soak your toe, it may develop an infection. If you don't take care of the infection, it may spread. Eventually, maybe your leg will have to be amputated. NOTE! This is what the author is stating when he says that karma (actions) are expandable. They expand unless erased. That is the bad news. Positive actions are expandable as well. There is cause-and-effect. And there is the law (just observe) that deeds expand if not attended to. Just put some meat out on your kitchen table for days. It becomes more and more rotten as time passes. First flies. And then all sort of bugs. Fungus. Actions are expandable if not taken care of.

What the author calls "acts of generosity" lead to wealth. And these acts too are expandable. Just like the meat on your kitchen table. Our actions and thoughts make "imprints" on our minds. It doesn't need to be fair. According to the author, when we understand the "hidden potential" of things (everything is really a blank screen) and that we can actually imprint our own minds to deliver certain results, just like I am typing on this keyboard, then we understand true creation. And the "imprinting process" goes much deeper by understanding the process of creation. "Acts of generosity" grow in the subconcious. And they eventually will ripen. This book needs to be read several times in order to understand this process. "Acts of stealing (including cheating on your taxes)" are imprinted in the subconcious and grow. So, you make a billion dollars and then your partner steals it all away from you! This is the result of both generosity and stealing. Everything you think and do comes back at you. Let me repeat that. Everything that you do comes back at you. Now, by giving to the Red Cross, this won't quarantee that you will become a Billionaire. But what happens if all this generosity is harnessed in the subconcious? You tell me. What happens if all the lying (confusion), stealing (poverty), adultery (social disorder and eventually pollution), killing (being murdered) stops. This book tells you how to harness all this energy in business and turn it into an atom bomb. It takes time. We certainly are not all saints. But the author does let us have it. "Tracking" our behavior. Exchanging ourselves with others. Understanding the "hidden potential" of things or "emptiness". Therefore, creating causes, that by law, must be manifested. I have already tried to contact the author's website. EBI (Enlightened Business Institute). I have not received a result yet because of MY past lying and deceit. You will understand what I mean after you read and study the book. Thank you to my teacher, Lama Surya Das. And also to my teacher, Geshe Michael Roach.

This book presents many insights on parts of the Diamond Sutra. (The "Diamond Cutter" name is interestingly new to me, as I have been only familiar with the shorter "Diamond" and the longer "Diamond That Cuts Through Delusions".) The author's interpretations are refreshing, even without the context of business challenges, of which his diamond venture serves as a unique background. It is rare to have aspects of the Dharma presented by a young, life-engaging monk, and an American to boost. In particular, the notion of "mental imprints" is deeply important with respect to how one perceives and constructs the world. As a bonus, I learn a few things about diamond, diamond cutting, and the diamond trade.

Unlike another reviewer, I am supportive of Geshe Roach in his presenting the Diamond Sutra through the particular form of this book -- a manifestation of what Buddhist tradition calls "skillful means".

About the 4 stars: I wish the writing could be tightened up in various places. (But then again, this subjective observation of mine may be the effects of imprints left by my earlier writing courses.)

This vast website of amazon.com has over a million items. If you found this book it happened for a reason. Read it!

Having recently come from a week of teachings with the Dalai Llama I would share that the teachings in this book are in full alignment. Having worked for a number of organizations I would share that his views on business are also in full alignment.

Here is a person who devoted over 20 years of his life to become fluent in a foreign language and learn teachings of a tradition that is 2,500 years old. Then, rather than staying in that remote region he immersed himself in something we all know about very well: everyday life.

The essence of life should be to integrate the esoteric (uncommon) with the exoteric (common) realms of life. That is what this book is about.

Still not sure if it is for you?

You can go to to listen to some of his teachings at no charge.

Still not sure if this book is for you?

Buy it since 100% of profits go to support Tibetan refugees and put it on your shelf until you know it IS for you or pass it along to the friend it is also really for.

Namaste

I have followed Geshe Michael Roach's career as a scholar, monk and a businessman from their beginnings, and I have great respect for what he has done in these fields. But as books go, I found "The Diamond Cutter" to be, in the final analysis, just another humdrum example of the "cultivate your inner life and get rich" genre. (Deepak Chopra, watch out! There's a new kid on the block!)

As Roach's own comments on Amazon.com remind us, "The Diamond Cutter" will not contribute to his personal wealth, but rather that of the Tibetan charities he supports, so in this respect there is not necessarily any reason to fault Roach's motives. But the writer's motives, good or ill, are irrelevant here. The relevant question is, is "The Diamond Cutter" a book worth reading or not?

On the postive side, I can say that the stories of how Michael entered the diamond jewelry business and succeeded might be entertaining and even useful, especially for anyone spiritually inclined who also likes to do business.

On the other hand, Roach's analysis of the Diamond Sutra, and his attempts to relate the teachings of that sutra to business, seem to me overly simplistic. I grant that the perfection of wisdom -- the union form and emptiness -- must have something to do with business, because, after all, wisdom has something to do with *everything*, right? But if the Diamond Cutter contains such a special message for successful business, why didn't anyone discover that until now? Either the author has made a discovery of something that 2,500 years of skilled Buddhist commentators have failed to see until now, or he is reading something into the Diamond Sutra that has nothing to do with what the Diamond Sutra is actually teaching. You be the judge.

Now someone -- like Michael Roach himself -- would probably fault me for having an impoverished vision of what the Perfection of Wisdom is all about. The meaning of the Perfection of Wisdom does not exclude form in favor of emptiness, so why should it exclude secular pursuits like business in favor of a sacred pursuit like Buddhist Wisdom? To this I would say, then, why shouldn't one interpret the Diamond Sutra as treatise on lovemaking? Certainly the "Form and Emptiness" motif has informed sexual themes in the Buddhist Tantras -- so why not interpret the Diamond Sutra as a treatise on Tantric sex?

If he had a mind to do so, an expert lover and Buddhist philosopher, like the late Tibetan scholar Gendun Chopel, would have no trouble explaining his sexual prowess in terms of the Diamond Sutra. I suspect that Roach would find such an interpretation distasteful. But as interpretations go, a sexological twisting of the Diamond Sutra would be no more or less implausible than Roach's own (mis)appropriation of it. So while "The Diamond Cutter" has everything to do with Michael Roach's experience as a businessman, it really has little to do with the Diamond Sutra, except insofar as he is using that text as a way of justifying his hear-no-evil, see-no-evil, speak-no-evil approach to making lots of money.

This is not to imply an unfavorable judgement what the author actually does with his money -- to all appearances Roach has done much good with it. However, I think that to use a Buddhist scripture, the venerable Diamond Sutra -- which has patently little to do with mundane matters like business -- as a way of teaching business, is highly questionable.

Why not just teach business practice outright, and slip Dharma in through the back door? Instead, Roach has tried to fit the square peg of business into the round hole of a Sutra. This kind of manipulation of a sacred text seems perverse, especially for a monk-scholar of Michael Roach's aptitude.