Step by Step

by Maha Ghosananda

Step by Step offers an invaluable collection of meditations on wisdom and compassion. These are drawn form author Maha Ghosananda's experience as a meditation master and international peacemaker.

81 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1991

Reviews

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first learned about Maha Ghosananda when I saw his obituary last year in The Economist. I was amazed at his story and wanted to learn more. He was a Cambodian Buddhist monk who lived through the horrors of the Khmer Rouge. His entire family and many friends were murdered. His religion's temples were desecrated. But instead of becoming bitter, he taught his people to love their enemies and to have compassion for them.

This is a short book of meditations on topics such as peace, happiness, wisdom, and compassion. Each meditation is very short and simple but very profound and practical.

[Laura JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this small book, along with another* slim volume, from young monks at Buddhist University Battambang, during a cultural immersion tour of Cambodia by Vegan Travel Asia. We had had a good discussion and then were presented with a traditional scarf and these books. I enjoyed reading them both, learning about Maha Ghosananda and his role in peacemaking and the recovery of his country and its people after years of turmoil and death.
The first third of this book comprises a preface, a foreword by Dith Pran and a lengthy introduction by the editors, which was very useful to me, as it detailed the horrible 1976-79 period, the peace marches led by Ghosananda and his work around the world.
Then follow talks and meditations by Ghosananda - like blog posts - about wisdom and compassion.
Two valuable books, which I will leave behind on my travels and hope someone else benefits from them.

* Maha Ghosananda: The Buddha of the Battlefield, by Santidhammo Bhikkhu (unpublished)

[John Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was able to download this little 45 page book online for free, like so many. Just made of short writings and very reflective.

The Buddha said, „I teach only two things - suffering and the end of suffering.“
What is the cause of suffering? Suffering arises from clinging. If the mind says”I am,“ then there is suffering. If the mind says “I am not,“ then there is also suffering. As long as the mind clings, it suffers. When the mind is silent, it becomes peaceful and free.
Clinging has 108 names. It may be called greed, anger, envy, or covetousness.
Clinging is like a snake that sheds its skin. Beneath one tough skin there is always another.

[Thach Sol]

នេះជាសៀវភៅដ៏មានអត្ថប្រយោជន៍ចំពោះអ្នកសិក្សាជាពិសេសគឺសម្រាប់កូនខ្មែរគ្រប់ពិតជាមានមោទនភាពយ៉ាង​ក្រៃលែង​ដែល​មានបុព្វបុរបស់បន្សល់ទុកកេរមត៌កដ៏ពិសេសថ្លៃថ្លានេះ ខ្ញុំភិក្ខុ សុខភទ្ទោ ថាច់សូល ព្រះសង្ឃមកពីដែនដីកម្ពុជាក្រោម(ភូមិអូរសំពៅ ស្រុកំពង់ស្ពាន ខេត្តព្រះត្រពាំង កម្ពុជាក្រោម(ខ្មែរក្រោម) ២៥/១/២០២៥

[Veronica Noechel · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are working on a class project, comparative essay, or you are very new to the basics of Mahayana Buddhist mindfulness principles this is an ideal book for your purposes. I'm not knocking the book for other readers, of course, but if you are in one of the previous groups and you wish you could convince a Buddhist teacher or monk to spend an afternoon answering your questions over tea, this is a reasonable facsimile. You really can't get any closer to that without making an appointment.

The factor that makes these vignettes so very unique is the author's experience as a survivor of genocide under the Khmer Rouge. I wish the author had shared more about this part of his life and how it has affected his practice, but that would be a different kind of book geared toward a different audience.

[Paulo Vitorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grandes pensamentos e ensinamentos para uma vida.