Customer Reviews

Pay Attention, for Goodness' Sake: The Buddhist Path of Kindness

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you know nothing about Buddhism or Mindfulness practice, this might not be the best place to start. I would recommend reading Boorstein's "It's Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness" first. It is basically a primer on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, and it would probably be good to read it first.

However, if you have even a cursory knowledge of the basics and want to explore them further, this is a wonderful book to read. I finished it, and then immediately read through it again to soak it up some more.

It outlines the Ten Paramitas, or heart perfections. These are the qualities that the Buddha perfected in his prior incarnations, before reaching enlightenment.

Boorstein lays them out in a straightforward manner, even sharing a chart she created illustrating the flow from each Paramita to it's ultimate result. For example, one section shows how the practice of Generosity leads to contentment through the realizations that meditation on generosity can provide. The chapters are laid out easily, as well. Each Paramita is explained, a meditation exercise for that Paramita is given, backed up by stories, and bookended with an everyday practice that the reader can incorporate into their daily lives to bring them closer to perfecting that Paramita.

Anyone interested in furthering their Mindfulness practice should definitely give this a read. Boorstein's books, in general, are extremely accessible to Westerners, and provide a calm, warm, welcoming read.

This is a well written instructional book on Vipassana meditation. It might best be utilized by someone who is not entirely unfamiliar with the practice; there are more readily accessible how-to books available. But the value of this particular one lies, in my opinion, in the global perspective of having a regular meditation practice.

A modern-day version of Aldous Huxley's classic -- ISLAND -- and,
if you pay attention to nothing else, contemplate Boorstein's --
LIFE IS SO DIFFICULT, HOW CAN WE BE ANYTHING BUT KIND?