It's Up to You: The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path [Hardcover]

Dzigar Kongtrul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 2005

On the spiritual path we speak of enlightenment. But how do we reconcile the idea of enlightenment with what we see when we look in the mirror—when insecurities, doubts, and self-centered tendencies arise in our minds? Dzigar Kongtrül suggests that we need not feel "doomed" when these experiences surface. In fact, such experiences are not a problem if we are able to simply let them arise without judging them or investing them with so much meaning. This approach to experience is what Kongtrül calls self-reflection. Self-reflection is a practice, a path, and an attitude. It is the spirit of taking an interest in that which we usually try to push away. Self-reflection is the common thread that runs through all traditions of Buddhist practice. It breathes life into our practice, protecting it from becoming just another enterprise. When we practice self-reflection we take liberation into our own hands and accept the challenge and personal empowerment in Kongtrül's title: it's up to you. Trained by the celebrated Tibetan meditation master Dilgo Khyentse (author of The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones and The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel ), Dzigar Kongtrül is steeped in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Having lived in Colorado and taught Western students for fifteen years, he is deeply valued for his skill at presenting ancient teachings in a way that is accessible and relevant for the contemporary mind.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche has written an enthralling and practical book that speaks to us all with an exceptional clarity about confusion, uncertainty, and fear, about fearlessness and courage, and about awareness, joy, sanity, and freedom. A book which I cannot recommend highly enough."—Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying "In trying to articulate what is so profound about his style of presentation, I find that partly, it is the prolonged and intensive Buddhist training he received; partly, it is the way he never holds back but always challenges himself; partly, it is his good heart and his humility; partly, it is that he has immersed himself wholeheartedly in Western culture; partly it is that he knows the minds of students; partly it is his almost ruthless directness; partly it is because you feel understood and appreciated; partly, it is because you feel you can't get away with anything."—Pema Chödrön, author of When Things Fall Apart , The Places That Scare You , and The Compassion Box "Like Dzigar Kongtrül himself, this book is warm, direct, and potent. Its intimacy is transformative."—Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, author of Turning the Mind into an Ally

About the Author

Dzigar Kongtrül grew up in a monastic environment and received extensive training in all aspects of Buddhist doctrine. In 1989, he moved to the United States with his family and in 1990, he began a five-year tenure as a professor of Buddhist philosophy at Naropa University. He also founded Mangala Shri Bhuti, his own teaching organization, during this period. He has established a mountain retreat center, Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, in southern Colorado. When not guiding students in long-term retreats and not in retreat himself, Rinpoche travels widely throughout the world teaching and furthering his own education.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (June 21, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159030148X
• ISBN-13: 978-1590301487
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,172,361 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stellar First Book!!!, August 10, 2005

By 

Nesha Morse, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psycho... - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's Up to You: The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path (Hardcover)

Whether you are a practicing Buddhist, Christian, or other, Dzigar Kongtrul's book, It's Up to You is a gem that will inspire your heart and your intention for living your life. It is apparent that Dzigar Kongtruls' intention in this book is to encourage us to take advantage of the precious opportunity we have to make a difference for ourselves and others.

In It's Up to You, Dzigar Kongtrul emphasizes that every being has the potential to be free from suffering and that it is up to us to recognize this and take the necessary steps to get there. Dzigar Kongtrul expresses that self-reflection is the key to obtaining the peace we all strive for. In It's Up To You, he explains that self-reflection is not always a comfortable process and emphasizes that it must be done with care and compassion. He suggests that having a non judgmental stance is imperative and that self-reflection requires both observation and description without bias. He outlines some of the steps he feels are crucial to this process.

I have read this book more than once and will continue to benefit from its teachings for the rest of my life. Thank you, Dzigar Kongtrul for putting these teachings on paper.

62 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely insightful, July 3, 2005

By 

Gregory M. Seton - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It's Up to You: The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path (Hardcover)

This is a must read book for any serious practitioner on any spiritual path. Dzigar Kongtrul has a very direct and clear way of exposing our most subtle unseen habits -- the parts which we have so much trouble acknowledging to ourselves (not to mention anyone else). This was such a helpful book for me personally, I can't praise it highly enough. It is a great buy for anyone interested in reflecting more deeply on his/her own mind and getting a handle on how to transform him/herself.

50 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Self-Reflection, December 9, 2005

By 

Naomi Dozono "Naomi" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's Up to You: The Practice of Self-Reflection on the Buddhist Path (Hardcover)

This book posits the ability to observe your life calmly, as though you were watching a movie, as the key to contentment. There are a few other major tenets, such as the need to minimize self-importance, and the concept of M-E-R-I-T: 1. The ability to get positive circumstances in one's life, and 2. The ability to enjoy those good things (hint: # 2 is more difficult and more rare). To those who are familiar with the Hedghog/Fox categorization of Isaiah Berlin, this book falls squarely into the hedgehog classification: It relies on one main tenet rather than on an accumulation of little tricks. I thought it was one of the best of the modern interpretations of Buddhism, accessible to anyone without being too technical. A new book called, "Ruling Your World," is also quite good, though it has a slightly different emphasis; more pragmatic. That book uses four animals to illustrate cardinal Buddhist virtues: Tiger, lion, garuda and dragon are each used to illustrate a cluster of key traits. The author is Sakyong Mipham, the son of Chogyam Trungpa.