37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is no fashionable Buddhist self-help book, August 23, 2004
This review is from: Everyday Mind (Tricycle Book) (Paperback)
After reading the most popular review of this book, which instructs people to instead read "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" by Taro Gold, I decided I would check out that book, considering that I loved this one so much and somebody is telling me that the other is better.
Well, I am going to quote each book on the subject of the "Self" so that you people may see the difference for yourself.
First, Taro Gold:
"Love, cherish, and respect yourself. Become your own best friend and take care of yourself, for you are the only person with whom you will surely have a lifelong relationship."
Now, Everyday Mind:
"Perhaps the deepest reason why we are afraid of death is because we do not know who we are. We believe in a personal, unique, and separate identity--but if we dare to examine it, we find that this identity depends entirely on an endless collection of things to prop it up: our name, our "biography," our partners, family, home, job, friends, credit cards. It is on their fragile and transient support that we rely for our security. So when they are all taken away, will we have any idea of who we really are?"
Without our familiar props, we are faced with just ourselves, a person we do not know, an unnerving stranger with whom we have been living with all the time but we never really wanted to meet. Isn't that why we have tried to fill every moment of time with noise and activity, however boring or trivial, to ensure that we are never left in silence with this stranger on our own?"
--Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying"
Well, there you have it. I probably don't need to say anything but I will. Taro Gold's book is faddy self-help book totted by hoop-jumping-ninnies who want to feel better about their meaningless existences. If you can deal with the fact that you don't exist and don't want to pad yourself with even more illusions, then the better choice, obviously, is Everyday Mind. There are, however, very attractive little illustrations of bamboo in Taro Gold's book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great book for Buddhist followers., February 9, 1998
This review is from: Everyday Mind (Tricycle Book) (Paperback)
This book has a Buddhist entry for each day of the year. The entries deal with various paths in life, and many are very helpful. I recommend this book for all, and especially for those starting out with Buddhism.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
22 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Some Worthwhile Quotes, January 5, 2001
This review is from: Everyday Mind (Tricycle Book) (Paperback)
This book is a collection of excerpts from previously published essays, books and magazine articles on various forms of Buddhism. There are some worthwhile quotes here, but most of it feels like filler, stretching to fill one page for every day of the year with some sort of Buddhist-oriented material. If you're looking for a collection of Buddhist publication excerpts, this is a good source. If you're looking for a "to the point" collection of Buddhist thought, with more inspiring one-liners than long paragraphs, I recommend "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" by Taro Gold.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
