What do you think?
Rate this book
Sống Tận
Ngày nay, con người có quá nhiều vật lộn với những thử thách về tài chính, các mối quan hệ, và nghề nghiệp, Sống tận là một toa thuốc kịp thời, “chữa trị” cho chúng ta khỏi “căn bệnh” của thời đại, đó là sống gấp.
Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche đưa những công cụ cần thiết cho chúng ta để trải nghiệm sự tự do tự tại đích thực, không bị ngắt quãng bởi sự thèm muốn vô tận về điều gì đó tốt đẹp hơn. Những chủ đề bao gồm từ sự khởi đầu với động lực thuần khiết, sự quý trọng hơi thở, kết nối bản thân với những người khác, cốt lõi của việc hòa giải, và sự hoàn thiện hoàn toàn tự nhiên.
Cuốn sách gồm các bước để người đọc có thể khai thác được năng lực bản thân để sống sao cho tận nhất:
- Tự do tự tại
- Sống trần trụi
- Mục đích thật sự của cuộc đời
- Thỏa nguyện thực sự…
Với cách tiếp cận vấn đề đơn giản và thấu suốt qua nhân sinh quan Phật giáo, vị lạt ma Rinpoche chỉ cho chúng ta con đường để sống sao cho tận nhất, cũng chính là con đường tận diệt khổ đau mà Đức Phật đã đề ra.
“Thách thức lớn nhất đối với chúng ta là sống trọn vẹn. Cuộc đời sẽ không thỏa mãn thực sự khi ta không thể sống hết mình từng phút từng giây và nắm được cốt lõi bản năng quý giá của con người. Tạm thời ta có thể tận hưởng sức khỏe dồi dào và những tiện nghi về vật chất, nhưng cuộc đời đang trôi vụt qua như những hạt cát chảy trong chiếc đồng hồ. Hơn nữa, không có gì đảm bảo rằng ta sẽ thức dậy sau giấc ngủ đêm nay!
Do đó, tôi chân thành khuyên bạn đọc hãy hít thở thật trọn vẹn ngay bây giờ! Hãy sống đầy quan tâm như thể sẽ không có ngày mai.”
Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche đưa những công cụ cần thiết cho chúng ta để trải nghiệm sự tự do tự tại đích thực, không bị ngắt quãng bởi sự thèm muốn vô tận về điều gì đó tốt đẹp hơn. Những chủ đề bao gồm từ sự khởi đầu với động lực thuần khiết, sự quý trọng hơi thở, kết nối bản thân với những người khác, cốt lõi của việc hòa giải, và sự hoàn thiện hoàn toàn tự nhiên.
Cuốn sách gồm các bước để người đọc có thể khai thác được năng lực bản thân để sống sao cho tận nhất:
- Tự do tự tại
- Sống trần trụi
- Mục đích thật sự của cuộc đời
- Thỏa nguyện thực sự…
Với cách tiếp cận vấn đề đơn giản và thấu suốt qua nhân sinh quan Phật giáo, vị lạt ma Rinpoche chỉ cho chúng ta con đường để sống sao cho tận nhất, cũng chính là con đường tận diệt khổ đau mà Đức Phật đã đề ra.
“Thách thức lớn nhất đối với chúng ta là sống trọn vẹn. Cuộc đời sẽ không thỏa mãn thực sự khi ta không thể sống hết mình từng phút từng giây và nắm được cốt lõi bản năng quý giá của con người. Tạm thời ta có thể tận hưởng sức khỏe dồi dào và những tiện nghi về vật chất, nhưng cuộc đời đang trôi vụt qua như những hạt cát chảy trong chiếc đồng hồ. Hơn nữa, không có gì đảm bảo rằng ta sẽ thức dậy sau giấc ngủ đêm nay!
Do đó, tôi chân thành khuyên bạn đọc hãy hít thở thật trọn vẹn ngay bây giờ! Hãy sống đầy quan tâm như thể sẽ không có ngày mai.”
