Meditation in Action [Paperback]

Chogyam Trungpa (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 21, 1996

This classic teaching by a Tibetan master continues to inspire both beginners and long-time practitioners of Buddhist meditation. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche shows that meditation extends beyond the formal practice of sitting to build the foundation for compassion, awareness, and creativity in all aspects of life.

He explores the six activities associated with meditation in action—generosity, discipline, patience, energy, clarity, and wisdom—revealing that through simple, direct experience, one can attain real wisdom: the ability to see clearly into situations and deal with them skillfully, without the self-consciousness connected with ego.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

We learn that meditation is based on trying to see what is, rather than trying to achieve a higher state. It's not a retreat from the world but builds a foundation for compassion, awareness, and creativity in all aspects of a person's mind and behavior.

About the Author

Chögyam Trungpa (1940–1987) was a meditation master, teacher, and artist who founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (May 21, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570622027
• ISBN-13: 978-1570622021
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.3 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #882,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chögyam Trungpa (1940-1987)--meditation master, teacher, and artist--founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, and The Myth of Freedom.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 110 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Small but Necessary Punch for Two Stong Punches!, September 7, 2000

By 

Bill Butler "Bill Butler" (Tarzana, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Meditation in Action (Paperback)

This is the first book I read of Trungpa's. This is the first time that I discovered that there was a "Chogyam Trungpa". I greedily took it home from the Bodhi Tree, read it, and then grimaced as I realized that you needed a teacher (not so today!). So I took some Valium and went into the Dharmadhatu Center in L.A. and received meditation instruction. This was 1977 so it was a brave deed. And since I had no feeling in my brain or body, I did quite well. A brunette sat down with me and taught me about the famous "outbreath". Chogyam Trungpa was officially my "teacher". Later, I would find out that he was an outrageous madman (no slander, Amazon.com. Even his present students admit this!) The book is a brillant way to begin to "read up" on Trungpa. It's a soft blow. It will give good insight into Trungpa's teachings. But this series of lectures were given in Scottland in 1968, I believe. Trungpa wouldn't hit his stride until years later. After reading this, read "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" and "The Myth of Freedom". The title is a bit misleading. In the Kagyu (just say "cog-you" and you will get away with it) Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, they more or less depend on sitting meditation to trigger off mindfulness. As one student told me, "They sit like pigs". They have been criticized by the other three Tibetan traditions for it. So if you are buying this book from Amazon.com because of the title "Meditation in Action" - forget it. Buy "The Miracle of Minfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh and vote for my review as you examine it! But if you are buying this book as an introduction to Trungpa's brillant teachings, then BUY THIS BOOK! Thank you.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is everything and nothing you would expect!, April 28, 2006

By 

Ivan Alfredo (Ecuador, Latin America) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meditation in Action (Paperback)

I must confess I had to edit my initial review on this book, so here is the reason why:

When I purchased this book, I did it because a meditation teacher recommended it to me because he felt it would help me to understand the correct approach and attitudes towards meditation practice. As a westerner, I believed that I was going to buy an instruction manual, step-by-step ingredients and mixing and cooking instructions on how-to-meditate almost as if it were a recipe book. As I read on, at first I could not understand most of its teachings, since (according to my expectations) the book had little or nothing to do with meditation. Nowadays, I find these teachings inspirational, since they relate to the overall loving attitude that naturally arises towards meditation practice.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Trungpa Rinpoche basics, September 19, 2010

By 

James M - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meditation in Action (Paperback)

Great teaching from one of the Tibetan masters of our age. Perfect book to give to those interested in Buddhism and meditation, and to re-read periodically.