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BUDDHA IN YOUR MIRROR: Practical Buddhism and the Secret Search for Self by WOODY HOCHSWENDER
While the notion that “happiness can found within oneself” has recently become popular, Buddhism has taught for thousands of years that every person is a Buddha, or enlightened being, and has the potential for true and lasting happiness. Through real-life examples, the authors explain how adopting this outlook has positive effects on one’s health, relationships, and career, and gives new insights into world environmental concerns, peace issues, and other major social problems.
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First published October 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
March 9, 2008
I am a 30-year Buddhist so I read this book not to be informed but to learn how well it might serve to introduce others. Despite being a long-time practitioner, I still found it fresh and informative. If you know next to nothing at all about Buddhism but want to learn how and why it might be useful to you, this is the book you should start with. It is NOT rocket science but it hits all the key points you need to know and is readily understandable by almost anyone. Above all, it makes it fundamentally clear that you are in the driver's seat when it comes to your own life. Stand up for yourself, take control of your destiny and read this book.
June 23, 2010
The Buddha in Your Mirror is a quick overview of the basic tenets of Nichiren Buddhism. Much food for thought was packed into this slender volume. I actually began taking notes as I read. I am very new to the concepts of Buddhist study and I appreciate anything on the topic targeted to the layman or the uninitiated.
Although I do not conduct a formal 'practice' at this point, I am thoroughly enjoying my study of Buddhist thought. It gives me a fresh and more positive perspective. It reminds me to focus on my own behavior and thoughts rather than the actions of others and situations that are outside of my control. As a natural born cynic and sarcasm junkie, Buddhism is the first 'ism' that has persuaded me to rewire my thinking to a more positive degree.
Perhaps readers who are already well versed in Buddhism would find this particular book too elementary. Others may not be able to suspend their disbelief over the constant encouragement to begin chanting nam myoho renge kyo. But readers with an open mind about the myriad benefits of Buddhist ideas (contemplation, constructive thought, serenity and happiness and the ability of each one of us to attain that) will gain inspiration.
This book took me less than a week to read. I am in the process of finishing my notes and am eager to move on to my next Buddhist read. Thus, The Buddha in Your Mirror did succeed in furthering my interest in this discipline.
Although I do not conduct a formal 'practice' at this point, I am thoroughly enjoying my study of Buddhist thought. It gives me a fresh and more positive perspective. It reminds me to focus on my own behavior and thoughts rather than the actions of others and situations that are outside of my control. As a natural born cynic and sarcasm junkie, Buddhism is the first 'ism' that has persuaded me to rewire my thinking to a more positive degree.
Perhaps readers who are already well versed in Buddhism would find this particular book too elementary. Others may not be able to suspend their disbelief over the constant encouragement to begin chanting nam myoho renge kyo. But readers with an open mind about the myriad benefits of Buddhist ideas (contemplation, constructive thought, serenity and happiness and the ability of each one of us to attain that) will gain inspiration.
This book took me less than a week to read. I am in the process of finishing my notes and am eager to move on to my next Buddhist read. Thus, The Buddha in Your Mirror did succeed in furthering my interest in this discipline.
May 12, 2009
This book changed my life- it came to me in a very random way but right when I needed it. While I'm not into the chanting or other aspects of fully practicing Buddhism, there's still a lot to learn. It teaches us how we are responsible for what happens to us and how to use that to our advantage.
June 17, 2012
This book typifies the simplistic attitude in faith which is Soka Gakkai's (SGI's) calling card. The name of this book should be, "Using Smoke and Mirrors in Buddhism" instead of the original title. Celebrity Duncan Sheik says in another SGI book, "The Way of Youth", that he used to hate singing in public, but thanks to chanting, he's made a gold album and has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Vocal peformance. Really? You shouldn't need celebrities to tell you the validity of religion. Even if you read the Lotus Sutra for yourself, it doesn't say anywhere to chant to solve your problems. As a matter of fact, the Buddha says within the pages of the Lotus Sutra that a person should call upon Bodhisattva Perceiver of the Worlds Sounds (Avalokiteshvara) if they need help. Don't waste your time on this. Instead, read, "When Things Fall Apart" or "Shambala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior".
