{FREE} What Makes You Not a Buddhist
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WHAT MAKES YOU NOT A BUDDHIST PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse | 144 pages | 16 Sep 2008 | Shambhala Publications Inc | 9781590305706 | English | Boston, United States What Makes You Not a Buddhist Learn more here about our many free resources and special digital offers. Amazon eBook. Apple eBook. Nook eBook. So you think you're a Buddhist? Think again. Tibetan Buddhist master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, one of the most creative and innovative lamas teaching today, throws down the gauntlet to the Buddhist world, challenging common misconceptions, stereotypes, and fantasies. With wit and irony, Khyentse urges readers to move beyond the superficial trappings of Buddhism—beyond the romance with beads, incense, or exotic robes—straight to the heart of what the Buddha taught. There is much food for thought in this short book for Buddhist students and for anyone interested in the ongoing adaptation of traditional Eastern wisdom into postmodern Western settings. Menu Search. Cart You have no items in your shopping cart. Search: Search. My Account Login. The Diamond Cutter. The Buddha Walks into a Bar…. Lodro Rinzler. The Mindfulness Survival Kit. White Lotus. Jamgon Mipham. Taming the Tiger Within. The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Chogyam Trungpa and Francesca Fremantle. Joyful Wisdom. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Eric Swanson. Insight Meditation. Joseph Goldstein. Wake Up to What Matters. Avikrita Vajra Sakya. Understanding the Dalai Lama. Rajiv Mehrotra. Training in Compassion. Norman Fischer. Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness. Chogyam Trungpa. Turning the Mind Into an Ally. Sakyong Mipham. Awaken Every Day. Turning Confusion into Clarity. Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Helen Tworkov. Buddhism for Beginners. Pema Chodron. Training in Tenderness. Dzigar Kongtrul. No Self, No Problem. Anam Thubten. The Realm of Shambhala. The Energy of Prayer. The Essence of Buddhism. Traleg Kyabgon. In the Footsteps of Bodhisattvas. Phakchok Rinpoche. Happiness Is an Inside Job. What Makes You Not a Buddhist by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse You are familiar with a few meditation techniques, and so think you know a bit about being a Buddhist. If you are 2 or 3, then I'll also recommend you go for one 10 day session of Vipasana meditation www. If you are still interested in what Buddhism is all about after you read this book, Vipasana will help close the deal - one way or the other. If you are 1 , then I'll say - there's nothing wrong in wanting to be a Buddhist, do whatever suits you. Reading this book might help you see where you are in the spectrum. The book is well paced and well written to explain the four tenets of Buddhism, including examples which make sense in this era. I took longer than expected to finish this book, coz it wasn't about finishing the book, it was about trying to internalize what's in this book. And no, reading this book doesn't make you a Buddhist. Being a Buddhist isn't an end goal, it's a never ending journey into self Apr 11, Angela Dawn added it. A title only a Buddhist could truly understand naturally intrigues me I love the way the title points up the concept that, in our finiteness, we can only really define things by defining what they are not. That our minds lack the capacity to conceptualize what we truly are, when we only think of ourselves as our solid and important selves , formless and void, nothing, merely a transitory and conditional movement of energy, that amounts to something as vague as infor A title only a Buddhist could truly understand naturally intrigues me That our minds lack the capacity to conceptualize what we truly are, when we only think of ourselves as our solid and important selves , formless and void, nothing, merely a transitory and conditional movement of energy, that amounts to something as vague as information, something outside the space-time continuum of our experience. A relative existence, as lingering and meaningful as an automatic e-mail floating through the universe. The four seals or "truths" of Buddhism in a nutshell: 1. Sounds like good time waiting to happen if you ask me View 1 comment. The phrase that sticks out in my mind from this book is "naked babies missing their sex organs" he's talking about cherubs in Christian art. So: hilarious! This is a fresh, witty book that challenges and even gently mocks the certain, um, less aware forms of western Buddhism that have developed. Where by "less aware", I mean "Orientalist" and maybe even "ignorant" - but Rinpoche is much too kind to say something so mean. Nonetheless, he DOES provide