The Buddha is Still Teaching: Contemporary Buddhist Wisdom: A Book Review.

Buddhism appeals to many of us because we are simply exhausted from the pace, chaos and suffering that too often is the price of living in a modern world. Unfortunately we aren't always able to slow down enough to meditate daily and/or savor a in-depth tome on the Dharma. Fret, not!!

The contemporary, Buddhist greats have thrown us a life-line yet again. Once again, this time, we are in-depted to Jack Kornfield. He has compiled short, easy to digest, essays and snippets of wisdom from today's great, Buddhist teachers; perfect for a lunch break that is too short for deep reading but long enough for a quick boost of inspiration. Titled, "The Buddha is Still Teaching: Contemporary Buddhist Wisdom" published by Shambhala Publications.

Case in point, a short paragraph from Tara Branch's book, "Radical Acceptance that is listed in the book:

When we are free of mental concepts and our senses are awake, the sounds, smells, images, and vibrations we experience connect us with all life everywhere. It is not my pain, it is the earth's pain. It is not my aliveness but simply life -- unfolding and intense, mysterious and beautiful. By meeting and changing dance of sensation with Radical Acceptance, we discover our intrinsic belonging to this world. We are "no thing" -- not limited to any passing experience -- and "everything," belonging to the whole.

James: I must tell you that this short, but profoundly insightful paragraph brought as much relief and motivation to my current situation as entire books I've read recently. Especially the way in which she explained how we don't have to suffer alone. We are all in this together and therefore even in our darkest moments, all alone, there is someone out there going through the same thing. And that, I think, makes the pain a little less powerful because the reality is that there are countless people who are ready and willing to help ease that suffering a bit. Just because we don't know who they might be right now doesn't mean that we should give up and assume we are completely alone and always will be.

You never know who you'll meet. Or, who is just a blog comment or email away from helping you see a way out of your suffering. I know it seems daunting but as long as there are people who believe in compassion; there will always be a friend out there. Just knowing they exist is sometimes enough to keep you sane because it's so easy to feel alone or like you are the only one in your life who feels the way you do. Don't give up -- especially in today's digital age. Kind-hearted and compassionate people are just a finger tip away.

That is why books like, "The Buddha is Still Teaching" are so valuable in a world that can so quickly get overwhelming and isolating. I highly recommend it -- especially if you are looking for a light read. Pick it up at Shambhala.

~Peace to all beings~

The Best Buddhist Writing 2010. A Book Review.

How would you like to have a collection of excellent Buddhist writings all in one book for your library? Well, that's exactly what Melvin McLeod and the Shambhala editors have offered up in the "The Best Buddhist Writing" series. Each year they select the cream of the crop in Buddhist essays and other writings to inspire and edify the Buddhist community. This year they have complied one of their best, and it's not simply Buddhist masters who are featured.

You'll read heartfelt writings from people as diverse as a man on death row to Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. Death row inmate Jarvis Jay Masters was a hardened criminal who has since shed those violent ways and dedicated his life to practicing the Dharma. His narration of a short visit to a hospital outside the prison walls will make you see the present moment in an entirely new way. One that will rededicate your will power to soak up every last drop of it. He writes about the ride to and from the hospital for a basic hearing check-up and how he savored each time the car he was traveling in stopped at a red light.

It gave him precious time to take in the beauty of regular life unraveling before his eyes hungry for a glimpse of an average life. How easily do we go about our day and take for granted that we can freely walk out our door at any time and go for a walk to see things that an prisoner would give anything to experience again. The simple beauty of watching the traffic lights turn from green to red was enough to make this inmate tear up with appreciation. May we all too learn to see the world in such a pure way. This is a good book if you are looking for a collection of easy to read, inspirational tales from both Buddhist masters but also average practitioners.

~Peace to all beings~

Living the Simple Life: Stories and Teachings of Munindra.

Anagarika Munindra was a Bengali Buddhist master who many (certainly in the west) might not of heard about, and there's a reason for it. He was a very simple yet profound man who didn't seek attention or recognition for his presence of being. Yet the energy that he radiated made him a magnet that seekers of awakening couldn't help but be attracted to. Whenever he went; people followed.

His teaching was not complicated, which in my mind that is the true nature of Buddhadharma. Recently some students of his compiled a book ("Living this Life Fully: Stories and teachings of Munindra") of what it was like to learn from his side and the end result is a true example in living the Dharma. He doesn't just teach you--he shows you.

