Customer Reviews

Open Heart, Clear Mind

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This is the kind of book a person cherishes forever. It explains in plain English the basic truths in Buddhist philosophy and psychology. It's written from a uniquely American voice, that of a California-born woman who spent much of the last 20 years in serious study from the greatest Tibetan teachers in the modern age. The author treats the subject (human suffering and the path from chaos to peace), with agility and grace. We are told in very readable and down-to-earth prose some timeless and practical lessons that imediately calm a troubled mind and give deep food for thought - ultimately to be used on the spiritual journey to enlightenment. I confess that I'm hooked on Buddhism and that this book hits on all the most powerful themes. For a non-Buddhist this book is ideal in its simplicity, clarity and pragmatic approach to the subject. If you consider the book in context of everyday life, there is no doubt that you can make progress, first in decreasing your own suffering and ultimately toward developing your own self confident compassion and wisdom. The best thing about it is it's plain-spoken and pragmatic approach. There is nothing mystical in this Buddhist guide, which is, ultimately, its true strength.

Chodron Thubten's book was recommended to me as a good book to gain a basic understanding of Buddhism. It is that but it is also a book that has helped me keep my life on an even keel. I read it quickly and then I read it again. I now keep it with me and on the many occasions when I have to wait for one of my children, I read a few paragraphs, a few pages or a few chapters. I've bought two more copies for friends and I expect I'll continue to do that. Not all will understand or appreciate the book but for those who do, it will be a blessing.

Amazing book that breaks down the core beliefs of Tibetan Buddhism. Chodron makes wonderful analogies regarding how you can deal with anger, have compassion, and be happy. Her writing style is very easy to read. The book stays with you long after reading it... it is like a breath of fresh air. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book, written in a flowing conversational style, has 7 sections: an introduction, an extremely fine rendition of Buddhist psychology-aimed at human emotions, the "current situation" on cyclic existence/karma, the future-Buddhahood, the path to take, the past-brief Buddhist history; & conclusion. Overall, it's a very fine introduction to basic Buddhism & a terrific companion to Ven. Chodron's Q&A "Buddhism for Beginners" & "Working with Anger." While the author is a Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist Bhikshuni (ordained nun), the book is more generic. The pp. 25-80 psychology portion is convincing: e.g. p. 40: "The sources of the pain & confusion are our own biased projections & the selfish expectations we've placed on others," but goes a bit far, stating p. 77: "all problems arise from the self-cherishing attitude." Later sections present std. Buddhist doctrines, dogmas, mythology, & terminology-very different from the psychology section. For example, as I read Websters, "kindness" implies intention; while one can be grateful to another for some benefit, an unintended benefit is not a "kindness." Similarly, p. 161 the discourse on emptiness ignores the mixed definition of "cracker"--Websters says it must be baked, it is not simply the sum of its parts + synergy is possible. She has some questionable (though not unusual) assumptions-saying p. 196 there were no Buddhist wars (but the Gelugpas came to power over the Karmapa via Mongol military strength etc.). The discussion on soul/self is also party line e.g. p. 163: "the Judeo-Christian idea of an eternal, unchanging soul" & p. 166: "the self still exists, but in a gentler & softer way. It's merely a convention, not a real entity." IMO it depends on one's definitions of words used. This basic book doesn't address specific Vajrayana or Mahamudra perspectives, but Ven. Chodron says very valuable things when speaking for herself: p. 206: "Others may not be our relatives, but they are someone's parents & children. They are the same in being parents & children, only the possessive pronoun describing them is different: `their' instead of `our.' Once we recognize the arbitrariness of these labels `mine' & `others,' our love & compassion can spread to everyone impartially. In this way, feelings of alienation & barriers between people fall away." I find this observation very useful in developing lovingkindness, compassion, Bodhichitta & Tonglen & p. 209: per Lama Yeshe, "We do whatever we can, with whatever wisdom we have...to the best of our ability. This in itself will be of enormous benefit to others; we don't need to wait until we become Buddhas before we can begin to act."

