Lessons of the Lotus: Practical Spiritual Teachings of a Travelling Buddhist Monk

by Bhante Y. Wimala

A guide for people who are searching for spirituality, Lessons of the Lotus helps readers find their individual paths by exploring the nature of spirituality with ways of making it relevant to their daily lives.



These ways include specific meditations, mind-body techniques, visualizations, and reflections. Beyond a rich resource of spiritual practice, this book helps people bring the fruits of their spiritual growth to their relationships, careers, and other aspects of living. Through numerous examples, readers see how the insight, patience, love, understanding, and peace of their practice can touch their daily lives and transform them forever. Each chapter includes a section called "Ask Yourself" that is designed to stimulate reflection on the topic and invite the reader to participate actively in defining their spirituality. Specific chapters cover topics such as karma, transitory death, giving, and relationships with family and loved ones.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 1997

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a great gift...the chapters on death and karma were especially insightful. It connected a lot of what I have learned about psychology with what I have learned about the Buddhist value. The meditations and mindfulness exercises that it describes or refers to will surely be of use to me later on. I can see this book as being a great resource to me but it seems to also be a jumping off point for further knowledge.

[J. Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this out of the library. This was one of those rare and wonderful books that you know within a short amount of time you have to have for reference. You resist returning it to the library. This is an inspirational book about how to bring Buddhist precepts into your every day life with some vivid anecdotes. One story in particular stays in my mind about how to be peaceful in trying circumstances. And when on a bumpy plane ride, the passenger sitting next to the monk began freaking out. Then he pointed out, "can you do anything about it right now? No. So. Is it better to die freaking out, or dying with a peaceful mind?"

[Tree ✶.˚⟡ ࣪ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a religious person, the mysticicim of religion is all nonsense to me. But I have a deep respect for the philosophical aspects of Buddhism and other asian disciplines. When reading this book, I would keep wishing I was half as good and compassionate as the monk who wrote this. I may not agree with everything he believes in, but his experiences when traveling were beautiful and his thought process and the application of his beliefs in practical situations is very interesting and useful. Overall a very wholesome and inspirational read! I’m off to meditate now!

[Zoë Navapanich · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book was definitely written a long time ago. there were many lessons that i did not find new or revolutionary by any means, but that I enjoyed reading nonetheless. i appreciated the discussion on breathing and the mind body connection and i really enjoyed reading another person’s perspective on meditation.

[Elisabeth Angelique · Rating 2 out of 5]

Het begin van het boek raakt me direct, maar daarna neemt het verhaal me minder mee. Erg jammer omdat ik zeker weet dat het inhoudelijk heel interessant is. Maar het is niet heel vlot geschreven naar mijn mening.

[Antonio Bustillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is loaded with good little stories and lessons.
A worthwhile read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautifully written. It is formatted in a question answer way (Wilama asks the questions then offers a personal story as an illustration of the answer). It is sincere as well as informative. The only reason that I did not give it 5 out of 5 is because not all the subjects in the book were as compelling as some (the section on cohabitating with the environment was less sincere and more of a lecture). I talk more about it on my blog Amanda’s Weekly Zen.