Customer Reviews

Being Nobody, Going Nowhere: Meditations on the Buddhist Path

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Using language that everyone can understand Ayya Khema describes the basics of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation. Her writing style and the insights she presents strike the reader as unusually authentic and heartfelt. Although Ayya Khema is not well known in the United States, this book clearly places her in the forefront of other, more well-know practitioners. A Buddhist nun for many years, Ayya Khema's writing emerges from years of personal and practical experience. This book should be read by beginners as well as experienced meditators.

This book is a wonderful introduction to the basic teachings of Buddhism. It is very clear and requires no previous exposure to Buddhism. Yet the teachings presented in this book are very deep, very profound. I would strongly recommend this to anyone looking for an introduction to the teachings of the Buddha.

On occasion a book appears that turns life 180 degrees and makes all the difference. It plucks the reader up and sets them on a higher plateau. Gentle and direct at the same time, Khema's words bring out not only the wisdom of Buddhism, but the wisdom of life. Her gentle prose guides the reader through the mechanics of Buddhism, yet one doesn't have to be a Buddhist devotee to garner wisdom from the book. If you read to be uplifted, this book fits. It easily fits the palm of anyone seeking knowledge, and it brings a warm breeze to the heart. Though Khema passed on a few years ago, through her book, "Being Nobody Going Nowhere: Meditations on the Buddhist Path" (Khema wrote over twenty-five books), she still speaks her message to the world. Try for example the chapter called "Loving-Kindness Meditation," a gentle prayer amidst rough times, words that set the sails firm.

I was lucky enough to attend a retreat taught by Ayya Khema in 1995. I knew very little about Buddhism then, but the experience of meditating and listening to her speak had an immense positive effect on the rest of my life. This is a wonderful book because it is clear, crisp prose with a message that is profound, resonant and very comforting. I recommend it unreservedly.

I used to always recommend Walpola Rahula's "What the Buddha Taught" as the best first read for someone looking to get started with Buddhism but now I think I'd recommend this instead. Rahula's book seems better for those with just an intellectual interest in Buddhism, but this book seems better for those who are ready to start changing their life. An absolute gem.

A book that transcends the page and leaves the reader with insight long after putting it down. It is written in a style that is easy for Western Bhuddist readers to comprehend. Well worth the time and money to read.

Ayya Khema's book is a summary of lessons at a Bhuddist retreat in Sri Lanka, but it reads like an overview of the most important Bhuddist teachings in one volume.

My initial reason for ordering this book was to learn more about mediation. From front to back, it was like a blossoming lotus. Not only did I learn about meditation, I learned that it is a staple of the Buddhist Faith and why it is just that. The concept of cleansing ones mind sounds like a good intention that actually unfolds into a replenishing and rebirth of our mind and body. It is a message of hope and love with instructions.
Meditation is not just merely sitting on a pillow and chanting, it is a skill that is learned and brought forward to our thinking and speaking. She so eloquently words this process of how it flows into our daily lives as mindfulness of everything around us. We so often look at a landfill of details that really are of no consequence to the quality of our lives whatsoever. We can learn to be the inertia of wholesomeness and peace that will automatically radiate to all living things around us with skill!!
I would recommend this book to the most enlightened of people, to those in a recovery process, and also to those who are balancing life in and out of a mental (depressive)condition. Seriously, I believe not only what she was teaching, but how she taught it could actually alleviate the need for all of these medication that are being prescribed because of our run-away, chaotic world and in turn our seemingly unmanageable, stressful lives.
I DO not like the term "New Age" here. The teachings of Buddha are anything but.

I picked this book up on a whim and found it to be wonderful. Ayya Khema`s explanations on meditation are clear and practical. If you are interested in understanding on how to stopping your suffering and misery, this book can certainly start you in the right direction. It does have a Buddhist-oriented slant but she doesn`t knock you over the head with it.

There are thousands of books out there for people interested in Buddhism, but few of them get to the core of what it's all about and why it's so important to practice, practice, practice. This is undoubtedly the best. Just the first chapter alone is perhaps the best summary I've ever read of what Buddhism really is.

I've been looking for a good book on the fundamentals of Buddhism and have read several. Most books on this topic get so tied up in the language (wordiness) that the meaning is lost. However, this book is refreshing and goes straight to the point. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to better his or her daily life.