No comments about Heartwood: The First Generation of Theravada Buddhism in America (Morality and Society Series).

5 comments about The Buddha in the Jungle.

1. This is a fascinating book for those interested in Buddhism or Thailand or just a good read. It is a wonderful collection of accounts of Thai monks in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their encounters with ghosts, elephants and snakes, and all manner of people provide a slice of rural life in times past. The views of Westerners in Siam at the time provide additional perspectives. Old photographs, engravings, and maps complement the stories. Highly recommended.



2. ...."I recommend this book to anyone who harbors one of more of the following persona: The historian who enjoys pouring over colonial memoirs which detail exotic places and scenes of west-meets-east-for-the-first time;the ethnographer tracking wisdom traditions as expressed in lifestyles of rural villagers; the armchair thrill-seeker who longs for hair-raising jungle adventures; and the spiritual aspirant hoping to meet realized practitioners who are the living embodiment of the Buddha's teachings."



3. Dr. Kamala Tiyavanich's latest book,"The Buddha in the Jungle," is a wonderful collection of fascinating tales, rich in the exotic beauty and mystery of 19th century Buddhist Thailand. From the horrors of the charnel grounds to the quiet serenity of tropical forest shrines, Dr. Tiyavanich's stories of Buddhist practioners and saints will captivate, inspire and teach the reader. A native of Thailand and a Buddhist practitioner in the Thai Theravada trdition, Dr. Tiyavanich writes in her characteristic style of detail and clarity, making this scholarly work fresh, exciting and easily accessible to every reader. I found this book to be a joy to read and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in Bhuddism.



4. This is a book which I :
   (i) looked forward to reading (after reading the favorable reviews),
   (ii) wasn't sure about the quality of the book half-way through reading it, but
   (iii) was convinced that it is an important book upon finishing the final chapter.
   Broadly, it is a book about Thai Buddhism in a historical and cultural context. It attempts to relate what Thai Buddhism was like before state-led reformations (which began during the rule of King Mongkut, 1851-68) changed the institution. The story told is very subtle - it discusses, amongst others, the role that monks played in the local Thai society during this period. The method that the author employs is very peculiar - the book reads like a personal narrative that is sourced from personal interviews (with senior surviving monks), written recollections by monks as well as 'farang' diarists. This approach, which I thought was almost akin to an oral history is, I think, inevitable given the form and availability of the information on the subject. This approach also makes the book very readeable and appealing as it manages to impart to the reader the feeling of how the past feels like. Stories surrounding the sometimes supernatural feats of monks wandering in forests adds a 'folklore' dimension to Buddhism as practised by Thais that I think is not often conveyed. The stories about individual monks were the ones I enjoyed reading the most. I cared less about 'farang' writings even though their observations sometimes proved informative. Not all the book is centered around Thai Buddhism. For example, the author discusses views on the status of women in Thai society towards the end of the book (chapter 43). The book is partly a social commentary about how Thai Buddhism and society have changed. I sense a tinge of sadness about these changes but the author does not quite say it outright whether the past reforms were mistakes. This is quite understandable, given the sensitivity of the issue due to the exalted status and high esteem in which past and present Thai kings are held. One of my favourite chapter is the last one - the tale of a Dutchman who stole a jade Buddha statue from a forest, only to return it later and to ultimately find the true meaning of life (as a Buddhist monk). The last few words of this chapter (uttered by the Dutchman) was, for me, very memorable: "All our European haste and disquiet has fallen away from me. I have come to realize that quite equanimity is the highest good that we can achieve in this life". Tiyavanich certainly knows how to choose her words very well. This is a book which I read and savoured slowly - one to two chapters daily, every night, before I slid into pleasant dreams. Tonight, upon finishing the book, I lament the fact that I will need to find another good read tomorrow night.



