Buddhism Books

Beautiful Deck of cards. Very colorful. Osho Zen Tarot: The Transcendental Game Of Zen

I've never had any Tarot cards myself, tho i must say that this deck really appeals to me. Its much more current day then many other decks and perhaps the biggest plus are the quotes from osho himself which are in the explanatory book.
Best example why you should buy this deck if your into tarot or any other kind of spirituality is the fact that when i did a reading for some of my friends (who are into regular tarot themselves) they where so impressed by the art, truth and texts that they wanted to know where i bought it so they could get a copy for themselves.

I bought the cards and book basically as a guide for focusing and meditation, which works quite well. They are based on the same concept as the traditional tarot cards, so I figure that anyone the uses the tarot cards will find these quite easy to work with. I had read a couple of books by Osho before I came across these cards, so it makes sense that he would incorporate his philosophy into these zen tarot cards.

Everytime I asked this tarot for an answer or guidance, it always gave me exactly what I needed to hear at the moment. Quite amazing. I love the messages that Osho has given on each card - not just a woodoo kinda thing like any other tarot I used in the past. Try to quiet your mind before you enter the reading. It somehow helps me queit my mind as well - very powerful and helpful.

Ullasini Khwan
www.urbanyogis.com

Beautiful set of tarots and a masterful art of getting you to look within for the answers to what is puzzeling you. I have enjoyed the tarot readings and have begun my journey.

I have read this book three times and will probably continue to re-read it for the rest of my life. If you are interested in meditation, this is THE book. It is deceptively simple and brilliantly clear. There are lots of well-meaning but not so well written books out there on the topic. This is the one to help a newbie or a seasoned practitioner find the navigational aids and roadmap to meaningful and authentic meditation, and it will help the dabblers decide if this is really the path they want to tred.

A very zen approach to becoming more mindful and thereby becoming more meditative and spiritual about every day miracles. This book hit all the high notes with me.

Easy inexpensive purchase!
Very quick delivery!
I love it when it's like that!

Two copies (One for a friend)

Mindfulness in Plain English, Updated and Expanded Edition

Not quite as easy a read as I was lead to believe in the reviews. But definitely an excellent overview of mindfulness. I liked how it pointed out the pitfalls some beginners run into. I liked how they outlined the variety of ways meditation can be practiced. I would recommend this book to other beginners.

I purchased this book because I was interested in learning about the concept of mindfulness. I wasn't exactly looking to develop a serious meditation habit, but during my reading of the book I began to embrace the idea. I read the book and wanted to re-read it fairly soon after finishing, but I loaned it out to someone. I'm eager to get it back and read it again, but I've told someone else they can borrow it! I may have to buy another copy. The book is well-laid-out, covers the subject matter very well, and opened my eyes to a new way of thinking. I'm trying to become a more regular meditator; currently I do it in ten-minute increments a couple of times a week at minimum, but I'm hoping to build from there. Also: I'm currently reading the "sequel" to this book, called "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path." I'm only in the beginning but I'm finding it on par with "Mindfulness in Plain English" -- informative and eye-opening, and teaching me things that I feel can impact my everyday thinking (and hopefully result in an overall healthier mind).

Peace is within. How oft we realize, we don't need to find peace but need to meditate and look inside our very own souls. We find the solutions of the conflicts of our mind. The Author has well written the book - so clear and inspiring. The stories and parables, meditation tips are too useful and transforming tactics of inner self. Sometimes, one need to think out of the box and think positive. The Author teaches the wisdom of life with his own experiences and life life assertively by accepting who you are, what you are and accept the way god wants you to live. Walking for a while, having meals with family, appreciating the surroundings and whatever you get with a smile instead of nagging, keeping a cool to charge the emotional switchboard instead of getting on high temper and many more - all useful reading is provided by the Author that one can digest and understand. Everything is in the Mind and so, any individual need to think mindfully and accept life as it comes our way.
A Good Pick and all #### stars from me. Enjoy!

This book will show you that peace and happiness is available to you at all times, even when doing the dishes! I love this book and will read it again and again.

Every word that Thai has written brings more and more clarity. This is one I will read again and again.

This is one of the incredible diamonds that has been created for the human race - a book that should be read by all world leaders to move each and every one towards an inner peace so that we can all experience results that will ensue from the outer manifestations arising from mediation, deep breathing and appreciation of every tiny step.

Sally Shields, bestselling author of, The Daughter-in-Law Rules, 101 Surefire Ways to Manage (and Make Friends with) Your Mother-in-Law!

Peace is Every Step takes you into a world of peace and happiness, and you need nothing to get there but your attention. In the simplest everyday tasks, the author shows us how to get the most out of our lives and experience true enjoyment. We don't have to do or have different things, we just need to pay attention to what we have and what we are doing now. Nhat Hanh gently leads us to this practice. This book has changed my life for the better. I will keep it and read it over and over.

This is a read which I think answers the question as to why "'God" would allow bad things to happen to people, and why terror still seems to reign [or at least gets a great deal of our attention and effort] on Planet Earth. The author digs beneath the surface of ordinarily accepted dogmatic "truth" and boldly goes where few have gone before.

