[.ca] Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment (ISBN 0767901576)

From Amazon.com:
If you dropped the Buddha into a modern metropolis, would he come off sounding like a 16th-century morality play or more like a drive-time disc jockey? Lama Surya Das doesn't spin platters for a living, but he does have a hip delivery that belies his years of sheltered training in Buddhist monasteries. In Awakening the Buddha Within, he borrows a time-tested bestseller format for a 2,500-year-old tradition that comes off as anything but ancient. With the "Five T's of Concentration," the question of "need or greed," and the story of the monk who bares his backside to prove a point, Surya Das invokes a path of wisdom that is as accessible and down-to-earth as a worn pair of loafers. It's not an easy path--it demands thought, effort, and discipline. But Surya Das is there for you, lighting the way to wisdom training, coaxing you into ethics training, and laying out step by step the path of meditation training. And if that's not enough to get you to live in the now, consider these words of the enlightened lama: "You must be present to win." --Brian Bruya

Start here, progress elsewhere, practical guide.:
A basic, clear and uncluttered approach to the core elements of Buddhism, without venturing into a lot of the dogma. Nicely written, easy to read, without being too scholarly or dictatorial. Not preachy or pushy, rather a practical approach. You can progress to deeper commitments in Buddhism through other sources. Here you get a taste of it to whet your appetite. Buddhism, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, is undergoing an evolution as it spreads through the West. Buddhism went through similar changes as it spread through India and Asia. Now it has come here and merging with western thought, ideas and practices. Western Buddhism will be different, perhaps shorn of a lot of its older mythologies and practices, but still contain the core teachings. Even the Dalai Lama has written similar elementary, practical works for the western reader that bypass the denser theology of Tibetan belief. This is one of many books riding that change: trying to introduce readers to the concepts in a way that makes it easier for westerners to accept, understand, approach and practice. It's a good first step for people unfamiliar with the path, and a pleasant reminder of the stepping stones for those who are. The underlying theme here is simple: you choose how your life proceeds on its path; so here is a roadmap if you choose to take a compassionate, meaningful route.

A must for anyone in search of warm and thoughtful guidance...:
This is one of the best books I've ever read. It is the first book I've read on Buddhism. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for something to tap into in order to assist them in starting to answer the questions they thought were unanswerable. I would also recommend to to anyone who is in search of guidance that is warm, compassionate and simple. Lama Surya Das has a very warm sweet approach to his writing/story telling. As I read the book I feel like his is talking to me. I get a nice warm cozy feeling each time I pick up the book. I will most definately be buying more of his books.

Great Guided Tour Of The Eight-Fold Path:
(4.75 Stars) I really liked this book. I liked that it speaks in a current voice and is still full of wisdom. I dig Buddhism books that give examples and situations of what they are talking about. This book has classic stories and classical examples of old Tibetan Lamas and has current stories and examples of the author in now times in New York City. The famous phrase that really sums up the experience of reading with the author - Lama Surya Das - is the Deli Lama - again Awakening The Buddha Within is full of great Tibetan wisdom of old and it's related to today. The emphasis in Awakening The Buddha Within is the eight-fold path. This is one of the best journeys down the eight-fold path I've taken. Each aspect of the path is explained in detail, spirit and examples. It really is one of the best explanations of the eight-fold path I've read and experienced. If you're a student of Buddhism and want to explore the eight-fold path this is definitely the book for you. If you're new to Buddhism to this is a fantastic 2nd step to being introduced to the Buddha within.

Good Read:
A very good book, suitable for persons of any background and religion. It gives a good sense of Buddhism and the mindset involved with it. Definitely a positive book for all who read it.

An accessible approach to Buddhism for western minds:
Lama Surya Das is one of the most well-known western lamas (priest and spiritual master teacher) hailing from the Dzogchen tradition. He was born in the U.S., and has studied Zen, vipassana, yoga, and Tibetan Buddhism with the great masters of Asia, including the Dalai Lama's own teachers. Das' approach to Buddhism is sometimes controversial for the same reasons that it is so popular. He brings forth the ideas of Buddhism in a way that is graspable for Western minds, and he outlines practices that are compatible with Western lives. One of the main difficulties with many other informative and instructional books is that they require belief in concepts such as reincarnation which is not likely to happen for most Americans. Or they describe things in vague terms unfamiliar to us and leave us doubting the validity of what has been said. Das stands above most other authors in that he has tweaked his writing to make it applicable to American lives now. In addition to the thought-provoking content of this book, Das is a good writer. The book is fun to read, because it is filled with attention-grabbing stories and amusing phrases. I highly recommend this book if you are curious about Buddhism and wonder how the tenets might be applicable to Western life. It is quite useful for those who wish to incorporate Buddhist philosophy into their daily activities, or for people who just wish to have more peace and happiness in their lives. This book is also a wonderful gift for a friend who is unsure that Buddhism has a place in the modern world if you are already convinced.