5. This is a book which I :
   (i) looked forward to reading (after reading the favorable reviews),
   (ii) wasn't sure about the quality of the book half-way through reading it, but
   (iii) was convinced that it is an important book upon finishing the final chapter.
   Broadly, it is a book about Thai Buddhism in a historical and cultural context. It attempts to relate what Thai Buddhism was like before state-led reformations (which began during the rule of King Mongkut, 1851-68) changed the institution. The story told is very subtle - it discusses, amongst others, the role that monks played in the local Thai society during this period. The method that the author employs is very peculiar - the book reads like a personal narrative that is sourced from personal interviews (with senior surviving monks), written recollections by monks as well as 'farang' diarists. This approach, which I thought was almost akin to an oral history is, I think, inevitable given the form and availability of the information on the subject. This approach also makes the book very readeable and appealing as it manages to impart to the reader the feeling of how the past feels like. Stories surrounding the sometimes supernatural feats of monks wandering in forests adds a 'folklore' dimension to Buddhism as practised by Thais that I think is not often conveyed. The stories about individual monks were the ones I enjoyed reading the most. I cared less about 'farang' writings even though their observations sometimes proved informative. Not all the book is centered around Thai Buddhism. For example, the author discusses views on the status of women in Thai society towards the end of the book (chapter 43). The book is partly a social commentary about how Thai Buddhism and society have changed. I sense a tinge of sadness about these changes but the author does not quite say it outright whether the past reforms were mistakes. This is quite understandable, given the sensitivity of the issue due to the exalted status and high esteem in which past and present Thai kings are held. One of my favourite chapter is the last one - the tale of a Dutchman who stole a jade Buddha statue from a forest, only to return it later and to ultimately find the true meaning of life (as a Buddhist monk). The last few words of this chapter (uttered by the Dutchman) was, for me, very memorable: "All our European haste and disquiet has fallen away from me. I have come to realize that quite equanimity is the highest good that we can achieve in this life". Tiyavanich certainly knows how to choose her words very well. This is a book which I read and savoured slowly - one to two chapters daily, every night, before I slid into pleasant dreams. Tonight, upon finishing the book, I lament the fact that I will need to find another good read tomorrow night.

2 comments about Realizing Change: Vipassana Meditation in Action.

1. For someone wanting a general overview of Vipassana meditation as taught by S. N. Goenka, The Art of Living by William Hart is good. But for someone wanting an idea of what an intense 10-day Vipassana course of this type is like and how it can affect one's life, these personal accounts by people from all walks of life (business people, teachers, students, prisoners, priests, health-care professionals, etc.) from many different national, religious, and ethnic backgrounds give valuable perspectives.

   Perhaps the best perspective on Vipassana in this tradition for someone without the experience of a course would be to have a close friend or relative take a 10-day course with an attitude of open-minded skepticism. After that friend/relative gives the meditation a fair trial for 10 days and then judges its effects over time, the best perspective would be to ask that person, "What was it really like? And how did it change your life?"

   This book tries to fill that gap of understanding. The accounts tend to be personal, powerful, and enlightening.




2. S. N. Goenka is the number one teacher of Vipassana meditation today. He has trained more than 700 assistant teachers who conduct courses in centers throughout the world. Each year more than 100,000 people do a Goenka sponsored meditation course.
   
   Ian Hetherington invited people who had had profound, life-changing experiences from the practice of Vipassana to contact him and people from all walks of life told him their story. The accounts in "Realizing Change" are from everyday people and the settings and situations are wide-ranging.
   
   Medical doctors see Vipassana curing serious illnesses, students improve their school lives, a 70-year-old deals with a serious age-related health problem, a hardened criminal finally finds happiness and breakes the cycle of recidivism, drug addicts stop using, alcoholics find serenity by getting to the root of their problem, angst ridden teenagers rediscover certainty and contentment, a man recovers from a serious motorcycle accident, and psychiatrists see patients using this ancient technique to embrace life and better themselves.
   
   Vipassana has also had a profound positive impact on my life. My two 10-Day courses were like cosmic "defrags" and the practice continues to be a source of strength that carries me through life's ups and downs.
   
   The "10-Day" is the most positive transforming experience I have ever been a part of and so I highly recommend the meditation courses taught by Mr. Goenka. I also recommend "Realizing Change" because it will give you some idea of what to expect from your own Vipassana 10-Day course.

1 comments about Buddhist Monastic Life: According to the Texts of the Theravada Tradition.

1. This book supplies something hard to find: a presentation of the daily lives and routine of the original Buddhist monks, as much as we can get, based on solid research, good translations, and a clear understanding of the Buddha's teachings. It is presented in a style that is not overburdened with technical language or jargon. Tremendously useful and pleasant to read. Here is what they wore, what they ate, how they got it, why they were instructed to travel, and how the monastic code (Vinaya) was interpreted as times changed.

No comments about A Collection of Buddhist Maxims.

3 comments about Woman Awake: Women Practicing Buddhism.

1. Rebeccasreads highly recommends WOMAN AWAKE as a book to be relished daily, in small doses, like the very best of delicacies - mindfully, thoughtfully, carefully, & yes, joyously -- first class sustenance for the mind & spirit.