Jehovah Unmasked is well worth reading. We find here, once he has been unmasked by the author's delving into ancient language and meaning, the identity of an entity, or perhaps multiple entities, who seem to be in the business of actually making people squirm if they do not obey or "believe" as he would have them believe. And not only that, he passes himself off as being THE Infinite God, the One God of most religions originating in the Middle East and spreading their influence into the West. If you can look at this big-gun toting being as a god of love, then you clearly have on your religious blinders. But if you take them off, you will be able to see why holy wars, crusades, inquisitions, and other us-against-them, and God-on-our-side politics have been the preferred preoccupation of humanity for a very, very long time.

What is most fascinating is that author Nathaniel Merritt uses the same Bible which most of us are used to reading, through our rose-colored, unquestioning glasses, to prove his point: that "Jehovah" may not really be who a lot of people think he is. It brings to mind the New testament text from II Thessalonians 2:3,4 which speaks of someone taking his place in the temple of God and essentially presenting himself as God, a "god" [small g] disguising himself as God [capital G]. People may view this as the "end times", but it is well worth asking the question, might not this charade already have been in progress for thousands of years before those words were penned? It is an interesting twist, one that kept me reading this book and finishing it in an entire day. And I can count on one hand the number of books which have absorbed my attention to that degree!

This book is only for the open minded and those who are willing to allow what is presented to speak for itself. It is not a work for anyone whose basic view is "my mind is made up - don't confuse me with facts". I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in taking a look at ancient history, with a view to perhaps discerning from that, how life, even in these times, may have gotten to be so messy in the first place. It is not for the faint-hearted.

Other recommendations along these lines would be Genesis of the Grail Kings by Laurence Gardner, The Gods of Eden by William Bramley, The History of God by Karen Armstrong. Apparently there are a lot of people doing a great deal of digging into the past for answers. Are you daring enough to be one of them?

ALl I can say is, move over, Indiana Jones! This is a trek into the ancient past you won't want to miss. If you dare.

I bought this book based on the rave reviews posted in Amazon. If you are looking for a scholarly, unbiased book on the origins of Jehovah, this isn't it. Most of the "great revelations" are well known and are discussed in many scholarly works, popular literature, and even textbooks.

In starting to write a review of Jehovah Unmasked, I find myself at a loss for words. In my own personal experience, there have been few if any books that have made as deep an impact on me as this one. I simply cannot adequately express how important this book can be not just for everyone's personal life, but how it has the power to truly transform this world into a place you wouldn't even recognize from today's spiritually jaded wasteland.

Through the plentiful use of quotations straight out of the Old and New Testament Bible, author Nathaniel Merritt unmistakably demonstrates that the Jehovah of the OT could not possibly be the same "Heavenly Father" that Jesus spoke of in the NT. The contrast is in fact so stark, that one has to stop and seriously ask why the Old Testament God wasn't dethroned 2,000 years ago. This is clearly not the loving God that millions of Christians THINK they worship today. He is nothing less than a raging, vindictive, bloodthirsty maniac who violates his own commandments on a regular basis. And yet millions of Christians continue to believe that this is the One True God. The cognitive dissonance that resulted from this failure to recognize the obvious has probably caused more inner turmoil than any other single thing in history.

There are so many "gems" in this book, I cannot begin to number them all. But just to give you a clue as to what I'm referring to, I quote the following paragraph from page 111:

"Just as 'you are what you eat' so too 'you are what you worship.' Ideas have consequences. Ideas have psychological consequences, societal consequences, and spiritual consequences. If the god you and your sect worship is a petty, angry, egotistical, mercurial, raging, murdering, irrational despot such as Jehovah, that is what you and the members of your sect will eventually become. If the god you worship indulges in murderous fits of rage, so will you and the members of your sect. If the god you worship shifts the blame for the woeful condition of the kosmos it fashioned onto your narrow shoulders, and tells you that you are born sinful, wicked, and fit only for hell-fire and damnation, your inner self will be fragmented and burdened with terrible guilt and self-loathing."

Contrary to what many people may believe upon reading this, Merritt is not exhorting his readers to become godless atheists. He is only revealing that the emperor god Jehovah, who has held sway over mankind for thousands of years, has no clothes. He is a pathetic thing, frankly far more worthy of our derision than our respect, much less our adoration.

Merritt DOES give us an alternative, as did Jesus. However, this alternative of a truly loving, infinitely merciful God, who only asked us not to sin, but didn't threaten us with eternal damnation if we occasionally slipped up, threatened the religious establishment. The early Gnostic Christians simply wanted to experience this perfect God of Love personally, but the Church of Rome couldn't allow this. This was because they, quite simply, wouldn't be needed anymore as an intercessor between man and the wrathful, punitive Jehovah-god. The Church slyly offered Jesus as a "way out" of perdition, but only if you accepted the premise that you are a sinful creature, inevitably cursed by your blood descent from Adam, the original sinner who dared to try to find out what was good, and what was evil.

I could go on and on, but then I would be writing a book myself. Spare me the trouble and just buy this book and read it for yourself. If you read it with the intention of "disproving" the author's points, you will learn nothing. You will only be condemning yourself to the same-old doctrine-infested "old time religion".

Emerge from the Darkness and come out into the Light. The water's fine out here.