I get a lot of Dharma books from publishers and there are a fair number that rarely grab my attention immediately. A lot of times I find myself laboriously hacking my way through a dull and scattered book as if I was making my way through the maze-like Ituri rain forest in Congo, Africa. I was pleased, however, to crack open this book to the first page and be greeted with this breath of Dharmic fresh air.

Everything is meditation in this practice, even while eating, drinking, dressing, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, thinking. Whatever you are doing, everything should be done mindfully, dynamically, with totality, completeness, thoroughness, Then it becomes meditation, meaningful, purposeful. It is not thinking but experiencing from moment to moment, living from moment to moment, without clinging, without condemnation, without judging, without evaluating, without comparing, without selecting, without criticizing--choiceless awareness. Meditation is not only sitting; it is a way of living. It should be integrated with your whole life. It is actually an education in how to see, how to hear, how to smell, how to eat, how to drink, how to walk with full awareness. To develop mindfulness is the most important factor in the process of awakening.

James: What else needs to be said of the Dharma? Indeed it is simple if one can be totally absorbed in each moment; whatever that moment might find us doing. This teaching reminds me so much my Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh addresses Dharma practice. A lot of this book mirrors what Nhat Hanh speaks of, so if you like his style then you'll really get a lot out of this book. Another section that resonated with me was Munindra's approach to sectarianism, which is so silly. Sectarianism is like two school boys having a contest to see who can pee the furthest. The Buddha taught one Dharma and that's the approach Munindra takes. As one student said of him, "awareness was awareness, and it was open to anyone." Student Eric Kupers noticed: I didn't notice any sectarianism from him at all, or "you gotta sign up for something" or "you shouldn't sign up for something." It was just very much about living truth of the teachings in the moment in a very down-to-earth way.

James: Such wisdom resonates deeply within my essence because when we are truly absorbed with the present moment, all lines of demarcation between "us and them" fall apart like an structureless cloud revealing a clarity of mind that is as crisp and clear as the blue sky. Munindra understood firmly that no sect, tradition or teacher has a copyright on the present moment. It belongs to none of us, yet is apart of us. As student Robert Sharf remembers, "Basically, it doesn't matter style of practice you're doing. Either you're doing it mindfully or you're not."

This is an excellent book on showing the way to being at one with the freedom of the present moment. So, while formal meditation is very valuable we must learn how to make our meditation mobile. Thus, it infuses our every moment and we can practice anywhere and at anytime. You'll find powerful insights packed into just the first few chapters more than the entire length of a lot of books. It's a must have for a serious Dharma practitioner.

~Peace to all beings~

Zen Master Seung Sahn on Abortion.

Previously I had only known Zen master Seung Sahn through short YouTube clips but I was enlightened by what I heard. However, just before we left for a vacation in Costa Rica, I wanted to find a book that would help me stay grounded despite all the activity we'd be experiencing.

We all enjoy fun but given the reality of samsara, even the most enjoyable activity can become a source of suffering after too much indulgence. I don't necessarily believe in fate, (though I do believe in karma) but when selecting a book I couldn't find any of the half a dozen books that I was searching for at the local bookstore.

So, I wandered over to the Buddhist section as is my customary starting point when I don't have a specific book in mind. I perused the various ones taking time to flip through the pages and soaking up the relaxing smell of crisp paper. After going through several books I discovered Korean Zen Master Seung Sahn's book, "Wanting Enlightenment is a BIG MISTAKE."

I immediately performed my test of a book I haven't researched ahead of time. I flipped through the book to random pages to see if it caught my attention. After several minutes passed I realized that I had started reading the book from the beginning, and so I knew my decision was made up. This book is very easy to read but is full of teachings that will have you contemplating even the seemingly simplest teachings. Seung Sahn was never afraid of controversy, blunt speaking or odd language when the lesson required such behavior.

As one of his students said of his broken English, "You had to drop underneath his words to grasp his true meaning." I have found during my nearly decade long practice that the best Buddhist teachings come across in the fewest words.It is full of short but powerful teachings on everything a modern society struggles with. Including abortion, which is too often a topic that is avoided in Buddhist circles. During a visit to Poland a student asked the master if abortion was wrong. Seung Sahn first emphasized the first precept against killing is to be taken into consideration but that hte most important thing to consider in making such a decision is why do you do something?