April 29, 2012
This was a life changing book for me. After I read it I started practicing Nichiren Buddhism. I received my gohonzon January 1, 2008.
September 6, 2021
There are many great books on the core concepts of Buddhist philosophy and the Buddhist religion (yes, there is a difference) and mindfulness meditation. Unfortunately, I would not consider this to be one of them. It’s important to note that even though the authors continually make statements such as, “Buddhism teaches…” or “Buddhists believe…”, they don’t make it clear enough that this book mainly deals with one specific strand of Buddhism. In short, the two original schools of Buddhism are Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism (Theravada being the older, from 500 B.C.E.). This book specifically deals with a sect of Mahayana Buddhism called Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren was established in Japan in the 13th Century and has specific beliefs and rituals that millions of practicing Buddhists likely don’t subscribe to.
Though they share the belief in the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, that all conditional things are impermanent, the primary difference between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism is that Theravada focuses more on a secular interpretation of the original teachings of the Buddha, revolving more around mindfulness meditation as a way to achieve enlightenment instead of karma or past lives. Whereas Mahayana Buddhism, known as “The Great Vehicle”, took a different interpretation of the ancient texts and teaches that the Buddha was a god to be worshipped, instead of simply an enlightened philosopher. This made Mahayana Buddhism far more inclusive, since it was impractical to expect most laypeople to muster the monastic discipline to meditate for 15 hours a day to achieve enlightenment as the ancient arhats (monks) did. Worshipping the Buddha instead gave laypeople a path to salvation.
It’s difficult to decipher how many of the central tenets from Mahayana Buddhism and it’s emphasis on the Lotus Sutra that remain in Nchiren Buddhism, as the book only touches on a few of them, briefly. The central tenet in Nichiren is the belief that performing the chant “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (preferably directed at a scroll called a “Gohonzon”), will transform your life and bring you to enlightenment. The book claims this is because it is “the law of nature” at work. The book mentions that Nichiren himself once wrote, “There is no true happiness for human beings other than by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.” I'm not sure the actual Buddha would have agreed with this, as it was never mentioned in his teachings. This sounds about as dogmatic and prescriptive as Christians who claim that there is no salvation except through accepting Jesus as your lord and savior.
While there is one useful chapter that focuses on the role our mental state plays in the quality of the relationships, most of the book is full of pseudoscientific claims that would be very much at home in a work by Deepak Chopra. It is important to differentiate science from faith, and like so many other New Age books, this one blurs the line constantly. The claims include comments like “The rhythmic chanting fuses with the rhythm of the universe” and that “the law of the chant mirrors the law of nature and works at all times, under any conditions and circumstances.” Quite a bold claim. They also hava an entire chapter filled with anecdotes of people who were cured by the chant including a dubious claim about a stage-4 cancer patient who was miraculously cured, not by chemotherapy but by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo repeatedly, as well as an HIV patient who was cured by the chant (even though it is far more likely that he benefited from the newly developed HIV cocktail drugs that had become available at the time). The book claims that, “Empowered by he Mystic Law, we can transform disease into a source of joy and fulfillment” and that “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is said to be the best medicine ever discovered by humans.” This will no doubt be news to doctors who thought it was antibiotics or the smallpox vaccine.
But the most incredible claim is that this chant will change your life—even if you don’t believe in it. It’s just that powerful. The authors literally compare its validity to gravity and Einstein’s theory of relativity. It’s simply a “law of nature” that it will work.
The authors explain that “When these words are chanted, the mystic law has the power to revitalize one’s life.” Of course, this claim is easily testable. For any who choose to, I suspect it will result in "revitalization" for the few people who have already determined to make changes in their lives and who find comfort in being part of a larger community. For others, it’ll likely be less successful.