Discover the truth about Judeo-Christianity and learn what true Christianity both was and is. The book is hard-hitting, pulls no punches. Answers the age-old riddle of how a flawed and suffering universe can be the creation of an all-good and perfect God.

I have read this book from cover to cover twice. I have shared it with my family and friends. They have been amazed. The truths contained in this book are mind altering, reality shaking and will absolutely turn your world upside down and inside out; in a very good and positive way.

Of course it will be scary at first to learn that everything you ever thought about the Old Testament God Jehovah was completely wrong, but once you embrace the truth about the loving Heavenly Father of Jesus and the you realize the Jehovah is a benefaker of jibes...

The amazing thing is that all this truth comes directly out of the bible. It becomes crystal clear once you can allow your mind to accept that even perhaps the God of the OT is not the TRUE GOD MOST HIGH.

Isaiah 14:1-28 tell it all so clear who is the creator of the world and the cause of all the suffering. Read the book and you will see for yourself.

This book gives the basics of Buddhism, sort of a beginner's how-to guide. I unfortunately didn't quite get to finish it before I had to return it to the practicioner I borrowed it from, but I'm sure they last fifty pages or so didn't somehow negate the rest of the book. IF you are curious or interested in Buddhism, it's a great place to start (as is Asma's Buddha for Beginners).

This book should be required reading for everyone on the planet! What a nice world it wound be! Everyone every where taking responsibility for their own actions and feelings!

The Buddha in Your Mirror is a beautifully written book outlying not only a philosophy, but a practical means to imporve your life. Buddhism is no longer for shaved headed monks who retreat into the mountains, but a practice which allows every single person to become happy while maintaining their normal daily life. Reading this book is a perfect start to changing one's life for the better.

This book is an excellent primer for those who are curious about Buddhism
It reminds us that we all have the ability to reach buddhahood. It also talks about the importance of the mantra "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" which volumes have written about.I love this book and invite all beginners to buddhist thought to check it out. May I also encourage you to try -The Lotus Sutra- and -The Dhammapada- two major Buddhist works. Be happy.

If you know next to nothing at all about Buddhism but want to learn how and why it might be useful to you, this is the book you should start with. It is NOT rocket science but it hits all the key points you need to know and is readily understandable by almost anyone. Above all, it makes it fundamentally clear that you are in the driver's seat when it comes to your own life. Stand up for yourself, take control of your destiny and read this book.

I've read a number of books on Zen, which technically can't be written about. Zen Flesh, Zen Bones by Reps and Senzaki is a good example of the pithy stories and poems that teachers use to "point toward the moon" while helping students not to confuse the finger for the moon.

The selection of material and translation are very good.

I have the Shambhala edition. It is a shame that one of the few good-quality translations in Shambhala's Pocket Classics series is out of print. If you can find one you should buy it, because it really can be read again and again and it really does fit in your pocket.

For a different sort of introduction to Zen I recommend D. T. Suzuki's Introduction to Zen Buddhism (An Introduction to Zen Buddhism).

For a fuller treatment it is hard to beat D.T. Suzuki's Essays (Essays in Zen Buddhism: First Series).

This little book was the first popular introduction to Zen in the English language, published by Hawai'ian/ Japanese publisher Tuttle in 1957, compiled from earlier booklets. The date gives the Introduction and the comments a quaint Beat Generation-ish flavour not without its charm.
This was the book that introduced me to Zen at the age of 15: I felt I had discovered a new world, I read and re-read it, carried it around with me, was delighted by the stories, baffled by the koans. Many years later I've lost count of how many copies I've gone through.

It consists of four parts. First, 101 Zen stories, including old favourites that I've since seen in so many other books. Then a translation of the "Mumonkan", the "simplest" of the classic koan anthologies. Then the wonderful "Ox-Herding Pictures", an allegory of the stages of spiritual life from the first inkling that "there must be something more to life" to complete realisation. This by itself is a comprehensive spiritual guide.

The last section is the most surprising: a translation of a brief mediaeval Tantric text called the "Vijñana Bhairava", 112 sentences of spiritual instruction supposedly spoken by the god Shiva to his "consort" Devî. (The introduction attributes a ridiculous antiquity to this text.) Each one of these sublime sentences is a concise spiritual method: you could reach Enlightenment through any one of them if you could develop that "Give me Liberation or give me Death" attitude. What it's doing in a book on Zen I haven't figured out, but it's worth the price of the book by itself.

Shame no-one these days prints cute little paperbacks like the old blue Pelican of this book, which you could stick so easily in your pocket. But it's great to know that it's still in print, still introducing teenagers to the delights and brick walls of Zen, to the suspicion that maybe doors open somewhere in the apparently solid façade of "real life". After fifty years and an avalanche of Zen publications this is still the best Beginners' Guide to Zen, and I recommend it with enthusiasm and huge affection.

Passing in the hot street
once and forever
we - knowingly - smile

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones is a beautiful work. There's no scholastic interference - just straight up Zen stories, koans, etc.

Unassuming and small, the size of the book betrays the depth of its message. Four books in one - 'Zen Stories' originally published in 1939, 'The Gateless Gate' originally published in 1934, '10 Bulls' originally published in 1935, and 'Centering' originally published in 1955.