2. The author is an Insight Meditation Society teacher who studied Theravada/Mahayana Buddhism for 5 years in India. But this book is nothing like Goldstein's "Experience of Insight," rather it's an elementary level, popular book with few references & no bibliography. It's quite short yet wordy & is full of over-generalizations, complaints/criticisms, self-contradictions (especially between chapters), 1-sided/biased views, platitudes, & value-based assumptions. IHMO the author should have used "I" rather than "We" (all or most women?) since "We" is "Me" upside down. The writing style is choppy & disjointed, like a series of bullets or 1-liners--many of which seem wise, but also self-evident & redundant. Surprisingly she seems to contradict many standard Buddhist views. She condemns fairytales: "Fairytales join the conventional culture in transmitting clear warnings to rebellious females" (vs. Marie-Louise von Franz, Lois Khan, Jean Bolen et al who tout their value & provide psychological interpretations of archetypal images in relation to psyche & society). Much criticism might be alleviated by knowledge of Jungian psychology (e.g. the correlation between Feelers/women is about 2:1; same as for Thinkers/men--so much gender stereotyping is actually/merely personality preference & subject to conscious change), Vajrayana Buddhism (which uses emotions for spiritual purposes), & familiarity with relating Psychology & Eastern Thought (e.g. Suler, Rubin, Katz, Goleman, Levine, et al). She includes several guided meditations but I'm a bit wary of their use by the uninitiated-there could be danger. She makes some valuable observations: "Our spiritual insights are only liberating if they are integrated & applied," "In the rigidity in which we hold our models they become unconscious truths that are accepted as reality," "To continue to blame men, tradition or institutions for denying our spirituality is symptomatic of our unreadiness to be alone & trust in our own spiritual awakening," "If we adopt the role of the powerless, we actually become powerless." But other assertions aren't tenable: "An authentic spiritual path will never call upon us to surrender our freedom to question, our inner direction or our trust" ["never" allows no exceptions but the unconscious is non-rational], "The self-image we hold, whether negative or positive, is rooted in our conditioning" [her nurture view is incomplete, nature=genetics is equally important plus there's karma-she presents simplistic views/partial pictures]. She contradicts herself & exemplifies what she vilifies--e.g. she extensively speaks about conditioning & the futility of willpower ("We cannot help but enact our internalized beliefs. We cannot help but enact and express our vision of who we are" which seems pretty deterministic to me), yet attempts to inspire people to consciously change themselves. She fails to adequately address balance & to recognize the cyclic nature of life (see "The Kybalion"), tending to present a naïve, binary (black & white) view--occasional statements to the contrary cannot counteract the bulk of her expositions. There are far better books to read than this one: for Buddhist practices-Pema Chodron, Buddhist popular psychology-Thubten Chodron, Buddhist Women's issues/sociology-Karma Lekshe Tsomo, great woman practitioners-Tsultrim Allione (history) & Tenzin Palmo/Vickie MacKenzie (contemporary) & many others (e.g. Dresser)-see my Listmania lists on Buddhist Women & Society & Western Buddhist Nuns.



3. I think this book is inspirational and beautifully written. In response to the previous review, I've studied Mahayana Buddhism for two years now and did not find that Christina Feldman contraditcted any of these teachings in her writing. While I agree she may make some generalized statements, at the same time, I think her writing is guided by some very positive and meaningful intentions: to empower, enlighten, and enliven women- all without having to put down or take anything away from the world of men. She attempts to show women a path that exists outside of the societal norms and gender roles so many feel compelled to comply with. I think it's a great book and definitely worth reading.

2 comments about Pure and Simple: The Buddhist Teachings of a Thai Laywoman.

1. I have had the pleasure and good fortune of having read a number of works associated with various accomplished Buddhists - particularly those within the Theravada tradition. It is extraordinarily encouraging to know that a "lay person", like Upasika Nanayon, appears to have been able to both devote such time to and achieve such depth in the pursuit and development of concentration and insight while following the Buddha's Dharma. Her life and instructions are an inspiration for those of us aspiring to achieve some measure of clarity and understanding along the Path. Even though she was a lay person, she strikes me as having been on par with other monastic Buddhist notables (e.g., Ajahn Chah) in her ability to comprehend, convey and apply the essence of the teachings. It is my modest opinion that practitioners will be exceptionally enriched by becoming acquainted with her written work(s).



