Socrates and the Enlightenment Path [Paperback]

William Bodri (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578631912
• ISBN-13: 978-1578631919
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #620,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Convergence of Eastern and Western thought, February 24, 2003

By 

Kevin Alford (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Socrates and the Enlightenment Path (Paperback)

Society has often divided the history of philosophy into Eastern and Western thought. However, in "Socrates and the Enlightenment Path," William Bodri presents a convincing argument that Socrates was one of the rare people to have blended the two genres. Bodri systematically analyzes writings about Socrates and the writings of Eastern philosophy (including those about the Buddha and Confucius) in an attempt to determine whether or not Socrates achieved the highest levels of Eastern philosophy's enlightenment.
Yet, this text is not exclusively about Socrates and his ideas. Rather, it is an informative text on philosophy in general and mankind's search for clarity. Bodri searches many different texts and disciplines to determine that the truly great thinkers of our world have defied the boundaries of East and West to discover the oneness of true reality.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eastern Wisdom meets Western Analysis, January 4, 2003

By 

travis (Baltimore, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Socrates and the Enlightenment Path (Paperback)

Bodri does an excellent job of discussing Eastern ideas in a way that is easy for Westerners to accept and understand. He uses the case of Socrates as a jumping point into a whole array of Eastern/Buddhist themes, including no-self and emptiness (dependent origination), impermanence, meditation (Samadhi), wisdom (Prajna), and enlightenment. While Bodri is not unique in discussing these topics, his discussion of them is the most useful and appropriate to a western audience. As Bodri points out, there are fundamental differences between the eastern and western approaches; ironically, Bodri takes a western, intellectual approach in criticizing western traditions, and pulls it off quite well. I found Bodri's writing to be much more attuned to my (western) mode of thinking. Bodri is much more understandable, and thus more useful, to the mainstream western audience. Granted, as Bodri would probably admit, intellectualizing about the differences between East and West, as Bodri does, cannot actually lead to wisdom. As he writes, "words are words until they are crystallized into actions." However, by showing the inadequacy of words themselves, Bodri more effectively inspires the reader to take the next step towards enlightenment than any other author I've read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Debunking the myth of enlightenment, March 9, 2005

By 

David Farmer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Socrates and the Enlightenment Path (Paperback)

William Bodri does a good job in comparing Eastern vs Western thought/practices in the human science of gaining freedom, peace, liberation, enlightenment or the several other names of this experiential state. He talks about Samadhi and explains that it is just not seculor to practioners in Indian and China. The myths and dogmas that have kept humans in check have also turned us from the internal truths. This is an excellent book and doesn't step on anyone's toes. Williams' straight forward writing style is only second to his keen eye and roaring heart. Anyone interested in cultivation should read this book.