'Centering' is the last work but of the most importance. It was born through Kasmir Saivism and, as Paul Reps and others feel, it is of the same spirit as Zen. It is a Tantric text, with 112 methods of meditation (which Paul Reps calls 'Centering'), otherwise known as Dharanas. The sanskrit word Dhyana, in its wandering, became Jhana in Pali, Ch'an in Chinese, and Zen in Japanese. Therefore, the last book of Zen Flesh, Zen Bones could be seen as a Zen manual for self-realization. Practicing its techniques while remaining mindful of the spirit of the Zen stories and koans elsewhere in the book will surely guide a sincere seeker home.

This book will stay by my side for years. Strongly recommended for those after a taste of Zen spirit.

This is one of the earliest Zen books available in English. ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES is not "about" Zen, it "is" Zen. An omnibus of beloved Zen tales ("101 Zen Stories"), the classic ten "Oxherding Pictures," and the "Mumonkan" ("The Gateless Gate") a collection of those ironic, irreverent, and seemingly illogical Zen riddles known as Koans, this book is an excellent, one might say, indispensable, part of any Zen practitioner's library, whether beginner or Dharma Heir.

It's an excellent translation. Zen writings are essentially paradoxical, filled with sense impressions, and sometimes arcane (Koans descended from Chinese law cases of the Confucian period and are still called Cases today). ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES will not have you tearing your hair out trying to decipher the language of the Zen Masters (given the number of shaven-headed monks, you have to wonder), but it still gives the reader a great sense of the fluidity of thought that marks the material.

There are other books out there that "explain" Zen, or "teach" Zen, but ZEN FLESH, ZEN BONES is the essence of the immediate experience that IS Zen. The recorded version, read by Peter Coyote, is a wonderful listening experience.

Sit with it.

What strikes me as I read many of the reviews here is that most of the reviewers have a truly fond feeling for this book and that many have also read and re-read it over the years. Both of these experiences are true for me too!

"Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" is a collection of Zen tales that touch the heart and mind in the true spirit of Zen.

It was the first book that I ever read about Zen and it is invaluable still. I purchased my first copy in my early college days and over 20 years later I bought this book again, because I had lost my taped up and worn out copy in a move. I simply had to have this book once more, which in a strange way is an Attachment, yet not... which sounds like some half-baked Koan or humorous Zen twist like those that are so wonderful in the stories in this book. ( "What is the sound of one page turning?" )

If I had to choose one book on Zen it would be this one.
There are many, many fine books that delve deeper into the subject of Zen, but "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones" has the friendly essence and simplicity that is Zen. If you had no other introduction to Zen, somehow I think what is in this book would suffice.

The title of the book is no lie, it is telling the truth!

Peace

'Old Path White Clouds' is a story of Siddhartas life and the early spreading of the buddhist teachings, or "Dharma". The book is an excellent introduction to the basic ideas of buddhism.

This is a deeply wise book. It reflects the wisdom of Thich Nhat Nanh and gives a glimpse into enlightenment and how the enlightened person lives. I learned to ask questions that deepen insight through the reading of this book. It is a foundation for much of the work I do with CEO's and is a foundation for my leadership book "Unleashing Genius." A MUST READ FOR THOSE ON THE PATH.
Unleashing Genius: Leading Yourself, Teams and Corporations

M. Dianna Ryel-Lindsey
MA Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
Giovannina Jobson, Advisor
March 7th, 2008

Old Path, White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha
By: Thich Nhat Hanh

While at Deer Park Monastery in California, I watched a video of Thich Nhat Hanh dictating what the experience of writing Old Path, White Clouds. He spoke of the memory of writing the book with sweet nostalgia, a far off look in his eye. Thich Nhat Hanh, the Venerable Vietnamese monk who has aided in changing the face of Buddhism in the West, whose work has been deemed "Engaged Buddhism," took on the project of writing the Buddha's life, footstep by footstep. He literally wrote this book with a pen. He would work in four hour shifts for quite a long period of time until the book was done. Thich Nhat Hanh claimed that he was walking alongside the Buddha, with the Buddha, in the Buddha's era. He said it was a marvelous experience to write Old Path, White Clouds. Two women typed up Thich Nhat Hanh's work, and one of the women spoke of stopping mid-sentence to cry because she was so moved by Thich Nhat Hanh's glorious, sensitive flow of words.

The book is to be made into a movie in 2008 by Producers Michel Shane and Anthony Romano. They sought out Thich Nhat Hanh to discuss receiving the rights to make a film from Old Path, White Clouds. Humbly, Thich Nhat Hanh was perfectly fine with this inquiry. However, he wanted the producers to spend some time in his France home, Plum Village Retreat Center and Monastery. Thich Nhat Hanh informed them that they must create this movie mindfully. That is the only way a movie of the life of the Buddha could be produced.

Further, the Dalai Lama has given his consent that the book is as accurate as possible, and the Dalai Lama has taken an advisory role in the creation of the movie's script. "Drawn directly from twenty-four Pali, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources, and retold by Thich Nhat Hanh in his inimitably beautiful style, this book traces the Buddha's life slowly and gently over the course of eighty years..." describes the back cover of the book. Thich Nhat Hanh's personal journey in writing this exquisite book, and the future production of this book into a movie prove the importance and earnest way in which Old Path, White Clouds can speak to all audiences about the Buddha's life.