The authors take pains to differentiate the Nichiren chant from a traditional Judeo-Christian prayer by saying that the chant is more of a “determined statement of will from within” instead of simply a “wish” or “request” for an outside force to change something. However, if this were the case, it prompts the question of why the chant and the scroll and the positioning of one’s hands in the prayer position are necessary in the first place. Why not simply wake up each morning and say to yourself “I WILL finish my novel” or “I WILL hit my sales targets” over and over till you actually do it? It appears that the authors feel that only uttering the magic syllables will make these wishes come true by putting you “in tune with the universe.”
The unfortunate result of these kinds of books is that people who come to them with little prior knowledge of Buddhism may walk away thinking it’s all quite kooky, and justifiably so. A similar thing happened when the age-old practice of Vipassana meditation got tangled up with the Western New-Age movement of magic crystals and devotional chants. The fact is that the chant may indeed work for some people, but not because these specific syllables have any magic power in them, but because repeating any chant likely brings the practitioners into a focused state of mental awareness of the present moment. Doing this often enough will often provide insights into the nature of the mind and the self. If the authors simply acknowledged this, instead of holding on to ancient dogma about specific syllables, the book would have more validity and appeal to more skeptics.
In short, there is great wisdom to be gained by studying some of the ancient philosophical concepts of Buddhism or mindfulness meditation practice, shorn of the supernatural aspects spoken about in specific texts. I would suggest When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron, Buddhism Without Belief by Stephen Batchelor, Buddhism for Dummes by Stephen Bodian, or the audiobook/lecture series Religions of the East by Stephen Prothero. For more on secular mindfulness practice, excellent books include Waking Up by Sam Harris, Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright, Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham, or anything from Joseph Goldstein.
Though they share the belief in the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Path, that all conditional things are impermanent, the primary difference between Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism is that Theravada focuses more on a secular interpretation of the original teachings of the Buddha, revolving more around mindfulness meditation as a way to achieve enlightenment instead of karma or past lives. Whereas Mahayana Buddhism, known as “The Great Vehicle”, took a different interpretation of the ancient texts and teaches that the Buddha was a god to be worshipped, instead of simply an enlightened philosopher. This made Mahayana Buddhism far more inclusive, since it was impractical to expect most laypeople to muster the monastic discipline to meditate for 15 hours a day to achieve enlightenment as the ancient arhats (monks) did. Worshipping the Buddha instead gave laypeople a path to salvation.
It’s difficult to decipher how many of the central tenets from Mahayana Buddhism and it’s emphasis on the Lotus Sutra that remain in Nchiren Buddhism, as the book only touches on a few of them, briefly. The central tenet in Nichiren is the belief that performing the chant “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” (preferably directed at a scroll called a “Gohonzon”), will transform your life and bring you to enlightenment. The book claims this is because it is “the law of nature” at work. The book mentions that Nichiren himself once wrote, “There is no true happiness for human beings other than by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.” I'm not sure the actual Buddha would have agreed with this, as it was never mentioned in his teachings. This sounds about as dogmatic and prescriptive as Christians who claim that there is no salvation except through accepting Jesus as your lord and savior.
While there is one useful chapter that focuses on the role our mental state plays in the quality of the relationships, most of the book is full of pseudoscientific claims that would be very much at home in a work by Deepak Chopra. It is important to differentiate science from faith, and like so many other New Age books, this one blurs the line constantly. The claims include comments like “The rhythmic chanting fuses with the rhythm of the universe” and that “the law of the chant mirrors the law of nature and works at all times, under any conditions and circumstances.” Quite a bold claim. They also hava an entire chapter filled with anecdotes of people who were cured by the chant including a dubious claim about a stage-4 cancer patient who was miraculously cured, not by chemotherapy but by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo repeatedly, as well as an HIV patient who was cured by the chant (even though it is far more likely that he benefited from the newly developed HIV cocktail drugs that had become available at the time). The book claims that, “Empowered by he Mystic Law, we can transform disease into a source of joy and fulfillment” and that “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is said to be the best medicine ever discovered by humans.” This will no doubt be news to doctors who thought it was antibiotics or the smallpox vaccine.
But the most incredible claim is that this chant will change your life—even if you don’t believe in it. It’s just that powerful. The authors literally compare its validity to gravity and Einstein’s theory of relativity. It’s simply a “law of nature” that it will work.