2. I read the online version of this book from Access to Insight and was amazed by the grasp this remarkable laywoman had of the practice of the Dhamma. Her practice and account of it should be an inspiration to all of us lay Buddhists out there. The Dhamma and the Deathless are real and can be achieved by human effort. One must give up a lot and go against the grain of the world but the peace of Nibbana is there for all of us, lay or ordained if only we would follow the path. There are so many other books on Buddhism out there by scholars and others who try to fit the Dhamma into the narratives of Western Science or Western Cultural values and assumptions but they are all false or misguided because they don't face the Dhamma on it's own terms. Both the author and the translator have truly practiced the Dhamma according to the Dhamma. The truth in this book rings as clear as a bell and I hope anyone with a serious interest in practicing the Dhamma will pick it up and make use of it.

4 comments about Who is My Self?: A Guide to Buddhist Meditation.

1. books on meditation abound . the hard part is sifting through the morass of confusing and often contradictory methods that all but scream for your attention . ayya khema's book doesn't scream .... it whispers . and its still whispering to me , long after i have finished it .

   meditation books can be dry , they can be humorous , technical etc , but they all need to appeal to the experience of the everyday person , the one we're all so familiar with . we have to see our everyday selves in a book on meditation for it to appeal to us . ayya khema's book appeals .

   buddhism can be so esoteric . but this book keeps it simple , the way buddha intended it before our vainglorious egos started putting words into his mouth .

   now if i sound like i'm about to fall at ayya's khema's feet in servile obeisance , i'm not . there are plenty of other good books out there on meditation , but few wrenched my gut the way this one did . the best part of this book is that ayya khema writes like she has herself been through the pains of the path . buy it and begin practising !




2. I found this to be a more difficult read than `Being Nobody, Going Nowhere`. It's more Buddhist oriented with her telling a story of one of the original Buddhist text. Still, it was interesting in seeing how the people who knew Buddha asked questions and how he answers. Ayya Khema has an ability to explain the old texts, their context and apply them to our modern lives.



3. --This wonderful book, despite its somewhat misleading title, is arguably the best modern commentary on Buddhism's Jhanas, or supreme meditative contemplations (others might use terms like "peak spiritual experiences" or "liberated states of awareness."). The Jhanas include eight levels of conscious awareness, and they appear to be the mystical "mystical experiences" that so many pilgrims from so many religious traditions have sought for so many centuries. This book gives a Buddhist perspective on them.
   --Ayya Khema, a well-respected Buddhist nun, centers her book around a little-known part of Buddhist scripture called the Potthapada Sutta, in which a well-meaning but unsophisticated student asks the Buddha how to achieve the highest level of conscious awareness. The Buddha often answered such complicated questions very simply and with some humor, but he now takes the reader into a journey full of wisdom and depth. Instead of answering the student directly, he defers the answer until he has addressed the preparation needed to comprehend the question. The Buddha clearly indicates that the higher mental states should be approached indirectly, carefully, and with great ethical and mental preparation. Such preparation usually takes tremendous effort and personal change, but without them, chasing after something like the "highest conscious states" may not only be useless but a dangerous source of attachment and delusion. Far from being an esoteric spiritual cookbook, Buddhism demands adequate awareness, a practiced discernment of existence, and an ethical "guarding of the sense doors." Only then can the various Jhanas be productively accessed, although they are not simply "obtained" by our own efforts. Liberation depends on understanding existence, not in manipulating existence.
   --Ayya Khema then gives a superb commentary on the Buddha's description of the Jhanas, and discusses what they mean for us. The author suggests the Buddha viewed these supreme mystical experiences far differently from many other religious leaders. Although the Jhanas are a supremely wonderful and useful place for the mind to be, they too are subject to arising and passing away, and are not the End of the Road. Instead, their value is to allow the mind to become so clear and so focused that Insight Meditation becomes more, well, insightful. As the author puts it, the Jhanas can have indispensible value in "understanding experience," and in managing the questions of old age, suffering, and death. When all becomes still and one becomes kind, all becomes obvious.
   --Ayya Khema has artfully described a wonderful teaching. She has introduced us to steps on the spiritual journey that many of us had not expected to take -- those of discipline, renunciation, heightened awareness, and decency. Life isn't easy, but it can be positive for one who pays attention and changes accordingly.
   --This book deserves the attention of anyone interested in this dimension of Buddhist meditation. You may also want to consider a directed Jhana retreat, such as one of those found on her student Leigh Brasington's website.



4. I own over a dozen books on Buddhism, but this is the *only* one that actually describes stream-entry. The descriptions of the jhanas are just wonderful, and certainly have helped me in my meditation practice. My deepest gratitude goes out to the late Ayya Khema.
   
