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The Handbook of Ordinary Heroes
Buddhism is said to be universal because it transcends all notions of time and culture. A French shepherd from the Middle Ages can apply it just as easily as a Singaporean businessman from the 21st century. The Buddha's teachings offer a method for understanding how to be and how to act-in other words, how to live our humanity while taking care of ourselves and others.
The heroes referred to in this book are ordinary beings like us who choose to develop as individuals through their understanding and application of kindness and compassion. These heroes are bodhisattvas who wish for all beings to meet with lasting happiness and to experience protection from all causes of unhappiness. This handbook provides accessible explanations of what it means to live like a bodhisattva and offers a series of simple exercises directly related to daily life. It gives us key points for facing the difficulties we encounter in a new way and perceiving our lives according to altruistic values.
The heroes referred to in this book are ordinary beings like us who choose to develop as individuals through their understanding and application of kindness and compassion. These heroes are bodhisattvas who wish for all beings to meet with lasting happiness and to experience protection from all causes of unhappiness. This handbook provides accessible explanations of what it means to live like a bodhisattva and offers a series of simple exercises directly related to daily life. It gives us key points for facing the difficulties we encounter in a new way and perceiving our lives according to altruistic values.
143 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 29, 2023
This book is quite uneven: some genuine wisdom mixed with bad and dogmatic ideas.
Although the author writes “[The Buddha’s] teaching is not a dogma”, he nevertheless asserts dogmatic belief in karma and reincarnation, beliefs that are essentially defended with an appeal to authority: “the Buddha clearly perceived and described them [i.e. karmic realms]”.
It is also generally confusing whether the ultimate aim that is advocated here is to help all sentient beings in an impartial manner, or simply to help others in order to purify one’s own karma so as to liberate one’s own alleged line of reincarnations from suffering. It often seems like it is more the latter than the former, unfortunately.
Good parts: There is a consistent emphasis on self-understanding and on trying to move toward helping others in gradual and realistic steps. This emphasis on realism and pragmatism is helpful, despite the dogma.
The following quote gives some sense of the bad parts of the book, showing how belief in karma can support a strong form of victim blaming: “Certain beings endure atrocious suffering while others enjoy pleasant circumstances. This is neither random chance nor injustice. Beings created the causes for these conditions in the past, and these causes now simply give their results.” Ugh :(
Although the author writes “[The Buddha’s] teaching is not a dogma”, he nevertheless asserts dogmatic belief in karma and reincarnation, beliefs that are essentially defended with an appeal to authority: “the Buddha clearly perceived and described them [i.e. karmic realms]”.
It is also generally confusing whether the ultimate aim that is advocated here is to help all sentient beings in an impartial manner, or simply to help others in order to purify one’s own karma so as to liberate one’s own alleged line of reincarnations from suffering. It often seems like it is more the latter than the former, unfortunately.
Good parts: There is a consistent emphasis on self-understanding and on trying to move toward helping others in gradual and realistic steps. This emphasis on realism and pragmatism is helpful, despite the dogma.
The following quote gives some sense of the bad parts of the book, showing how belief in karma can support a strong form of victim blaming: “Certain beings endure atrocious suffering while others enjoy pleasant circumstances. This is neither random chance nor injustice. Beings created the causes for these conditions in the past, and these causes now simply give their results.” Ugh :(
August 27, 2018
A beautiful description of the fundamental ideas of Tibetan Buddhism paired with a solid practical advice for those who are interested in entering this path. The book is a must read for experienced practitioners too. What an inspiration!
The translation is a little difficult to follow at the beginning, but do not get discouraged, it gets better.
The translation is a little difficult to follow at the beginning, but do not get discouraged, it gets better.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews