Awakening the Buddha Within – Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World
Awakening the Buddha Within Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World
Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker.
The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life. It illuminates the guidelines and key principles embodied in the noble Eight-Fold Path and the traditional Three Enlightenment Trainings common to all schools of Buddhism:
With lively stories, meditations, and spiritual practices, Awakening the Buddha Within is an invaluable text for the novice and experienced student of Buddhism alike.
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars Ruined by lousy prose
I naively bought this book after visiting Lama Surya Das's Dzogchen Center in Cambridge, MA (LSD was not there). I am now sorry that I spent my money on it. Somewhat new to Buddhism, I am in no position to evaluate the merits of the book's content–for all I know, it could be full of 100% accurate information, though, judging from some of the other reviews here, I doubt it. Still, there must be something of value here for the spiritual aspirant, right?
I did not have the patience to find out. I can only say that the writing style left me cold. I gamely endured about 100 pages of Surya Das's corny prose, hell-bent on getting my money's worth, until I could no longer stand the platitudes, vague questions, and saccharine proverbs. I can see why some call LSD's books "Dharma lite"–he reads like a brochure. A 400-page, Buddhist brochure. I recommend the reader skip over this one and check out any of the many excellent Buddhist authors out there, like Chogyam Trungpa, Pema Chodron, or Shunryu Suzuki. Anything but this, really.
5 Stars An Excellent Book…
This is an excellent book. Very well written, in plain simple English with no complicated concepts to try to wrap your mind around. This is the first book I've read by Lama Surya Das, but based on this one, it will not be my last.
Intended to be a guide to Tibetan Buddhism, it goes systematically and throughly through all the necessary practices and beliefs to enable the reader to make the changes to put themselves on the path to enlightenment. The book is written with humour and insight by a Westerner who has spent 35 years studying and teaching Buddhism.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to get a grasp on Buddhism from a Western perspective. This is not only a good book for a beginner, but also very complete. A good read.
Les Center
5 Stars Excellent for beginners
LOVED this book! Packed full of fabulous information, background, and intructional advice. One to read and re-read.
4 Stars Good
Like many other reviewers here I thought this book was a bit dharma-lite. But for me that is not a bad thing – most books on Tibetan Buddhism are incredibly scholoarly, heavy and – in my opinion – much too serious. So I was pleased when this book came along. I recommended it to many people interested in Buddhism (together with Sogyal Rinpoche's book on Living and Dying) who would have been turned off by your typical book on Tibetan Buddhism.
5 Stars The Buddha Within
I have had an interest in Buddhism for quite some time and have only recently begun to study and research. It is a daunting, but exciting task. In this time I have read many books on the subject. Some left me so confused I was ready to give up. The Buddha Within was a delight to read……clear, insightful, informative, humorous,but most of all it left me encouraged to continue practicing and studying. This last copy I purchased is for my sister, who has just started being curious about what I'm doing. It is a perfect book for her to start with. I am re-reading it for the second time. A definite must have in your book collection on Buddhism.
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2 Responses to “Awakening the Buddha Within – Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World”
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Will you people NEVER LEARN?! Surya Das is a PHONY!
WAKE UP!
a. Das had an affair w/a long time devoted female student while married to Kathy Peterson.
b. The affair began on one of Das' retreats (and I bet the female student paid to be there!).
c. Das broke off the affair and managed to keep the female student controlled and quite until…
d. The female student noticed, on yet another retreat, a new female student succumbing to Das' advancements.
e. The female student decided to tell Lama Palmo – a female Lama – about the affair because she did not want to see another woman used sexually in this spiritual family.
f. Clearly, the female student was traumatized and needed support.
g. Lama Palmo confronted Das, who has been audio and video taped on numerous occasions stating that he does "not sleep" with his "students."
h. This is the 3rd female student that he's been sexual with.
i. Das refused to deal with the matter in a mature or open manner.
j. When Das was finished using the student for sex, she meant nothing to him. He has still not admitted to the affair, fearful of legal action by the female, and rightfully so.
k. Eventually all three associate teachers working under/for Das knew of the affair and confronted Das.
l. Das tried to sweep it all under the rug, to control it all, and treated the teachers w/no respect, as if they were paid employees who had no right to question his actions.
m. Eventually, the Board Members of the Dzogchen Foundation found out about the affair w/a few select students.
n. Das was asked to never again meet alone w/female students to help keep the women in his group safe!
o. Das refused and claimed dominion over the group, demanded that they all follow his lead simply because he's a "Lama."
p. Das refused to talk about the matter, refused to speak to the woman he had an affair with, neither denied or confirmed the affair, and protected himself and his assets.
q. The woman/student was a very long time student, was seduced by Das, thrown away, ignored, humiliated, and reduced to nothing all because Das wanted to have sex outside of marriage.
r. Why doesn't Das go see a prostitute like all the other PHONY SPIRITUAL LEADERS!
s. By the summer of 2008, ALL THREE ASSOCIATE TEACHERS RESIGNED from the Dzogchen Foundation: Lama Palmo, Lama John, and Charles Genoud.
t. The ENTIRE BOARD of the DZOGCHEN FOUNDATION RESIGNED.
u. Das LOST over 80% of his students as the word spread of Das' affair (took-em long enough to discover what the rest of us knew long ago, DAS IS A PHONY!
v. The ENTIRE CAMBRIDGE sangha and NYC sangha detached from DAS and now study w/Lama Palmo, Lama John, and Genoud.
w. In September of 2008, Das' WIFE began divorce proceedings in a MA courthouse. The marriage was dissolved by Jan. 2009.
Please don't be fooled by Das. Consider who he really is not who he pretends to be. He's a businessperson looking to bring in cold hard cash and have sex with the most vulnerable of women, those who trust him as a spiritual leader.
DON'T BE FOOLED BY DAS — HE'S NOT AN AUTHENTIC LAMA–
The Dalai Lama states, "spy on the teacher, spy on me." Don't be afraid to see Das for what he really is all you have to do is OPEN YOUR EYES!
Forget his books, LOOK at his ACTIONS, his BEHAVIOR, how he TREATS WOMEN, how he called LAMA CHRISTIE a "blond bombshell!" and she's a LAMA!
DAS HAS NO RESPECT FOR WOMEN…
LSD is a WOMANIZER and PHONY! He carries out sexual misconduct w/his female students while married, he lost 90% of his sangha, his wife DIVORCED him, and ALL 3 of his associate teachers RESIGNED, ALL of the NOW DEFUNCT Dzogchen Foundation's board members also RESIGNED as well– LSD is now of FB and Twitter trying to recruit new FOOLS! WAKE UP, DAS IS A CHARLATAN! Forget about what he writes LOOK AT HIS ACTIONS– they will REVEAL the TRUTH about the FAKE hiding behind the MASK of LAMA!