"So what kind of direction do you have? Why would you abort this baby? Determining that clearly in your mind is most important. Whether or not you go to jail is not the way to decide this. The only thing that must be clear is why or why not you would have this abortion. Of course this baby is a human being. He goes on to tell the story of a person has to decide what to tell a hunter, which direction the rabbit he is pursuing went. "But if your direction for keeping the precepts is to truly liberate all beings from suffering, then you will maybe tell a lie. Our teaching says that you must not kill, especially human beings. But when a bad man comes and hurt many people, a policeman sometimes kills that person. But this policeman is not killing for himself, because of his own angry mind. His action of killing is to save sentient beings from suffering.

Every day, between seven and eight thousand people die from one or two diseases alone. Every day. No food, no clothes, no house. Babies are suffering. Why make all this suffering for babies? So, whether or not babies should be born is not the point. Instead, what is human beings' correction direction? How does this action help other beings? That is great love. That is great compassion.

James: This was my general thesis for being supportive of a woman's right to choose but it's nice to have a recognized Zen teacher underline the point. I believe that sometimes bringing a baby into the world actually causes more suffering for all involved than not. If the baby will simply be born addicted to crack or already dying from HIV/AIDs then to abort them would be in my view the compassionate thing to do. Or what if the child is born but like many become stuck in the cycle of foster homes--many of, which are abusive and neglectful as the parents are simply looking for the check they get from the government to care for the child/children.

Of course, not all foster parents are this way but enough to be a concern. Another concern is if giving birth to a child will endanger the life of a mother who has several children already. Is the life of the unborn child important enough to kill the mother of the three kids already living? In this case it would seem the greatest suffering would be from the several children left without a mother. Including then the newborn.

This all said, sometimes the less suffering choice is to indeed have the child. I like that Master Sahn said not to think about it as "good" or "evil" but why? This is the idea of Right Intention where an action doesn't necessarily cause one less skillful karma if the intention wasn't to cause suffering in the first place. Such as a young child (4-5 years old) who distracts their parent enough to cause a car crash, which kills them. It isn't that child's fault because his/her intention wasn't to kill their parent. All in all this book is amazing and despite it being a quick read it is full of great teachings, wisdom, laughter and insight. It is also a great desk reference book, so keep this one handy in your collection. I've give it 10 out of 10--it really was one of the best Dharma books I've read, and I've read many.

~Peace to all beings~

Confession of a Buddhist Atheist. A Book Review.

I know some people find him controversial in Buddhist circles but I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Stephen Batchelor's books. So, it was with excitement that I opened the envelope from his office containing the new book, "Confession of a Buddhist Atheist."

The beginning is the story of his journey East on the "Hippie Trail" toward India and Asia where he studied Buddhism as a monk in Dharamsala with the Dalai Lama. Then, later, studying Zen in Korea.

Of course a lot of the conclusions reflect an atheistic view but rather than give away the juicy parts I'll let you discover those for yourself. I highly recommend this book to the contemporary Buddhist. To quote the book jacket, "A stunning and groundbreaking recovery of the historical Buddha and his message." Sounds interesting, huh? If so, read on.

The parts that caught my interest most were the chapters on getting back to the basics of Buddhism as found in the Pali cannon. One example that comes to mind is Mr. Batchelor emphasizing a teaching from Buddha that has been lost on some over the years, and is the idea that doubt is not only acceptable in Buddhism but essential to waking up. Batchelor underlines this with the Zen aphorism, "When there is great doubt, there is great awakening."

Batchelor explains:

This deep agnosticism is more than the refusal of the conventional agnosticism to take a stand on whether God exists or whether the mind survives bodily death. It is the willingness to embrace the fundamental bewilderment of a finite, fallible creature as the basis for leading a life that no longer clings to superficial consolations of eternity.

This is unknowing is in part why some Zen teachers purpose seemingly illogical questions for the conditioned mind, known as koans. They often confound the "logical mind" which "resets" things allowing for awareness to arise and enlighten in that open space--that open moment. Hagen's Koren Zen teacher, Kusan Sunim explains further, "If you continue inquiring in this way, the questioning will become more intense. Finally, when this mass of questioning enlarges to a critical point, it will suddenly burst. The entire universe will be shattered and only your original nature will appear before you. In this way you will awaken."

I also appreciated the author's quoting the Buddha in regards to the use of prayer. "There is no point in praying for divine guidance or assistance. That, as Gotama told Viasettha, would be like someone who wishes to cross the Aciravati River by calling out to the far bank: 'Come here, other bank, come here!' No amount of 'calling, begging, requesting, or wheedling' will have any effect at all."