- GenresSelf Help
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2012
7 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 7, 2012
It may sound strange to describe it as such, but this book is like a great selection of short, fast punk rock songs. No need to go off into heavy, long guitar solos. Time to just get to it. Get in and get out. Living Fully does just that. It’s a collection of many short chapters that together give a full soundtrack to what it is to be human and how to discover how best to navigate this reality we find ourselves in.
Quite a bit of terrain is covered in this book, but don’t be fooled, it is a deep read and does cover every aspect of human existence. Ambitious yes, but Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche has successfully achieved this with this book in my opinion. The writing is clear and concise and grounded very much in Tibetan Buddhism as well as the full experience of being human – every nook and cranny.
The concept of freedom is referred to quite often within the pages of “Living Fully”, as the essence of this book is about how to experience each moment of our lives and be present. The topics covered within its pages primarily relate to the theme of how to break through confusion and how to find freedom from suffering and provides instructions on what qualities we can cultivate to help us on the path and in turn, live a good life.
Suggestions such as examining our intentions, thinking of how to be of benefit and working with our minds by using meditation and mindfulness are referred to regularly in “Living Fully”. A large part of the book speaks to how meditation helps to reveal wisdom and serves as a buffer against the challenges that can arise in our lives.
Concepts core to Buddhist thought such as the nature of change and impermanence, obstacles, antidotes, karma, self-liberation, non-duality, attachments and specifically, as the title would suggest, the power that comes from realization around our precious human birth and the need to act now are all explored within the book. Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche also spends some time expressing how important it is for one to have a teacher in one’s life and how this relationship can help us on our spiritual path. The concept that the teacher is always available to us 24/7 is also explored as well as how we ourselves are our best teachers in guiding ourselves along the way since at the end of the day, nobody can do the work for us but ourselves.
The final chapter of the book comes from a Question and Answer session with Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche and mainly focuses on the topics of love, work and life in our present age. This section alone was quite nourishing for me as it related much to topics that I’m currently focused on such as how to balance my attachment to technology with my desire to share and connect with others as well as how to function in the material world but be free.
“Living Fully: Finding Joy in Every Breath” is one of those valuable books that can be picked up and referred to at any point as any chapter that you turn to will provide you with insight. Regardless of how far along in practice and study a student is engaged on the path, Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche has written a book that deepens the core principles of how to be present in every moment and makes that possibility less daunting.
Quite a bit of terrain is covered in this book, but don’t be fooled, it is a deep read and does cover every aspect of human existence. Ambitious yes, but Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche has successfully achieved this with this book in my opinion. The writing is clear and concise and grounded very much in Tibetan Buddhism as well as the full experience of being human – every nook and cranny.
The concept of freedom is referred to quite often within the pages of “Living Fully”, as the essence of this book is about how to experience each moment of our lives and be present. The topics covered within its pages primarily relate to the theme of how to break through confusion and how to find freedom from suffering and provides instructions on what qualities we can cultivate to help us on the path and in turn, live a good life.
Suggestions such as examining our intentions, thinking of how to be of benefit and working with our minds by using meditation and mindfulness are referred to regularly in “Living Fully”. A large part of the book speaks to how meditation helps to reveal wisdom and serves as a buffer against the challenges that can arise in our lives.
Concepts core to Buddhist thought such as the nature of change and impermanence, obstacles, antidotes, karma, self-liberation, non-duality, attachments and specifically, as the title would suggest, the power that comes from realization around our precious human birth and the need to act now are all explored within the book. Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche also spends some time expressing how important it is for one to have a teacher in one’s life and how this relationship can help us on our spiritual path. The concept that the teacher is always available to us 24/7 is also explored as well as how we ourselves are our best teachers in guiding ourselves along the way since at the end of the day, nobody can do the work for us but ourselves.
