Customer Reviews

The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I see that there are something like 32 reviews of this book, each one giving it 5 stars. It is a very nice book. A reasonable introduction to Buddhism for many people, an invitation to practice and learn. But let us have a slightly deeper look, OK? IMHO. For me, a relatively intense (in terms of time on retreats, reading material, study and daily practice) Buddhist practitioner of about 9 years, this books skims the surface. It skims a wide and useful surface and this can be quite a good thing in terms of a place to start. I acknowledge that it is very difficult to find good introductory texts, places to start. I will recommend this book to friends - BUT. There is also something a bit trite and monotonous about the structure of the book - for example: Introduce a concept, enlarge and expound a bit and then tell the story of Aleesha, James, Mitch, Kyle, on and on (no disrespect to these people or to those whose true experience contributed to these little blurb/stories). Jack gives them a practice or two "I encourage her to continually ground herself in her body" and then, magically, everything unfolds and soon they are crying or dancing or laughing or reconciling, recognizing their early childhood abuse, volunteering at literacy programs for immigrants, and so forth. It is too cookbook, too simplistic, slightly melodramatic and, unfair. Unfair because, while we can have many wonderful periods of clarity, healing, insight, etc. in our practice, it takes a lot of time for these things to unfold, a lot of right-effort and tremendous patience - many, many, many, many breaths! And typically this unfolding is very gradual, over years of practice. That is one thing I object to - the cure-all nature of the stories, the unreasonable expectations these may create - the way in which deep and complex psychological issues are, it seems, so easily resolved. It is certainly good to offer hope to people who are suffering, but I question the ultimate value of this slightly feel good approach. It may take us a lifetime of regular practice to have the kinds of healing experiences that seem to unfold seemingly regularly in a matter of weeks under Jack's guidance.

In the book I think there is a lot of valuable, although relatively basic, practice advice/instruction and suggestions, and many gentle invitations to open up to our present experience in a compassionate way. This is very helpful and I commend the author for this. I think the book suffers from a lack of editing and a certain monotony to the presentation of the material. Way too many "real life" stories actually winds up making them feel trite [to me], rather than providing a useful way for the reader [again, just little old me] to identify with the practical use of the material.

One other gripe. I think there is a bit of an over dependence on quotations. I think the author is seeking to be very inclusive in his selection of writers and I commend that. But, some of these are little snippets that are kind of throwaways which don't deeply add to the explanation of the material. Not a big deal. However, I do find it bothersome that many are not referenced. For example I really liked the short quotation of Lama Yeshe on page 126. I would like to read more about his experience of being hospitalized for heart failure. But there is no reference for this quote, either as a footnote, in the "Permissions" section or in the "Related Readings" section. Sorry to put it this way, but this is simply a bit lame, a bit lazy.

I also find it odd that the author frequently references Thich Nhat Hanh, either directly or indirectly, and yet does not include any of his readily available books in the Related Readings section. Nor does he mention any of Pema Chodron's titles despite quoting her in the text. As this is clearly an introductory book to Buddhist practice I would expect to see some helpful reading suggestions - from different traditions - for newer practitioners.
IMHO :)

In summary, there are other good books which cover this material, for example those of Thich Nhat Hanh (Transformation and Healing, The Miracle of Mindfulness, Anger, Teachings on Love, etc.), or the wonderful books by Henepola Gunaratana - which have served many practitioners, both novice and experienced alike, in a more concise, yet thorough and accessible style (also, Nyanaponika Thera, The Heart of Buddhist Meditation, or the classic pamphlets of Mahasi Sayadaw readily and affordably available on the Pariyatti website). No reason not to buy and enjoy this book if you are so inclined, but every single review up to mine has been 5 stars - so I wanted to offer a slightly different perspective. I hope it has some value for you.

This wonderful book makes the timeless teachings of Buddhist psychology explicable and accessible to all.
With explanations and exercises that are not culture specific and with a healthy helping of Jack's great stories that further illuminate the psychological wisdom of the Buddha, this book opens the deep understandings of Buddhist thought for all to use for their own benefit and for the benefit of all beings.