Finally, I'll wrap this up with some good, old fashioned, cold, water of Buddhism being splashed on the heat of our ego-minds. "In other words: when the chips are down, the only thing you can rely on is whatever values and practices you have managed to intergrate into your own life. Neither the Buddha nor the Sangha (community) will be of any help. You are on your own." We like to flower our lives with wonderfully vivid stories of the metaphysical, and of Bodhisattvas interceding on our behalf but hard truth found in the suttas/sutras is that we're on our own. We are our own Bodhisattvas and our own saviors.

It is somewhat terrifying at first but upon further reflection it is honest, realistic, compassionate, truth. Buddhism isn't for sissies--that's for sure. If you're looking for someone to save you then you probably will find Buddhism to be a bit too honest and harsh. However, if you're looking to cut through the bullshit and the fluff then Buddhism and this book, "Confession of a Buddhist Atheist" mind be helpful along your journey. All in all I enjoyed this book as a dog savors a good bone. I couldn't put it down and read through it like a saw cuts through a forest. It was a great read. I give it a 9 out of 10 -- 10 being best. Go get it and read it.

---End of Transmission---

"The Magician of Lhasa," a Book Review.

It is rare to find a book of fiction based on Buddhism and even rarer still to find one worthy of reading. Well, "The Magician of Lhasa" by David Michie. The first 50 pages are kind of slow but keep reading because after that the story explodes into an exciting, fascinating, mysterious, suspenseful literary ride. Upon receiving the book I was dreading to hear how Buddhism would be presented and used in a novel as in the past many fiction writers have badly misrepresented Buddhist philosophy.

However, this books does a pretty good job of staying true to the teachings while offering up just enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. The book not only does a good job of explaining the Dharma it also teaches actual, helpful, applicable lessons mixed in with a entertaining story. What more could you want in a book? I don't want to say much more for fear of spoiling the secrets and plot of the book but It's a very fun book to read and suggest it highly. It is as good as any Dan Brown novel and I'd say is actually better than Brown's current book, "The Lost Symbol." I give "The Magician of Lhasa" a 9 out of 10 stars -- 10 being best.

~Peace to all beings~

"The Novice," a Book Review.

Who amongst us hasn't fantasized about a spiritual pilgrimage to for secret, life-changing wisdom. It seems that many of us, (Westerners especially) come to Buddhism with wild imaginations of climbing the Himalayas to get enlightenment from a 200 year old monk. That was what author of "The Novice" Stephen Schettini seemed to set out looking for on his pilgrimage to the East -- mostly India.

He learned, like all of us must at some point that Buddhism can be practiced anywhere in the world and that practicing it in the historical heart of the religion doesn't necessarily give ones Dharma practice an advantage. He also reminds us that Buddhism isn't always perfect or immediate in showing results. It's very much a book about not expecting Buddhism to immediately change your life. The story is mostly a coming of age story of a young man living during the first Buddhist boom in the West during the 60s and 70s. It was a chaotic, exciting and confusing time for Westerners studying a religion that was very new in their culture and reading about it is a fascinating view into the early days of Western Buddhism.

Reading about his travels on the way to India are just as interesting as his time training in the monasteries. He has some unique and curious stories to tell as he goes from Europe to Turkey to Iran to Afghanistan to Pakistan and then into India herself. It is fascinating to read about the people he meets along the way and how he views the cultures that he comes into contact with. He traveled very light and with little concern for safety, which would be near impossible today. As you read the book you can't help but feel a pull toward desiring your own adventurous journey to personally meet the world. It is a serious book reflecting on the difficulties of this life and the struggles we have in seeking to liberate ourselves from suffering, which is often done in humorous ways throughout the book.

It's a fast and interesting read with the exception on the long, drawn out description at the beginning of the book about the author's childhood. Though even that had some funny, interesting spots. I just think it could be a bit shorter as I wanted more written about the actual monk hood period but that's a minor quibble with an otherwise interesting book. I'd highly recommend this book for anyone interesting in reading first hand experiences of Westerners discovering Buddhism. I give it a 7.5 out of 10 -- Ten being best.

---End of Transmission---

The Art of Happiness in a Trouble World.

I just finished reading the follow-up book to the #1 bestseller, "The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, MD. The follow-up is titled, "The Art of Happiness in a Trouble World. I found things that I liked in this book, however, I wouldn't be honest if I said it was an excellent book. I don't like to be critical in life but I won't say I liked something if I didn't. I must say though that this wasn't the Dalai Lama's fault in the least but rather the author who came across as almost pestering His Holiness when he didn't like the answer the Tibetan monk gave.