The final chapter of the book comes from a Question and Answer session with Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche and mainly focuses on the topics of love, work and life in our present age. This section alone was quite nourishing for me as it related much to topics that I’m currently focused on such as how to balance my attachment to technology with my desire to share and connect with others as well as how to function in the material world but be free.
“Living Fully: Finding Joy in Every Breath” is one of those valuable books that can be picked up and referred to at any point as any chapter that you turn to will provide you with insight. Regardless of how far along in practice and study a student is engaged on the path, Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche has written a book that deepens the core principles of how to be present in every moment and makes that possibility less daunting.
June 4, 2021
I believe the Universe brought this book to me. Rinpoche’s words resonated with me.
I have always been grateful to be alive and respectful of death.
My life completely changed when I was hospitalized due to covid, pneumonia and breathing with an oxygen mask.
I live every moment and breathe every breath as it were my last.
I have always been grateful to be alive and respectful of death.
My life completely changed when I was hospitalized due to covid, pneumonia and breathing with an oxygen mask.
I live every moment and breathe every breath as it were my last.
January 4, 2021
Pithy and succinct teachings from His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche (Dzogchen lineage). This is a book that doesn’t need to be read in order; the reader can start at any chapter, or read the chapters in order. This is a perfect text for a meditation group to read and discuss each teaching during the discussion period.
January 15, 2024
Definitely contemplating my own impermanence after this read.
Would recommend taking breaks to avoid spiralling.
Would recommend taking breaks to avoid spiralling.
June 7, 2012
A good book, for me, is one that tells me more about my humanity--and the humanity of others. It helps me to become more fully human. A pebble in the pond, it causes ripples everywhere. No matter whether it be fiction or non-fiction, poetry or prose, a good book changes everything. So I like to believe. What a joy for me to receive an email this morning about Mind Work: "A magic manual for seeing yourself in everyone and everyone in you." I could find no greater compliment for H.E. Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche's Living Fully: Finding Joy in Every Breath.
Had I read one chapter only of this book, I would have been amply rewarded. Reading Rinpoche's passage on "Honesty," I found myself nodding in enthusiastic agreement: it articulated with precision and clarity exactly what I believe the most important human work to be about--both the internal work of self-examination and the external work of being in the world. Read this:
From an unenlightened perspective, the ego or "self" is what we believe to exist as an unchanging, independent, and separate entity. The notion of self is merely imputed upon a ceaseless continuum of thoughts, feeling and perceptions. A careful examination of the self reveals itself only to be a mistaken construct. If we thoroughly investigate this self, we find that it is temporary and does not exist in any substantial way. Nevertheless, we have a hard time accepting this. The self is continually trying to proclaim a distinct identity, separate from the rest of the universe, like an unruly child who insists on being the center of attention.
That's my ego: an unruly child, demanding attention. I don't know about yours, but I suspect it might well be something similar. The task is to observe its actions critically, to disarm its fantasies with kind insistence and substitute them with reality, and to see this small self in the great perspective of the universe. It's a day-by-day, sometimes painful, always challenging, though often simply mundane activity. Honesty, Rinpoche adds, "means living without fabrication, pretense, or foolishness"; and "true honesty also means experiencing each moment completely. When you are dishonest, you miss the present moment because you are lost in thoughts of the past or future."
The central argument of Rinpoche's book, as I understand it, is that we are born with an "innate intelligence," an "inner radiance," a potential for unencumbered freedom and happiness that we are able to achieve only by learning to "dispel our ignorance and enjoy a truly wholesome way of living." His passages are short--I happen to love brevity: why use six hundred words when you can say it all elegantly in half that number?--and easily readable. No obfuscation here; just clarity. If we'll be guided, Rinpoche walks us through the steps that make it possible to move from ignorance and delusion to "perfect freedom."
