Customer Reviews

The Mind Is Mightier Than the Sword: Enlightening the Mind, Opening the Heart

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I HAVE read past page 40. Lama Surya Das writes from the general to the specific and the specifics are where the gold is. My buying style is to check out a library copy, read, and decide whether to buy or not. I'm buying. His "wordiness" is very refreshing because it is detailed. Let's review, from the Table of Contents, what is written after page 40: Facts of Life from a Buddhist Perspective including Buddha's enlightenment experience, suffering and the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, the three trainings, the eightfold path to enlightenment, the five skandhas and the nature of individuality, the six principles of enlightened living. And then it progresses to Practice is Perfect and Contemporary Spiritual Expressions, enough detail to satisfy this reader and enough reason to want to reread it again and again to cement the teachings into my everyday life. And he does it with many words, simple to understand, yet very refreshing in its detail.

This book is written straight from heart of Lama Surya Das. That is why it is so powerful. Based on decades of raw practice and experience, this book hits you like a lion's roar. My personal favourite is Chapter 3 - Swooping from Above, containing an important secret oral pith-instruction of the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje. This gently whispered instruction is a wonderful guide to a profound level of meditation. If I could only recommend one book on Buddhism, it would be this one.

I thought I'd get myself a book on Buddhism that wasn't a complete beginners guide. I got home and tried to read this. I couldn't even do that. The introduction is filled with spiritual blabbering and random quotes. The author tries to bring comparisons between Christianity and Buddhism, which might be good for those that are new, but is unsuccessful for those that know better. The author does finally get into Buddhist principles but, at least I feel, is highly Westernized in the way he presents it. Stay away from this book if you don't like New Age crap mixed with a hint or two of Zen Buddhism.

Extremely wordy, with little presented that most non-Buddhists wouldn't probably already know.

The book places so much emphasis on observant meditation, that I couldn't help wondering if a substantial part of Mr. Das' income/time came from giving "empty your thoughts and just observe" meditation classes?

I agree that that taking time off to relax and just observe is good for the soul, but the average person without even reading a page of the book can probably experience just as much relaxation taking almost any vacation, whether it be at a meditation retreat, Disneyland, or just sitting on the porch. I don't think we need a book to tell us we would feel better if we took some time off.

I suspect Mr. Das's emphasis on observant meditation may come from him having more "free time", and control on how and where he spends his time than most of the working class. Mr. Das's lifestyle may present him with a surrealistic view of the ordinary person, if most of the people he encounters are leisurely chatting with him, and/or are on vacation. I can imagine how Mr. Das gets positive reinforcement on the benefit of relaxful observation meditation from these types of people in that type of environment.

I believe Mr. Das has the knowledge and could have written a better book if it was intended for the working class - something that would benefit a low paid factory worker struggling with time and money to raise and support a family. A book that acts as a mental guide that inspires the masses to do more moral and productive things. I don't think having these people relax and observe is the most beneficial thing they can be doing to improve their, or anybody else's situation. I think time would have been better spent on describing how to live a meaningful and productive life, such as what actions are beneficial and what actions are not. This was touched on in the book, but it seemed to take a back seat to observational meditation.

I only read the first 40 or so pages, about 10 percent of the book, so there is a possibility that my review is off; however, I got almost nothing out of the first 40 pages, that it was as if I was reading a novel, and I don't like reading novels.

I only offer this review as respectful constructive criticism, and have best wishes for all.