For example, the author Mr. Cutler spent the first part of the book (five full chapters) on one subject -- the importance of diversity. Now, this is a very important and noble subject to be sure. That said, the author could have covered the subject in breadth within two chapters but spending 109 pages talking about all the different ways one can say, "Diversity is important" gets frustrating and a bit annoying. Of course, I'm not the most patient person in the world but after 109 pages I was somewhat exasperated.

At one point Cutler even writes that the Dalai Lama appeared exasperated with the line of questioning as to why the author couldn't understand that it's not "Me or We" but "Me and We" when relating to others and yet taking care of one's own needs. The Dalai Lama said:

"So, we are not saying to forget about oneself, one's own concerns. That is not realistic. We are saying that you can think about both one's own welfare and the welfare of others at the same time."

Sounds simple enough but not for the annoyingly minutia dwelling author. He apparently thought that wasn't a good enough answer. So he writes, "Nonetheless I persisted with my original question..." which is understandable at first but this was an obnoxious trait of pushing the Dalai Lama persisted through the book. Even someone with unlimited patience like Dalai Lama can't take that much philosophical rambling. So the author continues, "We continued along the same lines for several more moments, as I pressed him for a way to deal with the "opposing" sensibilities of a Me or a We orientation. The Dalai Lama absently rubbed his palm over the crown of his shaved head as I spoke, a gesture of frustration that was also reflected in his rapidly shifting facial expression. As his expression on a priceless mixture of three parts bewilderment, one part amusement, and a dash of disgust, he shook his head and laughed. "I'm just not clear as to where the contradiction lies! From my perspective there is no inherent opposition here."

I realize that I should have more patience for absolutist, black and white thinking such as the one shown by the author in these interviews but such desire for clear-cut, definitive solutions to broad human problems doesn't make for very easy book reading. After awhile you lose focus as the reader and your mind becomes a bit blurry, numb and confused as to what the original point of the author was. Finally, on page 114 I found something useful and insightful brought about by the interviews as the author asked the DL about September 11th and how could human nature be inherintly good in the face of such horrific acts. The Tibetan monk responded wisely:

"Perhaps one thing is that I look at such events from a wider perspective. When such things happen we often tend to look for one person or a group of people to blame. But I think it is wrong just to look at one individual or group of individuals and isolate them as the sole cause. If you adopt a wider view, you'll see that there can be many causes of violence. And there can be many factors contributing to such events. So many factors. In this case, for example, I think religious belief is also involved. So if you reflect on this event more deeply," he explained, "you realize that many factors contributed to this tragedy. To me, this reinforced one crucial fact: It showed to me that modern technology combined with human intelligence and guided by negative emotions -- this is how such unthinkable disasters happen." This made total sense to me and seemed clear but once again the author responded with confusion saying, "Can you elaborate on what you mean by that?" I understand he wants a clear cut answer that fits neatly into his psychiatric, scientific background. That said, by this point it was starting to give me the impression that he was dragging this out, in part to squeeze more juice out of the "Art of Happiness" turnip for another book.

The next 50 pages was more drilling down and getting lost in the minutia of a subject. This time the subject was on the sources of violence, which while important was done at a depth that just frustrated me. Once again the author dissected the subject down so finely that there wasn't much left to take away. The next chapter, chapter 9 about dealing with fear was really good but by page 181 I was exhausted mentally. Unfortunately this was the point at, which I stopped reading because I just couldn't read anymore of the author's pushing the Dalai Lama to say things the author wanted to hear. However, I'll end my long review with quoting something that I did really like from the author in speaking about violence and having hope for reducing it in the future.

"Aren't we essentially compelled to conclude that human nature is fundamentally aggressive? Fortunately the answer to that is, No! According to researchers, during the age of hunter-gatherer socieites, 30 percent of the male population died by violent means, at the hands of others. What was the percentage during the bloody twentieth century, even with the war, the genocides, the constant warfare? Less than 1 percent! And as the new century and millennium has dawned, this rate has continued to fall dramatically."

I wish I had more good to say about this book because as I said, I don't like being critical but I also don't want to be misleading as I think some reviewers tend to be. I often read snippets of reviews on all these book jackets that just gush over them. However, I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed to find out for myself that what they were saying didn't square with my reading. So while there are some nuggets of insight within this book the majority of it is pretty annoying and again, that's not the fault of the Dalai Lama.

The Buddha's Wish for the World. A Book Review.

