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.