   Don't be fooled by the title (which I really find misleading). This book is a treasure of simple, yet detailed explanations on a complex subject. This book is a must for the serious buddhist meditation practitioner.

3 comments about The Mind and the Way: Buddhist Reflections on Life.

1. This is a very special book edited from many of Ajahn Sumedho's discourses given at retreats in the UK and elsewhere. Ajahn Sumedho is a Theravadan monk who follows the Thai Forest Sangha tradition and who is the spiritual director of 4 monasteries in the UK and a number scattered around the globe. The Mind and the Way brings us to the practise of Buddhism rather than the theory. Ajahn Sumedho has a way of interpreting Buddhist concepts so that they are of direct relevance. His long years of experience shine through. In a book with many highlights I was particularly struck by his exposition of the transcendent element in Buddhism and its relationship to what some might call God. Ajahn Sumedho refers to the Buddhist approach as 'non-theistic' in that it does not personify the transcendent experience or attempt to describe it. Nirvana (or Nibbana in Pali)is referred to in many places in the Buddhist Scriptures, but usually in terms of superlatives or in what it is not. I can thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with a real interest in religious experience and an open heart.



2. This will sound cliche, but I will say it anyway because -- it's true. This book changed my life. I have been reading Dharma books for over a decade now, and have read many that were excellent. But, more than any other Dharma book I've ever read, The Mind and the Way has made my understanding of Buddhist teachings very real, practical and clear. This is not a preachy book about theories and dogma. It is about experience and apllication. This is Applied Dharma, explained in a simple and straightforward manner. Sumedho's tone is that of a familiar friend -- a spiriual friend, with a sense of humor. If you have any real interest in Dharma you MUST read this book.



3. I can only echo the comments of the other reviewers of this excellent book. Ajahn Sumedho passes on the pure essence of Buddhism as taught by Ajahn Chah and other great Thai Forest Tradition Theravadan masters. By his own admission, Ajahn Sumedho has spent the last 40 years paring everything down to the way things are and this book is testimony to his monumental achievements. He really cuts through all of the nonsense and gets right to the Dhamma. This book, and his Dhamma talks, may at first glance appear to be fairly mundane and astonishingly simple; but upon closer inspection, re-reading and further reflection, his teachings actually contain the very deepest subtleties of the Dhamma. A great book by one of the foremost living Buddhist masters.

5 comments about Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master.

1. In response to the reviewer who claimed false advertising because the content of this book is the same as "Knee Deep in Grace" - with some attentiveness he will note it is in fact the same book reprinted. No one is trying to pull the wool over his eyes, the original publisher is no longer in business. Another publisher, wishing to keep this important Dhamma work in existence has republished it under a different title. (However, there are unscrupulous used book store owners attempting to sell the original title at exorbitant prices, claiming the book is out of print, which is untrue.)



2. I have always heard that Dipa Ma was a vegetarian. The author writes that she is not or implies that she is not. She misquoted Dipa Ma who was in fact a vegetarian.



3. Dipa Ma's life, practice and high level of attainment is truly inspirational. If you're looking for a book that will teach you the basic tenets of Theravadin Buddhism, this is not it. But, if you're looking for a powerfully inspirational story of a profoundly loving, compassionate master who transformed and inspired many Western practitioners this book is great. It really brought tears to my eyes and I keep rereading it and my wonder never ceases. It has good pictures and can easily be read in an evening. I've bought and sent copies to all the women in my life. Buy it, read it and enjoy!



4. This is an excellent read, very inspirational and well worth the price. I think some of the reviwers slightly missed the point - whilst Dipa Ma probably didnt eat meat, Theravadin Buddhists are not vegetarian because like the Buddha himself, they rely on alms donations for food. There is no prohibition on eating meat or fish in either the vinaya or the sutras, monks and nuns in Thailand and Burma are mostly meat eaters. As for the change in title, its really just a reprint with colour photos and a new publisher - its not done to rip anybody off, the newer version I think is a better tribute to Dipa Ma's spiritual legacy. Anyhow, for anybody wanting to read about a lay meditatior who was highly acomplished and masterd the siddhis (spiritual para normal powers), the janas (absorbtions) and three of the four paths to nirvana, this is the book!
   
   Other highly recommended books to people who enjoy this one are "Life of a Siamese Monk" by Richard Randall and also Maha Bowas facinating biography of Ajan Mun, a Thai forest monk who attained nirvana and passed away in the late 1940's. Maha Bowas book is given away freely and a great read, I think its also on the internet.



5. It was really great to read a life story of a great woman Buddhist teacher. Great meditation encouragement!