The book is in three parts and quite large, so I thought it would be a great undertaking to read. Hidden underneath tangled, weaving Oak tree branches, in a small hut in Deer Park Monastery in Escondido, California, I began to read Old Path, White Clouds. In a quintessential retreat setting, I understood why Thich Nhat Hanh's face filled with nostalgia as he remembered "walking with the Buddha" when writing the book. I felt as if I were floating, levitating as my eyes glided quickly across the words. Meditating and reading this book every day made me feel quite close to the Buddha (and the Buddha within). Thich Nhat Hanh's mindfulness in concentration and detail are obvious in his poetic, lyrical writing style. His care and precision is evident, and takes the reader right along with him on a journey in becoming a part of the Buddha's community, the Sangha.

BOOK ONE

The first section details the Buddha's youth and decision to leave home for the monastic, mendicant life. The book begins with Siddhartha Gautama in the woods outside of a village in India. He meets Svasti, the young Buffalo herder and Sujata, a young villager girl with some wealth. They brought him rice and kusa grass to sit on comfortably for meditation. He taught the children to eat quietly, with reverence, in mindfulness and gratitude. The children were drawn to his presence. Soon, more children came to hear Siddhartha Gautama's teaching, and the children eventually dubbed him "The Awakened One," the Buddha.

Born in 560 BC in Lumbini (India?) near the city of Kapilavastu, The Buddha grew up in a kingdom of wealth and riches. (He died at eighty-years-old in 480 BC.) Siddhartha Gautama was born to King Suddhodana and Mahamaya, his mother.

...Siddhartha was told about the dream his mother had before giving birth to him. A magnificent white elephant with six tusks descended from the heavens surrounded by a chorus of beatific praises. The elephant approached her, its skin as white as mountain snow. It held a brilliant pink lotus flower in its trunk, and placed the flower within the queen's body. Then the elephant, too, entered her effortlessly, and all at once she was filled with deep ease and joy. She had the feeling she would never again know any suffering, worry, or pain, and she awoke with the sensation of pure bliss. When she got up from her bed, the ethereal music from the dream still echoed in her ears... [The holy men of the kingdom were summoned.]
Your majesty, the queen will give birth to a son who will be a great leader. He is destined to become either a mighty emperor who rules throughout the four directions or a great Teacher who will show the way of truth to all beings in Heaven and Earth...

Mahamaya died shortly after childbirth, and Siddhartha was raised by Mahapajapati, known as Gotami, his aunt. Siddhartha, the Prince, was not interested in the affairs of the kingdom, although well-read and studied, he longed for more.

He wasn't interested in women, but nonetheless, he did meet Yasodhara. Her care and concern for the poor of India and her unconventional views brought her and Siddhartha to be close. Siddhartha was disgusted by the politics of India at the time, especially the Caste System, and Yasodhara agreed. They eventually married. Siddhartha and Yasodhara would speak of compassion together and meditated together. Their lives revolved around generosity, working with the poor. Yasodhara learned to care for herself to be able to give more; she listened as Siddhartha advised. Siddhartha continued to voice his concerns that more must be done, that he was destined to take a journey to solve the problems of India in his day.

In the meantime, Yasodhara became pregnant. Their son was named Rahula, "a fetter or a bondage." According to legend, it is more likely that he was named after a lunar eclipse (rahu) that might have occurred around the time of Rahula's birth. During many talks, Yasodhara (lovingly called Gopa by the Buddha) came to understand that Siddhartha had a mission to accomplish. He consoled her:

Gopa, please don't worry. You are a woman of depth. You are my partner, the one who can help me to truly fulfill my quest... In the near future I must leave and travel far from you; I know you possess the courage to continue your work. You will care for and raise our child well. Though I am gone, though I am far away from you, my love remains the same... And when I have found the Way, I will return to you and to our child.

Thus, Siddhartha left for a life of wandering, renouncing all for the sake of spirituality. He found numerous teachers among the forest-dwelling monks of India. He accomplished easily and quickly numerous deep levels of meditation: the state of no materiality, the state of neither perception nor non-perception, and so on... "He realized that the body and mind formed one reality that could not be separated. The peace and comfort of the body were directly related to the peace and comfort of the mind." He learned of the joys of meditation and the inseparability of interdependence and non-self.

"If the waves understood that they themselves were water, they would transcend birth and death and arrive at inner peace, overcoming all fear." Siddhartha's consciousness was raised to the suffering of all sentient beings; it is a common ground shared by all. Through meditation, Siddhartha became the Buddha, the Awakened One.

Siddhartha gazed at the star and exclaimed out of deep compassion, "All beings contain within themselves the seeds of Enlightenment, and yet we drown in the ocean of birth and death for so many thousands of lifetimes!"... He promised to share his discovery to bring help all others liberate themselves from suffering.

In Deer Park, the radiant Buddha taught his five ascetic friends of the Dharma, the law or words of the Buddha. His knowledge, he shared. At once, he had turned the Wheel of the Dharma. The Buddha taught of the Middle Way path, and also, the Noble Eightfold Path: right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

He stated, "I have followed this Noble Eightfold Path and have realized understanding, liberation, and peace."