The authors explain that “When these words are chanted, the mystic law has the power to revitalize one’s life.” Of course, this claim is easily testable. For any who choose to, I suspect it will result in "revitalization" for the few people who have already determined to make changes in their lives and who find comfort in being part of a larger community. For others, it’ll likely be less successful.
The authors take pains to differentiate the Nichiren chant from a traditional Judeo-Christian prayer by saying that the chant is more of a “determined statement of will from within” instead of simply a “wish” or “request” for an outside force to change something. However, if this were the case, it prompts the question of why the chant and the scroll and the positioning of one’s hands in the prayer position are necessary in the first place. Why not simply wake up each morning and say to yourself “I WILL finish my novel” or “I WILL hit my sales targets” over and over till you actually do it? It appears that the authors feel that only uttering the magic syllables will make these wishes come true by putting you “in tune with the universe.”
The unfortunate result of these kinds of books is that people who come to them with little prior knowledge of Buddhism may walk away thinking it’s all quite kooky, and justifiably so. A similar thing happened when the age-old practice of Vipassana meditation got tangled up with the Western New-Age movement of magic crystals and devotional chants. The fact is that the chant may indeed work for some people, but not because these specific syllables have any magic power in them, but because repeating any chant likely brings the practitioners into a focused state of mental awareness of the present moment. Doing this often enough will often provide insights into the nature of the mind and the self. If the authors simply acknowledged this, instead of holding on to ancient dogma about specific syllables, the book would have more validity and appeal to more skeptics.
In short, there is great wisdom to be gained by studying some of the ancient philosophical concepts of Buddhism or mindfulness meditation practice, shorn of the supernatural aspects spoken about in specific texts. I would suggest When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron, Buddhism Without Belief by Stephen Batchelor, Buddhism for Dummes by Stephen Bodian, or the audiobook/lecture series Religions of the East by Stephen Prothero. For more on secular mindfulness practice, excellent books include Waking Up by Sam Harris, Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright, Turning the Mind Into an Ally by Sakyong Mipham, or anything from Joseph Goldstein.
February 16, 2018
Excellent introduction to Nichiren Buddhism. A profound philosophy of peace and respect for all living beings. A modern spirituality grounded in daily life. I strongly recommend.
April 21, 2021
Not as good as I thought it would be
June 15, 2015
Da anni mi arrivava alla mente e al cuore le indicazioni di amic* pro buddismo. Ma la mia formazione filosofica in Storia delle Religioni mi aveva lasciata interdetta sul buddismo delle origini, ovvero quello indiano, ispirato al nichilismo e auto privazione di gioia e desiderio per espiare il karma negativo, arrivando alla felicità in chissà quale vita futura, in chissà quale mondo lontano nel tempo e nello spazio. Ho sempre creduto che la nostra mentalità occidentale, così imbevuta di desideri e materialità, ne sarebbe stata incompatibile. L’avevo accantonato.
Da un paio di settimane, invece, le indicazioni si sono fatte più pressanti e da tre persone in cui avevo già riposto la mia fiducia. Una, una donna che ha letto il mio saggio
Da un paio di settimane, invece, le indicazioni si sono fatte più pressanti e da tre persone in cui avevo già riposto la mia fiducia. Una, una donna che ha letto il mio saggio
May 18, 2021
Interesting, the whole book revolves around the power of chanting “nam meoho renge keo “
I got to keep practicing this chanting ritual to know for sure if it works
I might use it as a mantra meditation. Lets see
Also the author being a jazz musician is also an advantage for me personally as im a guitar player myself so i can get some of the metaphors he uses in the book
I got to keep practicing this chanting ritual to know for sure if it works
I might use it as a mantra meditation. Lets see
Also the author being a jazz musician is also an advantage for me personally as im a guitar player myself so i can get some of the metaphors he uses in the book
July 9, 2012
Such a positive inspirational book that really put Buddhism in layman's terms.
August 13, 2014
Me encantó literalmente. Nam-miojo-rengue-kio
June 4, 2025
My therapist recommended this book — probably thinking I needed a bit of inner peace (or maybe just a mantra to scream into the void).
Instead of actual Buddhist philosophy, I got a collection of feel-good stories with the energy of “just manifest it and it will happen.” Steve beats cancer by chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” a few hours a day — in less than a week. Impressive.
And let’s not forget Janet, whose alcoholic husband miraculously becomes a changed man just because she starts practicing Buddhism. Not a conversation, not a boundary — just vibes.
It’s not that it was boring — it’s just that I came for wisdom and left with spiritual clickbait.
Instead of actual Buddhist philosophy, I got a collection of feel-good stories with the energy of “just manifest it and it will happen.” Steve beats cancer by chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” a few hours a day — in less than a week. Impressive.
And let’s not forget Janet, whose alcoholic husband miraculously becomes a changed man just because she starts practicing Buddhism. Not a conversation, not a boundary — just vibes.
It’s not that it was boring — it’s just that I came for wisdom and left with spiritual clickbait.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2021
Letto con attenzione e forte spirito critico questo libro ha la capacità di stravolgerti e non poco. Consiglistissimo a chiunque sia alla ricerca della sua persona attraverso l'introspezione.
April 24, 2022
Lo rileggo spesso. Uno dei miei libri preferiti di sempre.
April 8, 2024
This book was okay.. definitely some blimps of goodness but overall I was kinda bored. I started reading “Buddhism plain and simple” the other day and it had me much more interested in the first few pages than this one did in the majority of the book.
August 7, 2020
A wonderfully straightforward and inspiring book for those practicing or interested in Buddhism. The book encompasses all phases of Buddhism in a very tangible and clear way. Highly recommended, especially for those who are searching.
May 3, 2015
Someone (an angel/messenger) I rode the night train with gave me this book near the beginning of the century and it was a big help then - very enlightening. Re-reading it now it seems ... that I have out grown it. Looking at it from this perspective it seems like a very contrived self-help book designed almost to recruit people into the Buddhism it was derived from. What a difference a decade makes. One aspect of this book that I didn't pick up on (or believed then but not now) is that Buddhism is a religion. I don't believe it's a religion, but rather take the Alan Watts perspective that it's a philosophy and or a life style. I never "became" a Buddhist, but later became aware of Taoism, which also guided me along the path I walk today. While I have identified myself as a Taoist on social media, I don't overtly practice it.
If you've ever had a friend who helped you over some rough spots in life - but didn't grow as you did (alas, books are set in wood, so to speak, and don't grow) you will understand how I feel about this book. It was a big help, for which I am eternally grateful and would happily pass along to someone who could use it to grow... or simply keep it and read it again at another time, for which I may write a completely different "review."
If you've ever had a friend who helped you over some rough spots in life - but didn't grow as you did (alas, books are set in wood, so to speak, and don't grow) you will understand how I feel about this book. It was a big help, for which I am eternally grateful and would happily pass along to someone who could use it to grow... or simply keep it and read it again at another time, for which I may write a completely different "review."
February 28, 2016
This book is very well written and a easy read. I am not a Buddhist. So, from my perspective, I felt that it focused too much on the power of chanting, which I didn't mind. My favourite chapters are: Self and Environment, Happiness, and Relationships That Work. I took notes while reading these chapters. My least favourite chapters were: Buddhism and Health, and Dealing with Death. I felt that I did not learn anything new from the Buddhism and Health chapter and I was not entirely convinced about rebirth. In summary, it was an enjoyable read for me and I would recommend it to people who are struggling with suffering and depression.
July 24, 2011
I'm a Roman Catholic and i was always thought to be careful of what i read but for some reason i had to read this book. This book will teach you all about Buddhism,history of it and the practical aspects of it. You have to be open to new ideas about religion in the world and a lot of Roman Catholic are not incline to do that. So books lovers you, my advise is that you will appreciate this book not because one particular religion but its a special way of enlightenment.