In this short but interesting book, Robert Thurman sets the tone in the forward with a welcoming punch to the forehead, "I am right" is the root of all problems. This book is part biography but is mostly a concise but rich discourse on the teachings of Shin Buddhism from the 24th Monshu of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwaji-ha--Monshu Koshin Ohtani. I was impressed with this book from the start with the Venerable Monshu touching on the importance of ridding oneself of a very unskillful emotion that I struggle with--self-pity.

Monshu says, "The heart of the matter is we humans turn our backs whenever duty calls and protest that it is not our responsibility. "How come I am the only one who has to do this?" "It is not like I chose to be born in this place." " I didn't do anything wrong." As long as we respond to a situation in this way, we can never get rid of the nagging feeling that the world is unfair or that we are dissatisfied with our lives."

James: Even if we do not believe in an external savior; It seems that many of us still long for one. Whenever I think that life is "being unfair to me" It's hard to remember that this is my ego-mind feeling that it is somehow special and different than everyone else. That somehow suffering shouldn't apply to me. Thank-you Monshu for reminding me of this tendancy of mine and why it's dangerous to my practice. Much of this book is timely to our era of hyper-inflated egos and selfishness becoming a near sainted emotion. It is exactly what we need to hear.

Monshu reminds us that everyone breaks the precepts; according to his tradition of Shin Buddhism we're all in need of the Amida Buddha's compassion. This is again timely as a heated discussion of precepts is often cultivated in the buddhoblogosphere. People set up camps, which often end up being arguments over who is more pious. Well, newsflash. None of us keep the precepts so rather than argue over who is the keeping the rules as Buddha intended; It is better for both sides to look inward and clean up our own mess before throwing around accusations and statements of authority. In fact, none of us are authorities on much of anything. We're all stuck in the mud of samsara together.

When you're stuck in the mud and you throw a handful at another fellow stuck being you also get yourself dirtier. No one wins when we turn on each other. We each have our own path to follow within the greater map of the overall Dharma. What might be hard for one person will be easy for another but it doesn't mean that person is better than the other because they have their weaknesses too. To deny such is pure folly and enforcing dangerous delusions. This all said, Monshu explains the traditional five precepts are not found in Jodo Shinshu because they believe Amida Buddha will save them. However, he warns this is not a license to do whatever those practitioners want. The focus he teaches in Shin Buddhism is not always about extinguishing desire but also about enjoying life but not attaching to desire.

He mentions the idea the "The Seven Gifts" in Buddhism, which I hadn't come across but I find it very wonderful. Here are the gifts: 1). The gift of gentle eyes, looking at others kindly. 2) The gift of a smile and kind expressions. 3). The gift of words, speaking kindly to others. 4). The gift of the physical body. Acting properly yourself, and treating others with respect. 5). The gift of heart, touching others with a heart full of love. 6). The gift of a resting place, offering others a place to sit and rest. 7). The gift of shelter and lodging, providing others with a room or warm place to stay. These all allow us to be Bodhisattvas right here, right now. The Bodhisattva vow doesn't have to be some metaphysical god concept.

I don't want to spoil the whole book for you though!! So I'll leave you with this post and some teasers of other concepts that Monshu touches upon in greater detail in his wonderful book: On feeling useless and a burden, (this section really helped me with my depression that involves those feelings of uselessness). On feeling that life is boring (again, very helpful). On comparing ourselves to others and how to see that in a more constructive way, which is again timely for our modern age where social status and being seen as beautiful, rich and powerful is hyper inflated. On growing old and how to feel better about your age and how to enjoy the time you have. And finally, on dying where he offers an interesting and fresh insight upon the long feared subject.

While this book is written by a Shin Buddhist; Buddhists of all traditions will find much to like in it. It is a short book and can be read in one sitting but don't let that fool you into thinking that it's not full of great wisdom. It is frankly wonderful how much wisdom and unique insights Monshu offers in this thin but enriching monogram. I highly recommend it and give it an 8 out of 10 on a scale where 10 is the highest ranking.

"Bamso: The Art of Dreams." A book Review.

I was recently sent a copy of "Bamso: The Art of Dreams" and initially I thought it was more of a manual on how to use your dreams to better your life. And while it does offer some insights in how to use dreams to solve problems in your daily life it reads more like a novel or one person's dream diary. It certainly paints a very wonderful journey of the mind and it's an interesting read. However, personally I find the ideas of astral projection, mental projection and time travel through dreams to be distractions from our ideals as Buddhists of waking up from dreams and illusions.