BOOK TWO

This section of Old Path, White Clouds gives descriptions of the Buddha's travels around India and the quickly growing Sangha. Uruvela Kassapa begins the book by stating:

On this fresh spring morning,
the Enlightened One passes through our city
with the noble community of 1,250 disciples.
All are walking with slow, calm, and radiant steps.

The Sangha grew rapidly with exposure to the radiant teacher, the Buddha, and his dedicated disciples. In the second chapter, the Buddha determines that India's monsoon season is not a pleasant or safe time to travel. Thus, the three month deep meditation retreat was established. With donations and the working hands of the Sangha, the community built huts from bamboo, thatch, and pounded earth. For the first year the location for the Sangha was the Bamboo Forest. This was a time of deep reflection, study, and meditation for the monks and disciples. It became a valued tradition.

An ascetic Dighanakha had questions for the Buddha. He did not believe in doctrine or subscribing to any tenets. The Buddha replied:

You see, my friend, if we are attached to some belief and hold it to be absolute truth, we may one day find ourselves... thinking that we already possess the truth, we will be unable to open our minds to receive the truth, even if truth comes knocking at our door... My teaching is not doctrine or philosophy... It is the result of direct experience.

The Buddha handles doubt so elegantly! He is never on the defensive proving a point. He leads by example. His words are controlled, compassionate, and gentle. The Buddha's life, he leads by his own genuine experience.

Thich Nhat Hanh agrees, "Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints."

The Buddha goes on to describe a gorgeous metaphor:
I must state clearly that my teaching is a method to experience reality itself, just as a finger pointing to the moon is not the moon itself. An intelligent person makes use of the finger to see the moon. A person who only looks at the finger and mistakes it for the moon will never see the real moon... My teaching is like a raft used to cross the river. Only a fool would carry the raft around after he had already reached the other shore, the shore of liberation.

This teaching is vital in Buddhism. The teachings of the Buddha are stepping stones, not the end-all. Buddhism leaves the path open to the individual's experience, and if a person holds too tightly to "the view" or "the Buddha's words," they will be carrying a very heavy raft on their shoulders.

Next, the disciples experience Ambapali and her power of physical beauty. Sariputta asked the Buddha, "Master, how should a monk regard a woman's beauty? Is beauty, especially that of a woman, an obstacle to spiritual practice?"

The Buddha answered:
Bhikkhus, [(disciples)] the true nature of all dharmas transcends beauty and ugliness. Beauty and ugliness are only concepts created by our minds... But perhaps no beauty has more capacity to distract a man's concentration than a woman's beauty. If one is obsessed with a woman's beauty, he can lose his way.

This has long been an issue historically with Buddhism. The female, seen as a mara, or distraction (sometimes translated to be demon), is an obstruction in the monk's path of becoming enlightened. Of course, feminists have harped on this. Yet, many modern women see this as a sign of the times and let it go. Unattached, many women know that they can become enlightenment to the same extent as men and are not concerned with the term "mara." Thich Nhat Hanh presents the issue gently in Old Path, White Clouds.

The Buddha continues, "...the beautiful may still appear beautiful and the ugly may still appear ugly, but because you have attained liberation, you are not bound by either... Such a person understands the impermanent and empty nature of all things." In this account of the Buddha's life, this is where the teachings are morphing progressively from Hinayâna to Mahâyâna Buddhism.

Following this, the Buddha returns to his home palace to meet his son Rahula as an older boy. Rahula joins the Buddha on his quest and becomes the youngest disciple, layperson. He is too young to become a full-fledged monk. The Buddha states, "With understanding and love, there is nothing you cannot accomplish." These are simple, profound, and beautiful words; the Buddha elaborates quite a bit on the correct form of love that does not hold possession or greed.

The Buddha and the Sangha are walking once again and encounter an "untouchable," a man of the lowest Indian caste bathing in the river. The Buddha approaches him to greet him in a friendly manner. The man backs away! "I am an untouchable. I don't want to pollute you and your monks."

The Buddha replies, "You are human being like the rest of us," and he invites him to join the Sangha.

Sunita, the man, placed his palms to his forehead, astonished, he says, "No one has ever spoken so kindly to me before." He devotes the rest of his life to the Buddha and his teachings.

In an incredibly important point in the book, it covers the historical trials of women who wanted to become lay disciples and eventual nuns. "After hearing the Dharma talk, the queen and princess felt their hearts open. They both wanted to become lay disciples, but did not dare ask." At that time in India, politically, it would have been considered absurd and for women to become nuns. Their place in society had to do with tending the home and serving their husbands and children. There was no room for strict devotion to a spiritual path, monastic devotion.

A group of women, including the Buddha's aunt Gotami, shaved their heads, dressed in robes, and walked barefoot to meet the Buddha and portray their eager earnestness in becoming lay disciples and eventual nuns. The Buddha was not discriminatory against women, but he was unsure as to how to open the Sangha without disrupting it inside and out. He was afraid that society would not support the Sangha with women in it. Harmful conflict could come to consume the Sangha.

Finally, the Buddha comes up with strict laws that would allow the women to become nuns. The rules were stricter than the monks'. It has remained this way unto this day.

