Realizing Awakened Consciousness: Interviews with Buddhist Teachers and a New Perspective on the Mind

by Richard P. Boyle

If, as Buddhism claims, the potential for awakening exists in all human beings, we should be able to map the phenomenon with the same science we apply to other forms of consciousness. A student of cognitive social science and a Zen practitioner for more than forty years, Richard P. Boyle brings his sophisticated perspective to bear on the development of a theoretical model for both ordinary and awakened consciousness.Boyle conducts probing interviews with eleven prominent Western Buddhist teachers (Shinzen Young, John Tarrant, Ken McLeod, Ajahn Amaro, Martine Batchelor, Shaila Catherine, Gil Fronsdal, Stephen Batchelor, Pat Enkyo O'Hara, Bernie Glassman, and Joseph Goldstein) and one scientist (James Austin) who have experienced awakening. From the paths they traveled to enlightenment and their descriptions of the experience, he derives three fundamental properties of awakened consciousness. He then constructs an overarching model that explains how Buddhist practices help free the mind from attachments to reality and the self and make possible the three properties of awakening. Specifically, these teachers describe how they worked to control attention and quiet the mind, detach from ideas and habits, and open themselves to compassion. Boyle's account incorporates current theories of consciousness, sociological insights, and research in neuroscience to advance the study of awakened consciousness and help an even greater number of people to realize it.

Genres: Buddhism, Nonfiction, Meditation, Spirituality

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2015

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each of the interviews is an absolute gem and the book as a whole is compelling and readable throughout. I would highly recommend this to anyone interested in awakening.

Some of the author's ruminations in the latter half, while interesting, were distinctly half-baked. I'm thinking here of the section on the sex scandals that have cropped up in American zen communities (some vague gestures at explanations that came off--to me--as mildly exculpatory of the perpetrators and no real effort to seriously grapple with the issue), and the section on politics, which was kind of shallow.

One thing that would have been apropos in a book about the sociology of awakening but was missing was any real discussion of the material conditions necessary for these individuals to spend long periods of time abroad or on retreat or whatever. Boyle mentions that each of the 11 was from at least a middle-class background, but leaves it at that. How, for example, did Ken McLeod afford two back-to-back three-year retreats? His own funds, or was it paid for by donations to the institution? Same with Gil Fronsdahl--he spent years in a zen temple then somehow managed to leave and do doctoral studies. This was in the seventies, so a different time, but I'm curious. Bringing a person to awakening requires a lot of material resources, and those resources have to come from somewhere, but even in quite autobiographical work or in interviews American Buddhists seem kind of coy about this issue.

[CanadianReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cerebral, academic, inaccessible. I could not get more than a few pages in before giving up. The author promises a book devoid of Buddhist jargon; the reader doesn't get one. If you're just an average person with an interest in Buddhism but with no Buddhist training, I suspect this book won't be for you anymore than it was for me. Thumbs down.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book, for free, in exchange for an honest review.

In my opinion, this book's goal is to describe awakening and the process of awakening. It does so in two parts. The first part of the book consists of interviews with people who have had awakened experiences. This part of the book was the most useful for me. From this section, I was able to learn new ways of thinking about life that while probably won't lead awakening will lead to a happier life. The second part of the book analyzed the interviews looking to come to conclusions regarding awakenings. This part felt overly verbose and contained little actionable items. I think many Buddhists would appreciate the first part of the book while mostly socialogists,etc. would appreciate the latter.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleven popular Buddhist teachers were interviewed in regard to their path in life and experiences. I'd primarily recommend Ajahn Amaro, Gil Fronsdal, and Shila Catherine. Better to read Amaro's book "The Island" for the Early Buddhist teachings around awakening to understand the background first rather than try to draw conclusions from a diverse crowd. If you liked this books multifaceted approach, a similar book may be Kornfield's "Living Dharma" focused on 12 Theravada teachers, but I've not read it.

The last third of this book includes the authors own ruminations, much around the development of language cognition, which is important since awakened consciousness seems absent certain symbolic representations. The first property of awaking is presented as "no separation from ones environment". That is a romantic way of interpreting it. It's accurately about constructions taking place in the mind, not about ones relation to the universe. The second property being "no emotional attachments to the self", and third, "not-knowing: awareness co-arises with action, freely at each moment". Nothing particularly revelatory, but the book is well put together, and should provide some food for thought. Keeping this short, you'll have to read the book or other reviews for more depth on his models and social implications.

In conclusion, "Everyone likes happiness, but as the research makes clear, we are often confused about what will make us happy. There is an important convergence between the research findings on what really contributes to full happiness and the long traditions of spiritual and philosophical wisdom about true happiness. As more people become aware of and influenced by this convergence, the pool of those who might become interested in awakening grows."

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book, for free, in exchange for an honest review.

In my opinion, this book's goal is to describe awakening and the process of awakening. It does so in two parts. The first part of the book consists of interviews with people who have had awakened experiences. This part of the book was the most useful for me. From this section, I was able to learn new ways of thinking about life that while probably won't lead awakening will lead to a happier life. The second part of the book analyzed the interviews looking to come to conclusions regarding awakenings. This part felt overly verbose and contained little actionable items. I think many Buddhists would appreciate the first part of the book while mostly sociologists,etc. would appreciate the latter.

[Robb Seaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's difficult to find straightforward descriptions of the walking-around conscious experience of advanced practictioners, let alone any attempt at a synthesis of what, exactly, awakenings are really about with devolving into nonsense about ineffability and "suchness." Richard bravely tackles both here.

[Paul H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book while at a retreat run by 2 of the interviewees, Martine and Stephen Batchelor, which made it more interesting.
The interviewees mostly gave a concise personal history of their seeking and of some of their more significant moments in the their search.
Found the latter section harder to read but worthwhile fort the common links he drew between the different practitioners and also the relating an awakened state to the different consciousness that young children have!
The science part by James Austin at the end was also really interesting, (if you like that sort of thing.)
For example I never realised that attention used a completely different circuit of the brain involving speech whereas peripheral awareness only involves the right side of the brain!
Austin's Zen and the Brain will be on my reading list.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating

A fascinating sociological study of awakened consciousness that helped me better understand what it “feels” for someone who achieves “awakening” and how it might serve to mitigate existential suffering.

[Emilia Castus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its interesting but its just really hard to read. You need to pause. Its overwhelming.

So i urge you to pause from time to time.
Breathe.