As the Dalai Lama says, "Buddhism isn't a religion. It is a science of mind"

and IMHO, a science of mind that can help bring healing to our own lives and to our wounded world.

There's an irony that at times Buddhists can become stuck in ideology, clinging to their ideas of what they believe the Buddha intended as THE right way. Jack Kornfield avoids this. He has the soft touch, open heart and discerning wisdom that comes from his own struggles and decades of meditation, practicing therapy, and teaching. He knows there is no such thing as a formula for happiness. Kornfield generously quotes from a wide range of thinkers, mystics and disciplines, knowing Buddhists don't have a lock on insight.

Still, Kornfield is steeped in and dedicated to Buddhist practices; his goal is to transmit what may at times be difficult to discern insights from Buddhist psychology to a wide audience. As he writes:

"At this moment, a winter rainstorm is drenching my simple writer's cabin in the woods above Spirit Rock.On my desk are classic texts from many of the major historic schools of Buddhism: the Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, the eight-thousand-verse "large version" of the Heart Sutra, with its teachings on form and emptiness, and a Tibetan text on consciousness by Longchenpa.

Over time, I have learned to treasure these texts and know that they are filled with jewels of wisdom. Yet the Abhidhamma (or Abhidharma in Sanskrit), considered the masterwork of the early Theravada tradition and the ultimate compendium of Buddhist psychology, is also one of the most impenetrable books ever written. What are we to make of passages such as, "The inseparable material phenomena constitute the pure octad; leading to the dodecad of bodily intimation and the lightness triad; all as material groups originating from consciousness"? And the Heart Sutra, revered as a sacred text of Mahayana Buddhism in India, China, and Japan, can sound like a mixture of fantastical mythology and nearly indecipherable Zen puzzles. In the same way, for most readers, analyzing the biochemistry of a lifesaving drug might be as easy as deciphering some of Longchenpa's teachings on self-existent empty primal cognition."

Happily, Kornfield succeeds at making the translation from traditional Buddhist texts accessible to everyone--from clinicians to those new to Buddhism. For those who are familiar with his previous books, they won't find this surprising.

Jack Kornfield richly expounds on 26 principles of Buddhist psychology.

The first of these is: "See the inner nobility and beauty of all human beings" and the 26th being: "A peaceful heart gives birth to love. When love meets suffering it turns to compassion. When love meets suffering it turns to joy."

Jack Kornfield provides the reader with a philosophical discussion of each principle and the basis of it in the Buddha's teachings. These principle are demonstrated with numerous cases from Jack Kornfield's many years of practice. Several of these are followed by practices and practical exercises, such as loving-kindness meditations.

Buddhist teachings, which as the Dalai Lama describes as "a science of mind", have had a profound influence on modern cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. Neuroscience and evidence-based research increasingly validates the efficacy of Buddhist practices, such as mindfulness and forgiveness for mental health, happiness and well-being. This accessible guidebook will be of interest to any one who is interested not only in self-help, or clinical psychotherapy, but in better understanding the rich Buddhist traditions and ideas behind them.

I was disappointed and irked by The Wise Heart. My low rating comes from three sources: (1) Format (2) Content and (3) Peeves. My critical comments and poor rating come with hesitation because I have a a sincere appreciation of Jack Kornfield's work. I hope this book will be re-written.

(1) Format. I have been fortunate to attend many Monday nights of Jack's dharma talks at Spirit Rock, and his powers as a presenter are unmatched. Unfortunately, the formula in this book fails to deliver the sub- title's promise "A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology." The sections start with several quotes, next a vague notion ("So does mindfulness open us to that which is unseen in our experience" p. 97) followed by an intense story with a happy ending ("With mindfulness Peter found relief" p. 98) and ending up with a sweeping generality ("Since 1980 nearly a thousand scientific papers have documented the effectiveness of mindfulness, often studying Western trainings that are based on a Buddhist approach." p. 99). The therapy stories are too numerous, I come away from this book completely befuddled.