The essays in "Living Fully" may be diamond-like in their precision and clarity; they are also dense with the complexities of human experience and with a compassionate understanding of our human conflicts and contradictions. Some may find it easy to read cover-to-cover, following the path that Rinpoche lays out. I do not. There's simply too much there. My preference has been to treat the essays as a slow read, not even necessarily in sequence, picking out passages that call to me here and there, putting the book down and returning to it when I'm ready. Generously, the book allows for the slow read--and the slow learner!
"Living Fully" is a treasure chest that yields rich rewards for those in search of a more profound experience in their lives. It's one of those books I wish everyone would read--and pay attention to.
Had I read one chapter only of this book, I would have been amply rewarded. Reading Rinpoche's passage on "Honesty," I found myself nodding in enthusiastic agreement: it articulated with precision and clarity exactly what I believe the most important human work to be about--both the internal work of self-examination and the external work of being in the world. Read this:
From an unenlightened perspective, the ego or "self" is what we believe to exist as an unchanging, independent, and separate entity. The notion of self is merely imputed upon a ceaseless continuum of thoughts, feeling and perceptions. A careful examination of the self reveals itself only to be a mistaken construct. If we thoroughly investigate this self, we find that it is temporary and does not exist in any substantial way. Nevertheless, we have a hard time accepting this. The self is continually trying to proclaim a distinct identity, separate from the rest of the universe, like an unruly child who insists on being the center of attention.
That's my ego: an unruly child, demanding attention. I don't know about yours, but I suspect it might well be something similar. The task is to observe its actions critically, to disarm its fantasies with kind insistence and substitute them with reality, and to see this small self in the great perspective of the universe. It's a day-by-day, sometimes painful, always challenging, though often simply mundane activity. Honesty, Rinpoche adds, "means living without fabrication, pretense, or foolishness"; and "true honesty also means experiencing each moment completely. When you are dishonest, you miss the present moment because you are lost in thoughts of the past or future."
The central argument of Rinpoche's book, as I understand it, is that we are born with an "innate intelligence," an "inner radiance," a potential for unencumbered freedom and happiness that we are able to achieve only by learning to "dispel our ignorance and enjoy a truly wholesome way of living." His passages are short--I happen to love brevity: why use six hundred words when you can say it all elegantly in half that number?--and easily readable. No obfuscation here; just clarity. If we'll be guided, Rinpoche walks us through the steps that make it possible to move from ignorance and delusion to "perfect freedom."
The essays in "Living Fully" may be diamond-like in their precision and clarity; they are also dense with the complexities of human experience and with a compassionate understanding of our human conflicts and contradictions. Some may find it easy to read cover-to-cover, following the path that Rinpoche lays out. I do not. There's simply too much there. My preference has been to treat the essays as a slow read, not even necessarily in sequence, picking out passages that call to me here and there, putting the book down and returning to it when I'm ready. Generously, the book allows for the slow read--and the slow learner!
"Living Fully" is a treasure chest that yields rich rewards for those in search of a more profound experience in their lives. It's one of those books I wish everyone would read--and pay attention to.
November 11, 2013
I started reading this book after concluding the chapter on the Diamond Sutra in Thich Nhat Hanh's "Awakening of the Heart" and thought, "Wow this book seems so light and fluffy in comparison with the Diamond Sutra." When I got to chapter 7, "Facing Obstacles and Obscurations," it seemed to get a bit more interesting and useful for me.
Sometimes I found his words thought-provoking. For example:
"We may assume that a financial crisis or broken relationship is the cause of our fear and insecurity. In truth, we are fearful when we do not recognize the indestructible quality of our true nature. This essence is unborn and undying, and it is naturally fearless." (p. 231)
I admit I grew tired of all the "we" and "you" statements, especially when they seemed disconnected from any understanding of how life is for many of us Westerners. For example, "When you see the preciousness of human life, you will not feel that your point of view is superior. You will be considerate and understanding." (p. 241) In a number of places he writes like this as if it's all so easy, but for many of us, it's just not. We have decades of self-hating baggage to overcome, co-workers who expect us to get tipsy with them every Friday, and pages of snarky Facebook postings to sift through every day in order to remain "connected" to the people we know. None of these things is conducive to the "simply snap your fingers, know this wisdom, and your life will magically improve" approach I sense the author having in much of this book. There's so much more actual work that we need to do to overcome all the crap in our lives and actually Live Fully. I would have appreciated a bit more practical hands on guidance in that area. But as the author points out, you need a teacher, and I guess the teacher is the one to help you with a more personalized approach to practice.
