Lessons of the Lotus: Practical Spiritual Teachings of

A Traveling Buddhist Monk

Reviewed by Donna Seaman

Booklist

Vol.94 No.3
P.289

Oce 1, 1997

COPYRIGHT by 1997 American Library Association

            Wimala, Bhante Y. Nov. 1997. 224p. Bantam, paper, $12.95 
            (0-553-37855-4). DDC: 294.3 
            Moore is an explorer. He ventured into Internet culture in his first 
            book and was inspired to write his second when he became intrigued 
            with the surge of interest in Buddhism in the West. A lapsed 
            Catholic with a healthy sense of skepticism, Moore went on retreats 
            at Buddhist monasteries, attended sessions at zendos and meditation 
            centers, and participated in all manner of Zen and Tibetan Buddhist 
            events. His witty and candid "regular guy" approach to these 
            experiences is entertaining and comforting, and his 
            conclusions--that a viable form of American Buddhism has yet to 
            coalesce but that meditation can benefit nearly everyone--are right 
            on target. 
            Moore is the quintessential Buddhist novice, whereas Salzberg, a 
            longtime Buddhist teacher, is an adept. As her practice evolved, she 
            learned that it is possible to live with a sense of connectedness 
            and an "unbounded heart" and to help others do the same. Her 
            teachings take the soothing form of stories, both personal anecdotes 
            and instructional tales, and all are told with lucidity and warmth. 
            Yoga isn't a religion per se or merely a set of physical exercises 
            that help relieve stress and increase flexibility; rather it is a 
            spiritual and philosophical tradition articulated in a wealth of 
            poetic scriptures. Feuerstein, a prolific and cogent yoga scholar 
            and popularizer, has selected inspirational passages from various 
            Sanskrit and Hindi texts, including the Upanishads, the 
            Bhagavad-Gita, and the Mahabharata, poems that bare the "very heats 
            of yoga," and created a gracefully organized and beautifully 
            translated anthology. 
            Bhante Wimala, as the Dalai Lama explains in his foreword, is a 
            Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka who has traveled far and wide "teaching 
            in the spirit of monks at the time of Buddha," and his book is a 
            passionate and explicit invitation to walk the spiritual path. 
            Bhante Wimala helps readers recognize their preconceived notions 
            about various issues, then offers in-depth essays on alternative 
            perspectives. Like most Buddhist teachers, Bhante Wimala draws on 
            his own experiences to illuminate every discussion, whether the 
            topic is breath awareness or love.