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February 16, 2013A friend of mine who's a practicing Buddhist sent me this book as a present. I found it a clear, quick, informative read. I can't vouch for any of its contents except that my friend recommended it. While I'm not sure I agree with everything in it, there certainly seemed to be a lot of commonsense philosophy and I was surprised how much of the philosophy seemed to intertwine with modern physics.
March 28, 2015
Bellissimo libro che spiega il Buddismo di Nichiren Daishonin in modo semplice e accattivante. Consigliato a tutti quelli che credono che il mondo possa davvero cambiare e sono disposti a mettersi in gioco per dare il proprio contributo.
May 19, 2010
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!
August 19, 2012
This was one of those books I'd always known of but never actually taken the time to read. Couldn't recommend it enough!!
October 5, 2025
I read this book again after many years of it (literally) collecting dust in my book collection. Picking up this book was perfect timing due to recently having a healthcare scare. Before diagnosis of my illness there were a few weeks where I knew that if my diagnosis was cancer, and based on the symptoms, I would unlikely see spring 2026.
Luckily for me I was diagnosed with a chronic illness that will require surgery soon, however, if all goes well I should live a fairly normal existence.
Having to sharply see death as a real possibility I realized that I am lost when coming to grips with my eventual end. Our Judeo-Christian capitalistic society has a toxic relationship with death and that toxicity is manifest in me. I realized that I need to change.
This book set me on a path to realize that change, as I am observing/educating myself on the Buddhist faith as a possible guide to self betterment and understanding. It’s been a breath of fresh air realizing that my personal ideas on how I want to live my life mirror that of the teachings. So here I go as merely an observer on a journey to understand life and better myself and hopefully those around me and my community.
I feel as tho any person who picks up this book will get something positive out of it. So give it a read.
Luckily for me I was diagnosed with a chronic illness that will require surgery soon, however, if all goes well I should live a fairly normal existence.
Having to sharply see death as a real possibility I realized that I am lost when coming to grips with my eventual end. Our Judeo-Christian capitalistic society has a toxic relationship with death and that toxicity is manifest in me. I realized that I need to change.
This book set me on a path to realize that change, as I am observing/educating myself on the Buddhist faith as a possible guide to self betterment and understanding. It’s been a breath of fresh air realizing that my personal ideas on how I want to live my life mirror that of the teachings. So here I go as merely an observer on a journey to understand life and better myself and hopefully those around me and my community.
I feel as tho any person who picks up this book will get something positive out of it. So give it a read.
September 29, 2024
I thought this book was alright. It didn't particularly blow my socks off.
One thing I found kind of irritating, that I feel degraded its quality, was the over-focus on chanting. Idealizing it as panacea to all ailments. It does note that its fine to be skeptical of the chanting, and I'm not stating it doesn't do what the book describes. I think the heavy focus on it took focus from what the book could have elaborated on more. It was also somewhat of a weird choice to keep the chanting instructions until the very end of the book, given how much it mentions it, but maybe its easier to reference it there.
I did gain novel insights and further understanding into Buddhism, so it was valuable in that regard for sure. It was interesting to learn a bit more about Nichiren & his Buddhism.
Although, I wasn't deeply wowed by most of the contents. And feel it definitely under delivers for the tagline of 'Practical Buddhism', its idea of that being mainly the chanting, which leaves much to be desired.
The prose was alright, and understandable enough. I find it lacking a bit in a way that is hard to define. Overall, was a decent book.
One thing I found kind of irritating, that I feel degraded its quality, was the over-focus on chanting. Idealizing it as panacea to all ailments. It does note that its fine to be skeptical of the chanting, and I'm not stating it doesn't do what the book describes. I think the heavy focus on it took focus from what the book could have elaborated on more. It was also somewhat of a weird choice to keep the chanting instructions until the very end of the book, given how much it mentions it, but maybe its easier to reference it there.
I did gain novel insights and further understanding into Buddhism, so it was valuable in that regard for sure. It was interesting to learn a bit more about Nichiren & his Buddhism.
Although, I wasn't deeply wowed by most of the contents. And feel it definitely under delivers for the tagline of 'Practical Buddhism', its idea of that being mainly the chanting, which leaves much to be desired.
The prose was alright, and understandable enough. I find it lacking a bit in a way that is hard to define. Overall, was a decent book.
February 19, 2025
Questo libro mi è stato donato da una cara amica, che è membro dell'Istituto Buddista Italiano Soka Gakkai. Prima di allora, avevo già provato a leggere qualcosa sul buddhismo, che mi ha sempre affascinato, e durante le lezioni di yoga ogni tanto la mia insegnante ci parla di alcuni precetti buddisti, ma mi ero sempre scoraggiata, mi sembrava una religione troppo complessa da comprendere e mettere in pratica.
Proprio per questo ho apprezzato tantissimo questo libro: con un'esposizione molto leggera e coinvolgente, basata anche sulle esperienze di vita di alcuni praticanti, questo volume riesce a rendere semplici e accessibili a tutti gli insegnamenti del buddhismo, adatti alla vita quotidiana della nostra società occidentale. Un approccio pragmatico ed essenziale perfetto per chi non ha mai sentito parlare di buddismo, è stata davvero una lettura molto piacevole.
Perfetto per chi è curioso di scoprire questa straordinaria religione millenaria.
Proprio per questo ho apprezzato tantissimo questo libro: con un'esposizione molto leggera e coinvolgente, basata anche sulle esperienze di vita di alcuni praticanti, questo volume riesce a rendere semplici e accessibili a tutti gli insegnamenti del buddhismo, adatti alla vita quotidiana della nostra società occidentale. Un approccio pragmatico ed essenziale perfetto per chi non ha mai sentito parlare di buddismo, è stata davvero una lettura molto piacevole.
Perfetto per chi è curioso di scoprire questa straordinaria religione millenaria.
April 20, 2019
People who know me know that Buddhist chanting is a huge part of my life which has given me some beautiful and transformative experiences and victories. While I’ve been chanting solo and am not a part of any organization for years, my “study” has suffered and the concepts of Buddhism have come to me only mostly by hearing @sravanyaadityapittie ‘s sermons to me every once in a while over the phone 😄 Having taken it upon myself to understand Buddhism some more and get a deeper understanding, this was such a great book to start, and perhaps one I should have read when I just started to chant. For those who want to know more about the practice, or who just want to know more about the Buddhist point of view of life, relationships and death in a way that makes complete sense, this book is really great. •
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#kittysbookclub #buddhainyourmirror #nmrk #sgi #bookstagram #kittyinthecity
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#kittysbookclub #buddhainyourmirror #nmrk #sgi #bookstagram #kittyinthecity
September 2, 2020
This book was a gift from a Buddhist friend and I am glad and touched she gifted this to me. This was a very easy and brief introduction to Buddhism and although I consider myself agnostic/atheist, I definitely appreciated learning about a lot of the practices and history that were described in the book. This book sparked more of my curiosity regarding Buddhism and I found myself researching certain terms or historical events discussed, which I hope to gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of. Although I couldn’t wrap my head around every single topic, I appreciated being challenged and taking time to reflect on my personal beliefs and how they tend to often times align with certain Buddhist beliefs. This would be a great read for someone who’s looking for a brief overview of Buddhism. I hope to learn more on this in the future with a more thorough read.
June 3, 2021
Ho cominciato a leggere questo libro incuriosito dalle idee e dalle basi su cui si basa il buddismo. Ho scoperto un libro che ti permettere di riflettere molto su come vivere la propria felicità interiore. Secondo il buddismo infatti la nostra vita è costellata da vari problemi giornalieri e solo trovando il modo di gestirli interiormente possiamo far si di viverla il più serenamente possibile. Mi è piaciuto molto il concetto che tutto deriva da noi stessi, molte volte tendiamo a dare la colpa dei nostri insuccessi a cause esterne oppure alla sfortuna, Il Budda nello Specchio ci permette di capire che tutti gli avvenimenti che accadono durante la nostra vita dipendono dai nostri comportamenti potendo anche influire sulle persone che gravitano all'interno del nostro ambiente.
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