Here are the extra eight rules for women:
First, a nun, or bhikkhuni, will always defer to a bhikkhu, even if she is older or has practiced longer than he has. Second, all bhikkhunis, must spend the retreat season at a center within reach of a center of bhikkhus in order to receive spiritual support and further study. Third, twice a month, the bhikkhunis should delegate someone to invite the bhikkhus to decide on a date for uposatha, the special day of observance. A bhikkhu should visit the nuns, teach them, and encourage them in their practice. Fourth, after the rainy season retreat, nuns must attend Pavarana ceremony and present an account of their practice, not only before other nuns, but before the monks. Fifth, whenever a bhikkhuni breaks a precept, she must confess before both the bhikkhunis and the bhikkhus. Sixth, after a period of practice as a novice, a bhikkhuni will take full vows before the communities of both monks and nuns. Seventh, a bhikkhuni should not criticize or censure a bhikkhu. Eighth, a bhikkhuni will not give Dharma instruction to a community of bhikkhus.

These rules sound terrifyingly sexist to the modern ear. However, the women were so elated to be part of the Sangha and learn alongside the Buddha, that they bowed, thanked him, and accepted the rules immediately. It was understood that the Buddha was defying society and taking a huge risk for the women's sake. In order to defend the Sangha to society, the rules were set up to protect the nuns, to help ensure their place in the Sangha. Unfortunately, the rules have historically remained until modern day.

Shortly thereafter, the Buddha delivered The Sûtra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness. Ananda repeated the Buddha's words, "Sati means `to dwell in mindfulness,' that is, the practitioner remains aware of everything taking place in his body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind- the four establishments of mindfulness, or awareness." This is where venerable Thich Nhat Hanh picked up his famous words, "Present Moment, Wonderful Moment." Being present is being able to truly live life in happy awareness no matter what realities occur.

BOOK THREE

The third book entails further, deeper teachings of the Buddha like full breathing, the raft not being the shore (do not get stuck in the teachings), and virtuous action and wisdom being "the two most precious things in life." He also teaches of co-dependent arising not to be grasped through logic and words solely. This must be contemplated through the art of meditation. "When you look at a leaf or a raindrop, meditate on all the conditions, near and distant, that have contributed to the presence of that leaf or raindrop. Know that the world is woven out of interconnected threads."

The Buddha continues in his teachings and traveling. Ending up at one point in Alavi, he meets a farmer. He refuses to give a Dharma talk until the farmer and all present had finished eating. The Buddha then elucidates a discussion on hunger. "If I delivered a Dharma talk while our brother was still hungry, he would not be able to concentrate. There is no greater suffering than hunger." Always remember those who are hungry, is the advice of the Buddha.

The book finishes with gorgeous verses of the Buddha's teaching. Ananda stated, "Lord, listening to the sound of the tide and looking out over the waves, I follow my breath and dwell in the present moment. My mind and body find perfect ease. I find that the ocean renews me."

The teachings become more and more esoteric. Uttiya asked, "After you die, will you continue to exist or not?"

The Buddha replied, "This question... I will not answer... I only answer questions that pertain directly to the practice of gaining mastery over one's mind and body in order to overcome all sorrows and anxieties." Becoming enlightened means no longer holding on to the fear of death. Becoming enlightened entails no death.

Finally, the book ends with the chapter entitled Old Path, White Clouds. The Buddha has passed away at eighty-years-old; he is given a wondrous ceremony in the midst of sal trees.

"For six days and nights, the people of Kusinara and nearby Pava came to offer flower, incense, dance, and music. Mandarava blossoms and other flowers soon thickly carpeted the area between the two sal trees." After this, his body was carried into town for a magnificent funeral. The practice of meditation and teaching Buddhism continued well after his death and to this day.

Thich Nhat Hanh concludes his compassionate book with, "The Buddha was the source... Wherever the rivers flowed, the Buddha would be there." Old Path, White Clouds is a timeless treasure as are the teachings of the Buddha. I recommend this book for: anyone curious about Buddhism, people young or old, those of any and all spiritual traditions, and practitioners on any level. Thich Nhat Hanh presents the Buddha's life with great reverence and sensitivity. This book's words flowed throughout my being as I read the superlative, spiritually provocative life story of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha.

This book is simply a masterpiece. Thich Nhat Hanh delivers the story of the Buddha and his path to enlightenment in peaceful words and pages. I will likely read this book throughout my life, again and again.

A clear and beautiful biography of the Buddha. Thich Nhat Hanh is the rare writer who can write simply without sounding simplistic. Anyone looking for a simple and engaging introduction to Buddha and Buddhism would do well to start here.

"Genuine happiness, or enlightenment, is already within us; we have only to reveal it. As spring water rushes through open earth, so happiness flows through open lives." - Taro Gold
In just a few words of a good quote, you see the big picture or universal truth. This is a collection of Eastern Wisdom and contains quotes by Buddhist and Eastern thinkers such as Nichiren, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and Mahatma Gandhi.

Taro Gold sees these quotes as "guideposts." He believes in having an open mind and in illuminating your life's path with wisdom from great thinkers.

