Booklist
Vol.92 No.1
1995.09.01
P.13
Copyright by American Library Association
Sumedho, Ajahn. Nov. 1995. 304p. Wisdom, paper, $16.95 (0-86171-081-9). DDC: 294:3. Buddhism is flourishing in the West because it meets the spiritual and intellectual needs of diverse, independently minded people. More a practice than a faith, Buddhism is vital, fluid, and open to the interpretations of inspired teachers, from the Dalai Lama himself to interpreters like Sylvia Boorstein who are adept at applying ancient precepts to contemporary life. This review begins with books on core Buddhist beliefs and how they can be incorporated into daily life, then moves on to some historical texts, and concludes with an explication of Buddhist symbols. Steve Schroeder prepared the review of the anthology, Buddhism in Practice. His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso) is not only one of the world's most important and eloquent spiritual leaders, he is also revered as the living Buddha, the champion of a culture in exile, and a prolific author. Everything the Dalai Lama writes, whether it's an introduction to a book about Tibet, his autobiography (Freedom in Exile, 1990), or books such as this one, increases our awareness of the nature of mind and the deep need for compassion. Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart is the second in the Path of Enlightenment series in which the Dalai Lama elucidates the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. The first title, the very popular The Way to Freedom [BKL D 15 94], provided a historical foundation. Here the Dalai Lama introduces the practice that lies at the heart of Buddhism, the training of the mind through meditation. The Dalai Lama explains that the goal of mind training, or transformation, is to awaken the mind and set it on course for enlightenment. As always, the Dalai Lama's explanations are lucid, his examples compelling, and his instructions manageable. His humanity and compassion radiate from every page. Buddhism is puzzling to many people with roots in Judeo-Christian religions because it has no deity. Is it, then, a religion? This is one of the many questions Ajahn Sumedho has posed and answered over the course of his 25 years as Buddhist mendicant-expanding volume, gathers together 100 of Ajahn Sumedho's talks, talks chosen for their wide appeal and relatively clear link to everyday life. Ajahn Sumedho is articulate and manence, nonattachment, and compassion in a manner that satisfies the curiosity of pragmatic, spiritual, and philosophical readers. Boorstein is a Buddhist teacher renowned for her wisdom, common sense, humor, and ability to translate complex concepts into everyday language. She brings these invaluable qualities to her book, It's Easier Than You Think, a primer on the art of mindfulness that begins, appropriately enough, with a section titled "Demystifying SPirituality." Boorstein assures her readers that a person can be spiritual without being "weird," that one can learn how to "manage gracefully" within the context of any ordinary life. Her paraphrasing of the four noble truths of Buddhism is succinct and memorable. For instance, she translates the first truth as: "Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." Boorstein uses stories from her life and the lives of friends and family to illustrate her points about the malleability of mind states and to describe how meditation can help us recognize and control them. Boorstein's direct and elucidating approach to Buddhism will enlighten both novices and practitioners. Lopez's anthology, Buddhism in Practice, consisting of 48 texts translated by 33 scholars, conveys something of Buddhism's vast geographical, linguistic, and traditional variety. Each selection is preceded by a substantial introduction accessible to general readers but also useful for scholars. The arrangement of the texts according to the three jewels of Buddhism--the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha--is a creative and helpful approach to the great, not to say dizzying, array of voices. Lopez's book is not for the casual reader, but it is appropriate for those prepared to encounter a Buddhism so rich and varied as to be more properly understood in the plural, as Buddhism, and is a welcome addition to the body of Buddhist texts available in English translation. Drinking the Mountain Stream is the third volume of songs by Milarepa, a pivotal and influential teacher in the Tibertan Buddhist tradition, to be published in English, and according to the translators, it is the most valuable in terms of revealing Milarepa's teaching style, paradoxical nature, feisty humor, profound discipline, and deep wisdom. Milarepa, born in 1052, had an "unusual, almost eccentric, personality," and is reputed to have composed 2,800 songs, 800 of which were preserve. Milarepa was mystical by nature but used his power destructively as a young man when he murdered his aunt's entire family in revenge for the mistreatment of his widowed mother, his sister, and himself. Deeply regretting his crime and realizing how karmically obstructive it was, Milarepa devoted the rest of his life to an austere practice that combined Buddhism with yoga. His songs, which vary in style depending on his audience and circumstances, reflect his meditations on illusion and reality and offer keys to an effective Buddhist practice. Anyone familiar with Tibetan art and culture will have noticed the liberal use of Buddhist symbols on ritual objects, furniture clothing, and building and wondered about their significance. In Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture, Dagyab Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama, succintly explains the source and meaning of nine groups of commonly used Buddhist symbols, beginning with the Eight Symbols of Good Fortune, which include the Wheel and the Glorious Endless Knot. In his cogent introduction, he summarizes Tibetan Buddhist thought and describes how Buddhist symbols are used to remind practitioners of the "interrelations between inward and outward, between mental activities and material appearances." Not only do these intricate images serve as tools for meditation, they also, Buddhists believe, influence the future. As Dagyab Rinpoche defines each symbol, he further illuminates the concepts inherent in Tibetan Buddhism, which is, in its earthly manifestation, voluptuously visual.