(2) Content. The notion of inner radiance or beauty as each human's intrinsic nature isn't an idea that is accepted by many followers of Theraveda or Zen Buddhism. I am finding that once you read the original texts not Western commentary, the Buddha is circumspect about settling any metaphysical debates, in Nikaya's translation of the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha in the Aggivacchagotta Sutta on p. 590 for example, the Buddha refuses to settle a long sting of metaphysical debates in his discussion with the wanderer Vacchagotta. The 26 principles throughout the book are internally contradictory, and not universally accepted by Buddhists.

(3) Peeves. Authors that provide "early praise" for this book on the back cover have most of their books listed in the Related Documents section. Perhaps it isn't quid pro quo, but I find it really irritating to have the extraordinary claim that "Two thousand years before Freud and Jung's probed the unconscious, Buddhist psychology taught about the unconscious foundation of human behavior" on pg. 151 without providing the title and translating author of the book containing the Fifty Verses on the Nature of Unconscious in the in the Related Documents section. This book has hundreds of quotes, and there are no footnotes to check how the quotes mold the content. You can't check whether the quotes are taken out of context, or if the quote comes from a early inaccurate translation. Also, there are well intentioned but sloppy stereotypes, for example, the dubious stereotype "This is evident in the healthy, caring bond between parents and children in Buddhist countries." p. 187. Or, what I find most irritating of all, what I can only describe as sophistry via oxymoron baiting: this is the use of objective terms to modify subjective experiences to further the current self-help fad promoting Buddhism as a scientific not religious activity. So, we have the "technology of visualization" p. 277 "science of mind" p.xi, and "particle-like aspect of consciousness" p.39.

This is a wonderful meditation companion and history book rolled into one. Jack Kornfield compares and contrasts Buddhist and Western pyschology while giving a wealth of stories of meditations benefits and a guide to practice.

I read several of Jack's previous books and always find his writing style easy and understandable. Probably not the best book for someone just starting their path of meditation, I'd recommend "A Path with Heart" for that, but this is a good book for someone with a few years of practice under their belt who wants to have a deeper understanding of their practice.

Highly recommended.

This book is beautifully written and organized. It's an open, intelligent, and thoughtful integration between Buddhist wisdom and modern psychology. Actually, Jack explains some of the healthier aspects Buddhist thought. While not denying the existence of mental illness, his focus is more on mental health and how we can cultivate it as meditators. I particularly enjoy Jack's honesty about special experiences in meditation while keeping both feet on the ground of compassion and wisdom. As a meditator, I have sometimes been thrown by the smoke-and-mirrors vagueness around special experiences; I like knowing where they are on the map and how they relate (or don't) to the development of wisdom and compassion. This conveys that they are "no big deal" far more than the smoke and mirrors! I also like knowing that other people struggle with their "stuff" in meditation, and that keeping at it could lead to some freedom. I've heard teachers say that, but Jack's stories make it seem much more relevant and possible. I want to commend Jack for writing a book that is so interesting and enjoyable and that really makes sense to me! I hope it will be useful to others, as well.

I am interested in and practice meditation. I am not a Buddhist, but find that the teachings of Buddhism are a practical way to live in our very complicated world, full of beauty and suffering. Jack Kornfield's book presents the teachings in a simple manner, making it easy to understand some of the more complicated ideas of Buddhist thought. I listened to the book on audiobook, as I absorb information well this way. I heartily recommend The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology to anyone who has any suffering in this life and is interested in finding a practical, meaningful guide.

I have read several Buddhist books, and listened to countless Dharma talks, and yet I have learned things in this book that I had never heard of. For example, Buddhist texts on Lucid dreaming, past life visions, Buddhist personality types, and thoughts on the unconscious. While not all of this is relevant to me at this point, it was interesting. The book has great wisdom throughout. Maybe a little too much on the stories, that's why I didn't give 5 stars.

If you have some knowledge of Buddhism and want to deepen it this is a great book. It took me a long time to read because there are so many places I wanted to stop and think about the meaning of what he said. What I really loved was the stories about people he worked with and how they had to deal with the everyday problems in their lives. It will make me a better person if I can just adopt a small percentage of his wisdom