Taro also includes:

The Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds
Short Allegories
Short Biographical paragraphs of Historical Figures quoted in this book
Longer passages for reflection
Common Sense Quotes
Universal Truths
Eastern Wisdom

An Iris represents Faith, Hope, Wisdom and Valor. Not only is the cover beautiful and filled with this flower, the entire books is beautifully illustrated in an ornate fashion. Almost every page has a beautiful border and then the quotes are in black ink and easy to read on cream-colored paper.

I've been contemplating the reality of how we become what we think. Lately I've been watching how my own thoughts change my behavior.

Taro Gold has included a wonderful quote from Mahatma Gandhi about this:

"Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny."

This beautiful book will have me contemplating "thoughts" for a long time! An enjoyable collection of quotes to reflect on in moments when you want to think more deeply about life and your own journey to lasting happiness.

A book you will love adding to your collection.

I bring this book with me wherever I go, in my car or in my purse. I have an extra copy in my desk at work. I love it so so much -- makes me feel a lot better just to read one thought from it or one page from it now and then in the day. My husband keeps a copy by the bed to read us a thought before we get up each morning which often makes for great conversations.

This book is a tasty buffet of enlightened eastern wisdom. The quotes and passages will inspire your life and give you ancient wisdom to utilize in your daily journey. Definitely recommended to read and reread.

This is a great book!

This collection of words includes not only great quotes from good men but a whole collection of pictures behind to draw you into your meditation.

At the same time, I would encourage those who have participated in other religions to look into this book. It puzzles me why Catholics and Christians must keep attacking Buddhism and eastern religious. Indeed they fear even body positions not deemed "worthy of God."

In this slim volume, Taro Gold has packed full information into a window into the soul. You won't be missing anything. At the same time, I have read most of the quotes you have been listening to for many years, and find them very puzzling and bizarre. They do not seem to mimic the exact translations of Buddhist wisdom or thought, but rather the English translations of them, beautiful, yet profound.

Perhaps that's what I like about Buddhism, and eastern religion. Though some of his quotes may be misinterpreted, they are not without character, or mind. The Tao has been treated to one hell of a lot of interpretation here, totally changing the words Lao Tzu said in some cases. But otherwise, it seems to be a perfect translation of the mind of Lao Tzu, and that's good enough to keep you thinking.

I found this book most inspiring. Have to keep reminding myself to breathe, to live in the present, to enjoy life, and to realize that life doesn't begin when I finish this or that - I am living right now. This book got me deeply interested in Buddhist meditation.

expresses the real simplicity of life and how complexity only distracts us from the true treasures of life. at first i was a bit dissapointed as i wanted something to shout at me, jump off the page, but thich offers only truth and simplicity, essentially what we really need. his heart speaks through his words. it's a tiny book, so i spent much time with each page, contemplating, practicing, etc. i use his teachings each day.

very grateful, highly recommended. : )

This book is absolutely Great!!! Is very easy to read and the author seems to be in a conversation with the reader. The author makes Buddhist concepts easy to understand.

Buddhist or not, this book helps to create a great perspective on how to find peace in all life's facets, positive and negative. The poems and essays are very helpful. The book is a great tool in helping to find balance in one's life.

Thich Nhat Hahn's writing style is inherently calming to me. Just reading his simple clear language I find my mind clearing of some of the usual noise. His message is meant to inspire and provide each of us with tools to develop the kind of inner peace that both reduces our own suffering- and thereby necessarily reduces the suffering of others. I highly recommend this book.

Really enjoyed this book. Great way of looking at the game. Seemed more helpful than other "sports psychology" books.

After being frustrated with myself on the golf course during the past few months I was beginning to wonder if I might stop playing.I have a handicap of 19 and was really struggling to play to it.Once I had a bad hole I would get down on myself and the whole thing would snowball.
After reading Zen Golf and putting into practice some of the techniques I have played two lots of 9 hole stableford competitions and had 23+25 points.
I have played 2 rounds of 18 holes in competition.The first round of our club championship at 85-19-66 (par is 69).In our annual men's tournament 83-19-64.During these rounds I have only had one 7 and nothing higher.
Most importantly I have actually been enjoying myself.
I am certain this booked has really helped me and I will continue to use the techniques that I have learnt.I will probably read this book over and over when I need to as there are several more things I want to try.

I am a beginner golfer and this book is helpful for the mental part of golf! I would suggest it to anyone that plays golf. I gave to a friend that throws clubs in frustration and she played a round for the first time with no broken clubs and was relaxed, she says the book is helping her too

I loved this book! I learned more about the art of the mental game of golf in this thin volume than in a half dozen longer times (.e.: The Mental Games of Golf). I would put this up there with "See It Sink It" or "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose".

A must have for any serious golfer. I dare you to read the story about the golden statue and tell me that it didn't affect you!

Finally, a book that puts the mental game into sections that make sense. Told in a down-to-earth way, the examples and insights provided by "Zen Golf" really do pertain to the game we love. Understanding that the results of a swing are not necessarily the be-all and end-all is very powerful knowledge. Learning to breathe will apply to a myriad of endeavor, both athletic and personal. Ostensibly, it is a book about golf, but one that fills many gaps in all kinds of life situations. Dr. Parent is a born teacher.