a very readable, informative guide to help The phrase that sticks out in my mind from this book is "naked babies missing their sex organs" he's talking about cherubs in Christian art. Or whether they just like the sounds of prayer bowls who doesn't?! Despite Rinpoche's Tantric lineage a school of Buddhism that I've always found more obfuscating than clarifying , he does a great, almost ribald- Zen-teacher-esque job of boiling Buddhism down to its essentials. Very fun. Jun 06, Ahmaud rated it it was amazing. I read this book with the intention of better understanding Buddhist thought. There are many seeming contradictions that exist in Buddhism, and being trained in Western philosophy I find some of them dubious, but I read it with as open of a mind as I could given my philosophic and religious state. What I found interesting is that anyone who has ever told me that they are interested in Buddhism have never mentioned the four—or three depending on the school—seals and their importance in grounding I read this book with the intention of better understanding Buddhist thought. What I found interesting is that anyone who has ever told me that they are interested in Buddhism have never mentioned the four—or three depending on the school—seals and their importance in grounding and determining the essence of Buddhism. Many in the West, in my experience—weary of the Abrahamic traditions—easily jump into bed with Buddhism for what they believe it is, but I wonder? Are these individuals prepared for the road that they must travel to fully and completely embrace the essence of this philosophy, that everything is impermanence? Sep 01, Steve Woods rated it it was amazing Shelves: spirituality , psychology-psychotherapy , buddhism. This is a great little book. It addresses the essence of what it is to be a Buddhist in practice; what that means to the way we conduct out life. It's a terrific introduction that may whet the appetite for something more orthodox. Even if a reader goes no further, a serious consideration of what is being put in this book could fundamentally alter the quality of the experience This is a great little book. Even if a reader goes no further, a serious consideration of what is being put in this book could fundamentally alter the quality of the experience a person has of their life. I would recommend it for that reason alone, but in addition a person gets a stimulating and enjoyable read into the bargain. The layman's introduction to some very important ideas Jul 11, Kayla rated it really liked it Shelves: spirituality. For those just beginning to contemplate buddhist theology, this book is a bit esoteric. The author explains the "four seals": All things are impermanent. For me, it clarified a few fine points like that karma is gathered by consciousness Contemplating the impermanent nature of everything that we experience and the painful effect of clinging to the self brings peace and harmony--if not to the entire world, at least within your own sphere. Jul 13, Craig Werner rated it really liked it Shelves: religion-spirituality. If you're fairly well versed in the basics of Buddhism, knock off a star. The virtues of the book are simplicity and clarity, appropriate values for what's essentially Buddhism Khyentse emphasizes the "Four Seals" not to be confused with the Four Nobel Truths , stressing the impermanence of all compounded phenomena which entails everything. There's a bit of "self help" style rhetoric in the style, but it grows directly out of the vision, so it never becomes intrusive. Mar 08, Steven rated it it was amazing. Phenomenal read that gets to the depth of Buddhism and doesn't sugar coat things. Khyentse uses the basics of the four principles and finds enlightening ways to illustrate them into some that's both complicated and simple at the same time. A definite read for anyone who wants to learn less on practices of Buddhism and more about the heart of it. Apr 12, Amanda"Iris" rated it it was amazing Shelves: , buddhism. He rejects and criticizes all labels and identities, which is a bit uncomfortable, and seems to have made many readers defensive. In doing so, he forces us to confront ourselves. It isn't the best book for beginners to Buddhism. It's a great book for challenging what YOU think you'll get out of it. If you don't like that, maybe stick to his movies. Some Teachers would argue that it is inappropriate to label yourself anything. Actions speak louder than words, so behave as you ought without desire of a specific result and let others make their own conclusions. If it is poor form to call oneself a Buddhist, then would it also be poor form to say what is NOT a Buddhist? I think so. And it comes together nicely in the conclusion, so do read it through. Also — that all great truths are paradoxes.