This book was recommend as an introduction to Buddhism. Suyra Das writes of his experiences learning from elders in Tibet, spending years in silence and bringing his teaching to the modern world. He breaks down core principles and applies an ancient "religion" to our fast paced western culture.

Lama Surya Das is a Jew, before he travelled to Tibet and converted to Buddhism, now he is a leading Buddhist leader in America. This book is a "relaxing" read because I feel he is sincere on what he is talking, no wonder to many, it even "enrich their spiritual lives". It contains many wits, wisdoms as well as humours. I love nature and all of Emerson & Thoreau's thoughts, so I enjoy reading this book, that's all I can say.

I first read this book in 2007. It helped me get through a very challenging time in my life and whenever I am feeling stressed and anxious I return to it. The way that the practices and meditations are explained/described resonates with me and I love the simplicity of it. Lama Surya Das’ words always calm and center me. His writings make me feel peaceful (which is not easy to accomplish

This was a Great Read.

For anyone considering either practicing Buddhism or gaining a general understanding of the philosophy of Buddhism, I would recommend this Book.

Regardless of your religion, beliefs, etc. you can gain a great insight into a way to view the world and more importantly, as Buddhism drives, View Yourself!

The insight into meditation, calming your mind, practicing Awareness and Mindfulness are beneficial to anyone in any walk of life. Whether it be with your family, your friends, your co-workers, etc. you can benefit by living in The Moment, This Moment, Every Moment.

Inner peace!

A decent introduction to Buddhism. Surya Das does a nice job of translating practices and traditions into more easily understood concepts for Westerners. He addresses issues like trying to meditate during a busy day on the subway and compares the Buddha mind to a pan coated with teflon. He pays attention to the idea of a new Western Dharma that is evolving out of the synthesis of traditional Eastern practices and the Western mentality. There's a lot of emphasis put on practice and especially on meditation practice. He regularly gives ideas for meditation practices or even just recitations to help people out. I'd have loved an index of all his practice suggestions somewhere in the book, though since most come at the end of segments they're not too hard to find. Something about the format of the book bogged me down about halfway through. There was just something in the organization of his segments that made it a bit of a slower read for me.

I enjoy this book. Very interesting. I liked the first half of this book very much. I enjoyed learning about some of the reasons behind the practices I see around me. I'm impressed with spiritually and loving-kindness. To Live in Love. The 8 steps flow from love and are intuitive. I would only give the second half of this book a three. It was on different meditations. Since I don't see myself meditating for hours everyday it wasn't as much fun to read.

I'm rereading this book SLOWLY. I tend to read very fast and loose the content days later.

This is an amazing book on Lama Surya Das' journey from Long Island to Tibet. And a great Buddhism for beginners book though that that description does not do it justice.

Enjoy:).

Es un libro muy interesante, profundiza en las enseñanzas del budismo y el camino óctuple desde una perspectiva occidental. Muy apropiado para nuestros tiempos, con una práctica budista poco ortodoxa y à la carte.

This is a great book that focuses on the wisdom of Buddha. Following this wisdom is very important to lead a happy life. It can (should) be followed by members or all religions. I recommend it to everyone

I have a read a few books on Buddhism but this one really spoke to me ! Every now and then I had to stop and reflect on the words spoken by the author. I felt the book talking to me like never before !

This is my third reading of this book. I listened to the Abridge Audiobook version. I enjoyed listening to Lama Surya Das' voice and this remains an excellent primer in Buddhism for Westerners. Maybe a tiny bit dated - my son, who listened to part of this with me, said "Who says 'World Wide Web'?" But still relevant and inspiring.
I noticed the missing elements from previous readings, so I will probably reread the unabridged version soon. I also recently discovered that Lama Surya Das has a podcast, and I plan to check that out.


November 2014: Still as awesome as when I read it 15 years ago. "What we seek we are." :)