book reviews | The Buddhist Centre

Every so often, you’re standing in a bookshop, or a library, or a friend’s house, your eyes drifting along all the tempting titles of the books on the shelves and almost idly you pick one up… and ten, fifteen, thirty minutes later you would still be standing there unless interrupted by something or someone or called for dinner or to go and get a cup of coffee…The blurb on the back describes this book as a way to “meet the historical and archetypal Buddhas who for part of the rich symbolism of Tibetan Buddhism,” which sounds a bit dry, doesn’t it? However, Vessantara is, as the blurb continues, able to combine “the power of story telling with practical guidance and succeeds in bringing the Buddhas and their visualization practices to life.”
I’m just a beginner Buddhist and, although I have always tried to live ethically, in terms of practice I’m a newbie. Opening ‘A Guide to the Buddhas”‘ in the library was like someone pointing to a signpost and saying “Try going along this path, see if it takes you to where you want to be.”

Vessantara gives us a clear and interesting introduction and then the first five chapters explain the background and context of the practice he will guide us through. Even if you’re not a Buddhist it is so interesting, and so well-written.. maybe I should suggest it to my book club! He has a lightness of touch, an enviable ability to use words so they spring off the page and grab you… I wish I had the same gift!

Chapter six opens like a story, a truly gripping story: “You cannot remember how long you have been travelling. For so long now there has been just you, your raft, and the sea. It is night, and you are navigating by the stars. At times, gazing out into the universe, you feel as though the Earth is your raft, steering its course through the firmament towards some long-sought haven.”

You have to admit, this makes you want to read on… and if you do you won’t be disappointed. This chapter is about the Buddha Aksobya, and the title is ‘Touching the Earth in the Eastern Realm.’
This practice guides you through the mandala, considering each of the five Buddhas and their wisdom. I could write reams and reams more about this book… but I won’t, except to say it is so much more than just ‘a good read’!

See this review on Lois' blog

'Sailing the Worldy Winds: A Buddhist Way Through the Ups and Downs of Life' by Vajragupta. Windhorse Publications, 2011.

This little gem of a book is well worth reading. It is tardis-like: it looks little but synthesises a lot of material. Vajragupta initially introduces the eight worldly winds quite simply, then explores them through Dharma practice, meditation and looking more deeply at the winds in the light of 'pratitya-samutpada' or conditioned co-production. He challenges the views and beliefs of scientism and consumerism and their stories that we can control the worldly winds through technology and material progress. He ends with suggestions of how to work with our own response to the worldly winds.

There are many things I appreciate about this book: Vajragupta's writing style, the thread of reflection exercises and the fact that the Lokavipatti sutta is included at the end of the book. It always feels integrating to see an original sutta alongside practical exercises - a marriage of the ancient and the modern! The book has a definite sense of progression with a deepening of reflections on the worldly winds. I've no doubt it will be a real asset to participants on the international urban retreat for this reason. If anything, there is too much content, and I wondered whether this could detract from the invitation to reflect. I was also interested in Vajragupta's recurring theme of distinguishing between how much control and influence we have in relating to the worldly winds. I take his point and I think that we each have our own habitual ways of responding to the worldly winds. For some this is about habitual controlling, for others bewilderment, or perhaps a sense of disempowerment and having no control.

These are, however, minor criticisms. Vajragupta has a clear, accessible style, skilfully weaving together Dharma teachings, stories from the life of the Buddha, anecdotes, and reflections from his own experience which extend beautifully from the personal to the global. It was very poignant how Vajragupta explained that the writing of this book co-incided with the unexpected news of his father's ill health and subsequent death. I imagine this contributes to the book's flavour of immediacy and authenticity. Knowing the circumstances in which he was writing encouraged me to read the book more closely, with a feeling reminiscent of the urgency to practise I felt after my own father's death and the ensuing worldly winds I sailed. I loved Vajragupta's concluding thoughts:

"they (the worldy winds) can teach us about the texture of life. They can reveal its heights and depths. They can show us ourselves at our noblest and our most petty. They can draw from us new qualities and dimensions of being".

Kamalamani

Sept 2011