For many, simply the mention of the name Buddhism brings to mind the obscure and occluded. Around for thousands of years, there is much mystery and mythology about what the practices and the purposes of Buddhism truly are.
If you have always wanted to learn more about Buddhism, but did not know where to start, this is the perfect primer. Written in a style deceptively simple, author Adrienne Howley leads us on a journey into the past with flair, earthiness, and a good sense of humor.
Her purposes are to make Buddhism a religion which is tangible, to reveal that the veil of ritual and iconography matter less than the basic tenets of Buddhism. Those tenets she explains in a manner clear and enlightening for the Western audience.
Howley includes a list of questions that she believes beginners may have. And indeed, the answers include Howley's understanding that Buddhism is more a single perspective of the world than it is a religion.
If new to Eastern religions, and confounded by texts thus far, this is an unfettered introduction that will give the audience confidence in understanding one view of the world, and in that world - a new view of themselves.
Ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1982, Adrienne Howley took in 1993 the highest ordination vows from a Vietnamese Buddhist master. She is a former nurse and a mother of two, a survivor of cancer, and a traveler who has sailed around the world.
"I loved the practical, no non-sense quality of this book. It was exactly what I was looking for in regard to explanations without the religious mythology attached to Buddhism. Awesome read."
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Elise (4 out of 5 stars)