I have found that the mind in Buddhism is not something to be encouraged. Also, In the book the teacher encourages the student to cultivate his imagination. For many Buddhists such an activity is going against much of the teachings on Dharma to reduce our fantasies and imaginations, which often distract us from the present moment of right here, right now. The Buddha taught that this present moment is all we have and I personally believe that gallivanting off into our dreams can be a really good way to lose focus and become distracted from true awakening.

That said, dreams can provide insights from time to time but attaching too much importance to them (I have found) just leads to more attachments. I have done astral projection before and while it was fun and interesting I didn't do much for me except cause me to attach to the warm fuzzies I often felt mentally traveling through fantasy worlds. It would probably best be appreciated in the Buddhist community by Tibetan Buddhists, who seem to be more open to dream analysis more than other schools. Especially the Dream Yoga and Dzogchen Tibetan Buddhist traditions. I do believe that sometimes dreams replay events from past lives but there is no way of knowing this for sure in a scientifically proven sense. However, I see most dreams as an amalgamation of the days events, worries, fears, hopes, desires and miscellaneous images. If we as Buddhists are too awaken to the illusory nature of our waking state then how is it that we should attach too much importance to our dreams?

The book did explain that if nothing else analyzing your dreams can bring about better sleep and relaxation during the day. Personally, it is quite distressing to have a nightmare and feel the distressing energy throughout the next day. So there suggestion in the book of combining dream analysis with meditation seems useful in letting go of the suffering that often comes with nightmares. Overall I personally wouldn't recommend this book for Buddhists who usually want to wake up from dream states, not enforce them. At least that's how I see it but I'm not a Buddhist master or anything. I know Buddha experienced dreams but somehow it's different, though I can't quite explain why. Perhaps it's that Buddha used his dreams to wake up, not enforce his delusions of the pleasure seeking self. As a Zennist who strips a lot of metaphysical aspects from his practice I'd give this book a 4 out of 10. If you're just looking for a good novel/story though I'd give it a higher rating. That said, I'd be happy to send this to anyone interested in it. Just email me: jaymur-at-gmail-dot-com. UPDATE: This book has now been claimed.

~Peace to all beings~

Dalai Lama Book Drawing Completed. Another One Begins.

I'm sorry that I didn't do the drawing for the Dalai Lama's new book, "Becoming Enlightened" until now but we did it today. My wife picked the name from my hat (the one I'm wearing in the profile picture. I'm pretty much never without that hat) and the book goes to a person who wishes to remain anonymous.

Thank-you all for reading the blog and for your interest in the book but the giving isn't done yet as I have a Zen t-shirt to give away. It is ash gray in color, has the Zen enso emblazoned upon it with the word, "enso" printed just below the enso circle itself. It is a men's U.S. size large t-shirt and it has never been worn.

~Peace to all beings~

"Becoming Enlightened." A Book Review.

I have two altars where I keep my Buddha statue and other sacred objects. The main one where I meditate is in the front room with a framed picture of my teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh with prayer beads draped around it. Along with of course a lovely statuette of Buddha. I keep a second but smaller one in the bedroom with a picture of the Dalai Lama and one of Thich Nhat Hanh above on the wall.

Well, whenever I look at these pictures of these two men I think of loving grandfathers who patiently pass on wisdom to the younger generations. I smile looking at their kind and warm faces feeling comfort that they are with us. They are two of the world's grandfathers and we are very lucky to have them in ourlives. I was recently sent two copies of the DL's latest book, "Becoming Enlightened" to review one and to give the other away to one of my readers.

This latest book is a real gem to add to your Buddhist literature because it is a well written introduction to the Buddhist path. That said, however, it has much to offer the long-time practitioner and it did me a lot of good to reread the basics so to speak. It is a very quick read (I read it in 3 days) and it offers contemplation exercises at the end of each chapter, which are summaries of what was covered. I think they will be very useful when I want to meditate upon something said in the chapter without having to reread the entire chapter.

The Dalai Lama begins by saying that we should be open minded about other religions and Buddhist traditions because religion is relative to each individual. And as he mentions, the Buddha did not always teach the most profound teachings to all students. He taught according to the individuals interests and dispositions. So in other words, whatever benefits that person most is best for them. It makes a lot of sense and explains why there are so many religions and sects.

He reminds us that we are in a favorable position to make great progress toward enlightenment with this very human existence. It is a precious state and we must do our best not to waste it upon afflictive, selfish things. He speaks a lot in the book about the benefits and importance of selflessness as it is hard to have hatred, greed and delusion in our hearts if we are acting in an altruistic and selfless manor.