The author, Thubten Chodren, takes a very complex subject, Tibetan Buddhism, and reduces it to a simply great introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Simply put, she cuts out all the fat and leaves the reader with a "clear" and "insightful" book on basically all the basics of Tibetan Buddhism. I don't know how she does this. But she does it! I read it three times simply because I didn't really understand Tibetan Buddhism! And this was after many years of practice. The book is extremely "user friendly". She gives us charts that make our understanding complete. You will love this book. Read it and understand more about Tibetan Buddhism than the vast majority of students. All in 216 pages! It doesn't really matter if you have studied the Buddhist scriptures. Without this book, I feel that one has not really begun the journey. Buy! Buy! Buy! God Bless You and Happy Sailing!

You will not find a better introduction into the world of Buddhism than Open Heart, Clear Mind. Thubten Chodron does a phenomenal job simply explaining complex concepts in language that the beginner can understand. Her prose style is easy yet full of wonderful metaphor. The book is all about questioning our basic assumptions, and examining them in a whole new way, such as this passage about the management of anger:

Generally when we're angry or hurt we feel like victims of others' harmful deeds. We see ourselves as innocent people who unjustly have to bear the brunt of others' actions. We're hurt or angry because we think other people are wrong or bad. Both the anger and the hurt refuse to accept what has happened.

Many people live with a "victim mentality," constantly feeling helpless, mistreated and fearful. However, the more we understand the workings of our minds and the functioning of cause and effect within our mental continuums, the more we'll understand that our present interpretations, as well as our past actions, have played vital roles in the evolution of what we experience. We are in some way responsible for what is happening to us. Knowing this, we then take responsibility and act in order to improve our situation. (47-8)

Part of the understandability of Thubten Chodron's explanations stems from the fact that she is a Westerner, and once had all the questions that we might ask. Her ability to discuss reincarnation, karma, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment in clear and compelling writing is an incredible accomplishment. And those wanting to learn about Buddhism would do well to heed her words.

Following is a quote quoted in the book (so this is a quote of a quote of a quote) from Christian Humphreys (an eminent British judge) that sums up a lot of what I dig about Buddhism:

Buddhism . . . is a system of thought, a religion, a spiritual science and a way of life which is reasonable, practical and all-embracing. For 2,500 years it has satisfied the spiritual needs of nearly one-third of mankind. It appeals to those in search of truth because it has no dogmas, satisfies the reason and the heart alike, insists on self-reliance coupled with tolerance for other points of view, embraces science, religion, philosophy, psychology, mysticism, ethics and art, and points to man alone as the creator of his present life and sole designer of his destiny.

This book was the start of an unquenchable thirst for Tibetan Buddhism for me. I recommend it to beginners in Buddhism and as a complement to any variety of spirituality. A must for understanding and treating human suffering at the root cause.

An excellent book to re-read at least once a year. Thubten Chodron offers insights from the combination of many perspectives-a Buddhist in a Christian world, a nun in a predominantly man's religion. But underlying the philosophies is a gentle female offering wisdom on how to give, receive and feel love! Beautiful!

Trying to understand Tibetan Buddhism by starting with the so-called "Book of the Dead," to me, is akin to learning about Catholicism by beginning with St. Ignatius of Loyola's "Spiritual Exercises." While an intellectual, a mystic, or a combination of the two might be able to do this, for beginners, casual inquirers, or a combination of the two, a primer to this dauntingly diverse panoply's better suited. This introduction-- written by a convert and a Buddhist nun whom I believe is an American-- provides English-speaking audiences with an accessible, brief, and sensible overview.

Chodron in her other books appears to emphasize psychological affinities with Buddhism rather than historical, catechetical, or inspirational approaches. Therefore, she takes considerable time exploring personal transformation; Buddhist concepts come gradually, and a full-fledged treatment of the faith arrives only near the conclusion. First, she deals with taming our emotions, numbing attachment, managing anger, and getting a better perspective on our selfishness, pride, laziness, and fear. This leads to a more altruistic attitude.

