Customer Reviews

Buddha's Little Instruction Book

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2 star:		(1)
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The first thing I want to comment on is the title. This book is not exactly an instruction book per se, although at the end of the book it gives Meditation tidbits. I've had this wonderful little book for years. The first 124 pages give a a single quote above a watercolor type drawing.

Time and time again I reach for this book to give me a desired quote to live by, such as the following on page 11,

"The heart is like a garden. It can grow compassion or fear, resentment or love. What seeds will you plant there?"

Just a handfull of words but perhaps change the course of your day. As I said in the Title of my review, I love this book so much it is falling apart at the seams, and I mean literally the pages are no longer connected to the binding. This is truly a little treasure!

I must admit, I am extremely surprised by some of the negative responses that followed this amazing book. Although simple, this book provided some of the most thought provoking, awe inspiring words I have ever set eyes upon. This book is not "trite" as certain people have commented. Look beyond the words of this book for its true meanings are beyond the world of visions. These succinct lines, although seemingly cliche upon cursory perusal, truly contains a world of hidden
meanings. After all, the great magiccal things of life lies in the simplest.

I recommend this book with all my heart and soul. Listen not to others and judge for yourself. Read these lines with your heart. There are more to them than meet the eyes.

I like this one. Each page is a saying to help give you a sense of perspective on life.

The way I use this book is that each morning, I read one saying. During the day, if the stress of work starts to get to me, I stop for five minutes and concentrate on the day's saying. It helps me focus and not let the pressure get to me.

It helps me a great deal.

is far more complicated then any books ever written and yet so simple that in any hours, any minutes, or any seconds of the day that a non-buddhist and a buddhist his/herself can act and accomplished. this book is a first step to regconize the great inner self.

Enlightment/Awaken is like the switch, you can turn it on or you can turn it off...it's your choice, you only need to seek guidance, because enlightment/being awaken already in you.

This little book helps you reflect on your daily life...with lines of instruction to constantly reminds you to take one day of a time, to live one day at a time, to be in the moment...and just "breathe"...just let go of the past and the future, "when you walk just walk, when you eat just eat" ...being here and now is the core of existence, core of happiness. this book helps you to balance your life, clear and focus on your inner peace and let go of the material world which will become dull and bore ...just let go of the hate and pain that you so treasure and harbor all these times and feel the devines that's always there: the sun, the wind...the now. and when you're at "the now" you have to be with compassion. the last couple of pages of the book are the meditation practices to help practicing the "letting go..." of the hurt/pain/suffers and being peace and content with oneself.

i love this book. i have this book since i was 13 and it's been 11 years and i'm still holding on to it. i just reordered the book because mine is falling apart into individual pages. it's a great book. Being a Buddhist all my life and being a student of Buddha, I too sometimes forget of being "here and now and not letting go" but this little book helps so much through difficult times. and constainly reminds me that: yes, like a lamp, I can choose to switch my enlightment on or off, being awaken or being blind/asleep; this book is a great guidance bceause it's a constant reminder that i don't have to seek enlightment/being awaken...it's already in me!


Buddhism is not about life is suffering but about identify your suffers and letting it go/ending it...Buddhism is about practicing the compassion and love for yourself and other at the here and now...and by being here and now, it means:

"Breathe, my dear"--(Thich Nhat Hanh)

Start your day with one of many careful thoughts, "The trouble is you think you have the time." These short quotes are powerfully awakening. It doesn't take a devout Buddhist to understand and benefit from the deep meaning behind these few words. I'm planning on order a few more to keep on hand to pass along to friends and family.

I keep Buddha's Little Instruction Book by Jack Kornfield by my bedside. I refer to it nearly every day. It's a small book, with a single quote on a page. If I'm feeling stressed, or angry, I'll pick it up, and guaranteed within a few minutes I'm feeling centered, and focused on my life's priorities. I highly recommend it!!

I Received this little book as a gift during some difficult times and I must say...........what an inspiration! With only a few words on each page the messages are powerful. I have taken this book to work to share with friends, copied the quotes and put them in cards and kept a tight leash on my copy. This is a wonderful gift for someone in need of a "better" direction and it even has tips on meditation! Since receiving this book, I've found a new source of spiritual inspiration from a writer that was previously unknown to me, Jack Kornfield. I'm hooked!

Words to live by....this profound collection of quotes will change your perspective on love, loss, change and living in the moment. I have given this book to countless friends and family members and it has always had a positive effect. I highly recommend this book to everyone, as it will open your eyes to the world around you and teach you to enjoy the journey.

I absolutely love this book. I bought my first copy over a year ago. I have bought 4 more copies of it, that I have given away because I just get so much out of it that I wanted to share it. I don't believe there is any age group or personality type that wouldnt find more than a few of these "words of wisdom" applicable to them. You couldn't read this book and not feel at least a little enlightened. I am not a buddhist and this book is not about the buddhist religion but is a book that with one short saying can bring us back to reality and remind us that the things we put so much importance on are really so unimportant in the grand scheme of things. This book will be one that I will never get tired of reading.

Buddhism is a complex practice of self-reflection, investigation, introspection, and hard work, with no easy or pat answers. Although some Buddhist philosophies can indeed be expressed simply and succintly, I found many of the little "mottos" of which this book is comprised to be overly trite platitudes which "dummy down" Buddhism to appeal to a pop culture hungry for cute inspirational answers. Sayings such things as "The mind contains all possibilities," "No matter how difficult the past, you can always begin again today," and "Whoever sees truth sees the Buddha," do not provoke much more than a "well, duh" reaction from even the non-Buddhist layperson, let alone a serious student of Buddhism. Additionally, some of the "instructions" are highly recycled from other authors, proverbs, and even movies, such as "Live every act fully, as if it were your last," and "Wherever you go, there you are."

The book is not completely without merits. Tucked in with the overly cutesy truisms are some contemplations which do actually provoke thought and reflection, such as "Everything in moderation, including moderation", although they are few and far between.

For someone interested in digesting short Buddhist "slogans", I would far more highly recommend a study of the Lojong teachings (aka the Seven Points of Mind Training) as detailed in many great books such as Chogyam Trungpa's "Training the Mind & Cultivating Loving-Kindness". These instructions are far more profound, thought-provoking, original, and cohesive than Jack Kornfield's (and can even be purchased as display cards with a little easel).