Another teaching that I really responded too was that of how if we realize that much of our suffering is our own fault from past actions that we can accept the pain easier and move past it because as he said, "This is the nature of cyclic existence." I think I'm going to use that phrase as my new mantra because I have experienced its power to help already in the few meditations I've incorporated it within since reading this book.

He also warns against worshiping gods instead of putting all confidence in Buddha saying, "Altruism based on love and compassion is the avenue to all these benefits. This is the beauty of Buddhism. But if you leave your afflictive emotions as they are, then even if you imagine a god of long life to your right, a god of wealth to your left, and a god of medicine in front of you, and you recite a mantra a billion times, still you will find it hard to achieve anything."

He spends a lot of time discussing our relationships and how we should practice compassion toward all beings regardless of if we agree with them or get along with them. All are deserving of compassion--even the most hardened criminals. In specific this quote really put this into perspective and like usual the truth often only requires a few words. "Real compassion does not depend on whether the other person is nice to you."

I was happy that His Holiness added a section on including animals in our compassion and spoke of the horrors of the factory farming of animals for meat. It is curious then, however, why the Dalai Lama still chooses to eat meat. I know his doctors tell him he needs the meat for his health, however, I wonder if he's getting the best and latest advice/information because It is very easy for people to be healthy without eating meat.

Though I am a strong advocate for animal rights and vegetarianism it is not my place to judge anyone who decides to keep eating meat (least of all the Dalai Lama). I am not a militant vegetarian who screams and yells at those who do eat meat because it doesn't do any good and becoming vegetarian must come from a place of sincerity and personal conviction to last--not from being guilted and shamed into it. I do not think that one must be a vegetarian to be a Buddhist but I think it helps in cultivating compassion.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and will keep it as a handy desk reference to the foundations of Buddhist practice. It's a great read for say a weekend get away or a overseas flight. As I alluded to above, some of the best wisdom is said in few words.

As I stated in the top of the post I have a second copy of this book to give away. Due to a lack of funds though I can only open this up to those living in the U.S., Mexico or Canada. Unless you are willing to pay the overseas shipping and if you are then I'll be happy to send it to you. So just leave a short message in the comments saying you'd like your name to be entered into the mix. Or email me: jaymur-at-gmail.com

I'll leave the submission period up for a week, which means have your name submitted by next Thursday and I'll make the selection on Friday. Here's how it will go: I will write each name on a piece of paper, fold it in half, and drop them into a hat. After all names are dropped in the hat I will have a third party (my wife) pick a name out of the hat that I will hold up high so that she can't see the pieces of paper. Good luck!!

~Peace to all beings~

"Small Stones: A Year of Moments." A Book Review.

Author Fiona Robyn was kind enough to send me an advanced copy of her book, Small Stones: A Year of Moments. It's is a nice collection of thought provoking, simple yet profound observations about life, nature and spirituality.

They have a wonderful streak of Buddhism within many of these nuggets of thoughts because many of them stem from pure mindfulness. Fiona makes lovely observations of things in life that we might often over-look.

First, I'd like to highlight a few of my favorite mindfulness statements about nature from Robyn's book:

the moon is so transparent you could slip a thumb-nail under the edge and peel it from the sky

This next one is quite mindful and a nice example of nature meditation:

The buds on the magnolia trees are pink-tinted and fat. Pull up a chair; wait for them to go bang.

Here are a few wonderful views about life in general. This first one will give you an entirely new look at diggers:

a digger tips it's scoop: the sand slides out as if from a cupped palm.

the street light tastes the dark -pring! - time to brighten the street

Now a spiritual entry. This first one has a Buddhist under-tone in expressing the reality of suffering and death. It also speaks of acceptance in order to realize peace:

Another cat dead on the road. Outside the garage on the gravel, a cat-caught bird's underside teems with hungry life. Business as usual.

And finally, I'd like to highlight the humor that pepper Robyn's observations throughout the book:

The graveyard is scattered with crushed beer cans, silver streamers, empty bottles - the dead have been partying all night.

All in all I really enjoyed this book and I recommend it to anyone looking for simple yet profound words of wisdom. It will give you a whole new outlook on the life around you and is a great book to just flip to a page and find a nice nugget of mindfulness to start and/or finish your day with.

Thank-you Fiona for the copy of your excellent book. :)

~Peace to all beings~