Buddha Is As Buddha Does

There's something surprisingly comforting about a man who sounds so ordinary and American teaching listeners how to follow in Buddha's footsteps. With a down-to-earth voice, American-born Buddhist teacher Lama Surya Das outlines Buddha's ten-fold path to living as a bodhisattva (enlightened awakener). The soothing hum of Buddhist chanting introduces each disc, and Das's relaxed voice guides listeners through each of Buddha's 10 paramitas (transcendental virtues). Das draws from other religious and spiritual practices, as well as classical philosophy, to make Buddha's teachings accessible to Westerners. Sadly, Das narrates like a lecturer rather than a storyteller. By the book's end, his delivery style leaves the listener feeling well educated but not inspired. J.T. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

April 2, 2007
The much-published author and respected Tibetan Buddhist teacher offers a guide for spiritual development based on the paramitas, traditional Buddhist teachings. The Sanskrit term is usually translated as "perfections," but the practices are best understood as a set of virtuous actions. An accomplished Western interpreter of the Tibetan branch of Buddhism, which has its arcane aspects, Surya Das explains each of the 10 virtues, offering numerous exercises and tips to apply his teaching. This is all firmly grounded in traditional stories and the examples of historical figures in Buddhism. Surya Das also offers examples of Westerners who embody these virtues, from the Catholic saint Damien, who worked with lepers on the Hawaiian island of Molokai, to Oprah Winfrey, a model of shrewd and skillful action. While the material is helpful, the exposition rambles and is often hard to follow. Some individual chapters read as though they were pasted together. Quotes from famous non-Buddhist figures are thrown in like salt ("Mark Twain, one of my favorite American authors, said..."). Other authors, particularly Sylvia Boorstein, have done more engaging and readable treatments on the 10 virtues. This underedited volume requires patience to absorb.