Customer Reviews

Buddhism for Bears

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is an amusing little book, filled with large, cute drawings of bears doing all sorts of silly things to demonstrate the one-line thoughts found at the bottom of each page. I was hoping for more informative Buddhist thought - this is mostly illustrations with a little bit of Buddhism - but it's amusing. If you're looking for a little book of bear drawings with some Buddhism here and there, this is it. However, if you're actually looking for a little book of Buddhist thought (like I was) with some beautiful illustrations here and there, I recommend the one by Taro Gold.

If you're interested in buddhism, this is a very cute book to learn something about it.

I had high hopes that "Buddhism for Bears" would be an insightful blend of two of my favorite subjects. Sadly, this nice idea is poorly executed with illustrations depicting bears as buffoons. The jacket notes tell the reader, "Like the rest of us, bears are searching for a way to fill the emptiness inside themselves." Excuse me? As one of nature's most noble beings, bears should be the object of veneration, not ridicule. Riddell's sketches, while cleverly rendered, show bears as drunken idiots, demonstrating the worst behavior of human beings. I realize the drawings are intended to portray human characteristics, but why not make them humans instead of projecting human stupidity on the gentle bear? Since Lord Buddha--who in an early incarnation sacrificed his life so that a hungry tigress and her seven cubs could eat--appreciated the dignity and spirit of animals, I had hoped this slim volume might distill Buddha's teachings through the eyes of our ursine friends. Readers seeking a lesson in the dharma would be better served buying something along the lines of "The Buddha Speaks" or Rahula's classic, "What the Buddha Taught." And any book of bear photos will show their enormous nobility and spirit.

I didn't expect this book to reveal any ancient or unknown philosophy, I just wanted something simple with some one-liners that could keep me on track. This book does exactly what it says it does, which is provide great insight with some great illustrations. I love it.

I have a slew of Buddhist books, calendars, and whatnots. They explain everything to the nth degree and have lovely serene pictures. This book however is get to the point. This book uses bears to depict human traits. It shows the lighter side of Buddhism. If Siddhartha were here today he would say lighten up and you may learn something. It really brings to mind Dave Barry. Dave starts out sane and quiet then builds up to a roar and goes off the deep end. The captions in this book are the sane part and the illustrations are the deep end. I have two favorite pictures. The first is captioned "Vigorous body movements may evoke a feeling of wellbeing "(page 55.) The second caption is "Love other living beings as a member of the universe."(Page 19)
Practical information:
There are 80 pages

CONTENTS

Wisdom..................7

Self-Control.............23

Techniques..............39

Truth.....................65

Next it is Buddhism for Sheep ISBN: 031214556X

Buddhism for Sheep