Benedict's Dharma [Hardcover]

Patrick Henry (Editor), David Steindl-Rast (Afterword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 6, 2001

Saint Benedict's Rule is a set of guidelines that has governed Christian monastic life since the sixth century. Those who live according to the Rule, which regulates daily life in a monastery, feel great affection for the text itself and for its writer, a monk whose humility and extraordinary insight into human nature are legendary. The Rule has fascinated lay people and monastics alike, including Buddhist monks and nuns who are intrigued by the similarities between their traditions and those of their Christian counterparts.

Now, for the first time, four prominent Buddhist scholars, Norman Fischer, Joseph Goldstein, Judith Simmer-Brown, and Yifa, have turned their attention to this seminal text. The fruit of their discussion is Benedict's Dharma. In this thoughtful and lively book, full of personal anecdotes, they reveal how the wisdom of each monastic tradition can revitalize the other-and how their own spiritual practices have been enriched through familiarity with the Rule. Benedict's Dharma will appeal not only to Buddhists and Christians but to anyone who is interested in what the ancient disciplines of monasticism have to offer a materially glutted and spiritually famished culture.

Edited by Patrick Henry.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When four senior Buddhists sit down to discuss the rules of Christian monasticism, ideas fly. In Benedict's Dharma, Zen priest Norman Fisher, meditation teacher Joseph Goldstein, professor Judith Simmer-Brown, and Yifa, a nun of the Chinese Buddhist tradition, flesh out The Rule of Saint Benedict, which has guided the organization and daily life of the Western Christian monastic tradition since the ninth century. Time after time, these Buddhists find in The Rule of Saint Benedict, which is included in its entirety, points that resonate with the their own experiences--points such as an emphasis on reverence, a pragmatic mindset, and the need for hard work and practice. From these agreements, as well as out of some marked differences, come lively evaluations of both Buddhist and Christian practices. And in the end, as the Christian monk David Steindl-Rast says in his "Afterword," the resources of the monastic tradition, for lay people as much as for monks, still have much to offer everyday life. Taking a Christian text as a source of inspiration for Buddhism offers a new rapprochement for those who have fled to Buddhism from a Christian upbringing. And for the Christian faithful, it offers a fresh perspective on a revered but musty classic. --Brian Bruya

From Library Journal

In 1996, the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue brought together 25 Buddhist and 25 Christian monastics "for the purpose of mutual spiritual benefit and communion." Inspired by that engagement, four prominent Buddhist scholars from different traditions penned essays responding to some of the chapters in the Rule of Saint Benedict the sixth-century guide that has defined the structure and organization for much of the Christian monastic community since the ninth century. Henny (The Ironic Christian's Companion, LJ, 12/98) has deftly organized their observations to address general themes such as "Freedom and Forgiveness" and "Discipline and Spontaneity." These thoughtful meditations offer hard-to-find Buddhist perspectives on the similarities and differences evident in the traditions. Recommended for public and academic libraries collecting one step beyond the most popular religious titles. James R. Kuhlman, Univ. of North Carolina Lib., Asheville
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover; First Edition edition (September 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573221902
• ISBN-13: 978-1573221900
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #842,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practicing "Christ's way.", September 23, 2001

By 

G. Merritt (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Benedict's Dharma (Hardcover)

"There is fire in the Rule of Saint Benedict" (p. 121) David Steindl-Rast, OSB, writes in the Afterward to this collection of Buddhist reflections on that Rule. Written in the sixth century, Saint Benedict's Rule is a set of guidelines governing Christian monastic life. This 137-page book is the result of a two-week "Encounter" between Buddhists and Christians, in which Norman Fischer, Joseph Goldstein, Judith Simmer-Brown, and Yifa were participants. Their "fresh take" (p. xiv) on Saint Benedict's Rule is followed by a new, 80-page translation of that Rule by Patrick Henry, OSB.

The Rule was written to practice "Christ's way." Christ said, "Whoever perseveres to the very end will be saved" (p. 97). For Buddhists, Benedict's Rule is about "walking the path to spiritual awakening" (p. 105). That is, both the Rule and Buddhist dharma offer "general guidelines for an inner journey" (p. 1). Judith Simmer-Brown notes that the Rule offers us insight into living a contemplative life amidst the demands of everyday life, or "anyplace you find yourself" (p. 3). From a Buddhist perspective, Benedict's Rule is about learning to live life "so it gets into your bones, under your skin" (p. 34), and about living with "a love of true life and a longing for days of real fulfillment" (p. 36), for this was "Christ's way."

It is evident from this book that "the monastery wall is always permeable" (p. 81). Benedictine monasticism is designed to lead one to spiritual riches on the path of humility (p. 95). It is possible, we're told, to practice a contemplative life outside the monastery walls. "The world is vast and wide," Norman Fischer writes. "Why put on your robe and go to the meditation hall when the bell rings?" (p. 89). Daily practice is "the common ground" for monastics of East and West (p. 124), and in his excellent Afterward, David Steindl-Rast, OSB, concludes that "lay practitioners are running away with the monastic ball" (p. 126). "Step out into the dark night," he writes, "raise your eyes to the starry sky, and you will experience what contemplation was before it had a name" (p. 126).

We find Buddhists and Christians travelling the same "ladders and bridges" in this harmonious book. Buddhist or Christian, this book will appeal to to that monk or nun cloistered in each of us, who is interested in "a life spent seeking the truth."

G. Merritt

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exceptional Delight, September 23, 2001

By 

Pravrajika Vrajaprana "Pravrajika Vrajaprana" (Vedanta Society, Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Benedict's Dharma (Hardcover)

Benedict's Dharma is a rare find--a book on spirituality that is lovingly burnished by practice. Benedict's Rule was above all a work for practical application; what few understand is how well the Rule translates into Eastern practice.

Rarely have I enjoyed a book as thoroughly as this one; I regretted reaching its final page, for the journey it provided was such a delight. Yet the greater truth is that this book is meant to be a passageway, pointing the way to greater spiritual understanding and greater self-knowledge. The truths it uncovers are applicable to anyone who is serious about leading an authentic spiritual life.

This book is an exceptional treasure, offering significant and practical insights on every page.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful example of interfaith dialogue, September 7, 2010

By 

Henry - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Benedict's Dharma: Buddhists Reflect on the Rule of Saint Benedict (Mass Market Paperback)

As a former Buddhist, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think it's a wonderful example of what interfaith dialogue should be. I highly recommend it.