She then turns towards the Buddhist conception of our karmic patterns and how we can escape the "ferris wheel of recurring problems." She leads us to her acceptance of "inborn goodness" and urges us to use the opportunity of human life to move towards enlightenment and recognition of our "buddha-nature." This segues into the tenets of Buddhism, its four noble truths, its ethics, its longing for liberation, its compassionate wisdom, and its meditative and sangha (community) resources to help us as we search for freedom and long to assist others along this same path.

Finally, a few pages on the life of the Buddha and various traditions preface a closing reminder to pursue "self-cultivation" and to take small steps towards a great goal. This common-sense connection makes Chodron's book easier to understand than the more lofty treatises penned by those considerably more advanced along Buddhist mindsets thanks to their growing up in societies permeated with such values.

I found her discussions direct and devoid of preaching. Although I have difficulty at my present position of comprehension with some of the teachings, as she notes, Buddhism does not expect total fealty to its dharma. Chodron tells us that we can pick and choose as if at a buffet table, and find what suits us. She does not shirk the concepts that to us Westerners appear less clear, but keeps the more challenging aspects of Buddhism in harmony with the practices we can take on more effectively.

For instance, in explaining karma, she considers how when we see dishonest rich people or kind ones who die young, "we may doubt the law of cause and effect." But, for Buddhists, this law works over lifetimes; what's done in the past may work today, and what's done now may bear fruit in a life to come. Curiously to me, "the wealth of dishonest people results from their generosity in previous lives. Their current dishonest creates the cause for them to be cheated and impoverished in the future. Kind people who die young are experiencing the result of negative actions such as killing in past lives. However, their present kindness creates the imprints on their mindstreams for them to have happiness in the future." (104)

I suppose this makes more sense than a capricious deity's unfathomable will, and perhaps it provides more comfort than those who tell us we are but bursts of energy within a cold universe. Still, it confronts us Westerners with a difficult mindset to enter into. She offers an encouraging analogy two pages later: "At present, our minds are like uncultivated fields. Purification is similar to taking away the rocks, bits of broken glass and bubblegum wrappers cluttering the field. Accumulating positive potential by acting constructively is similar to adding fertilizer and irrigating it. Then we can plant the seeds by listening to teachings and cultivate them through contemplation and meditation. After a while the sprouts of realization will appear."

Chodron repeats how Buddhism demands that we take action. We cannot wait for divine revelation. No priest waits to baptize us, nor does any action guarantee salvation. It's a philosophy of re-orienting our lives away from ourselves so as to realize inner peace and outer harmony with others. It's not nihilistic, self-absorbed, or esoteric. It also expects us to make an effort, on our own resources aided by advice and consultation, to better our world one person at a time. It begins with us, then spirals outward, but it has to be worked at, not only mulled over. "We must act to improve our lives and attain enlightenment. Although we can employ someone to clean our house and move in new furniture, we can't hire someone to clean our minds and install compassion and wisdom. However if we act, the beneficial results will surely follow." (106)

One final quote encourages us to take on what, I admit, seems quite a task. Buddhism, when we read about adepts and lamas, may seem esoteric, bewildering, and inattainable. Chodron, in true tradition, turns us towards our own capacity to learn and to better ourselves, a sign of Buddhism's respect for our own potential betterment as lying within our grasp rather than at the ministrations of a caste, within a dogma, or inside an organization. The "seeds of perfection" lie within. We need the confidence to progress.

"At the moment, our Buddha potential is dormant within us, covered by the clouds of our disturbing attitudes and karmic imprints. Sometimes our Buddha potential is compared to honey surrounded by angry bees, or pure gold wrapped in impurities. The bees and the impurities, just like our disturbing attitudes and the imprints of actions, are temporary obscurations."(119) We remove them by following not the path of the gods, but of a human who found the way out: the compassionate wisdom of the Buddha.

Over the last few years I have purchased over 50 copires of this book and given it to my friends and co-workers. It is that good! It has a very uplifting message that is well grounded in real life. I very highly recommend this book to those interested in Buddhist philosophy or to anyone who simply wants a more open heart and clear mind.