It would have been only 3 stars but I gave 4 stars because this author finally was the one to help me understand that famous quote of Padmasambhava's "Even if your view is as high as the sky, your observance of the behavior should be as fine as flour." To paraphrase my understanding, this means: Even though you aim for a mindset which recognizes all things are intangible/empty and there are no actual merits to gather, you should still recognize the interdependence of all things in the relative world, and act with generosity, discipline, patience, and diligence, and meditate. So "function in the relative world while maintaining the view of the ultimate nature of all things."
Sometimes I found his words thought-provoking. For example:
"We may assume that a financial crisis or broken relationship is the cause of our fear and insecurity. In truth, we are fearful when we do not recognize the indestructible quality of our true nature. This essence is unborn and undying, and it is naturally fearless." (p. 231)
I admit I grew tired of all the "we" and "you" statements, especially when they seemed disconnected from any understanding of how life is for many of us Westerners. For example, "When you see the preciousness of human life, you will not feel that your point of view is superior. You will be considerate and understanding." (p. 241) In a number of places he writes like this as if it's all so easy, but for many of us, it's just not. We have decades of self-hating baggage to overcome, co-workers who expect us to get tipsy with them every Friday, and pages of snarky Facebook postings to sift through every day in order to remain "connected" to the people we know. None of these things is conducive to the "simply snap your fingers, know this wisdom, and your life will magically improve" approach I sense the author having in much of this book. There's so much more actual work that we need to do to overcome all the crap in our lives and actually Live Fully. I would have appreciated a bit more practical hands on guidance in that area. But as the author points out, you need a teacher, and I guess the teacher is the one to help you with a more personalized approach to practice.
It would have been only 3 stars but I gave 4 stars because this author finally was the one to help me understand that famous quote of Padmasambhava's "Even if your view is as high as the sky, your observance of the behavior should be as fine as flour." To paraphrase my understanding, this means: Even though you aim for a mindset which recognizes all things are intangible/empty and there are no actual merits to gather, you should still recognize the interdependence of all things in the relative world, and act with generosity, discipline, patience, and diligence, and meditate. So "function in the relative world while maintaining the view of the ultimate nature of all things."
January 30, 2012
Compiled from Rinpoche’s teachings, this collection of thought-provoking and inspiring lessons is formatted in sections of short entries that can be studied one at a time, a topical section at a time, or all the way through. Rinpoche -- who has followed the spiritual path of Buddhism from childhood -- opens his introduction with the humble assertion that “the message is far more important than the messenger,” and duly steps aside to illuminate the message that the practices of kindness, compassion and understanding create a joyful life. Stressing the importance of a good teacher, Rinpoche provides plenty of instruction for those without the benefit of a master’s presence in their daily lives. There is abundant food for thought here, but also guidance for getting thought, desire and judgments out of the way of spiritual truth and awakening.
Rinpoche exemplifies his message here with great compassion for his readers and their struggles with human nature and experience. His metaphor of the lotus flower, rooted in mud while growing into clean perfection, is deeply moving and inspirational. His simple core theme -- to “aspire to be the most understanding person on this earth” -- seems attainable while not unrealistically easy here. The purpose of meditation and other practices becomes crystal clear through Rinpoche’s explanations.
This is one of those books I read with a highlighter in hand and plan to read again, choosing entries and sections to focus on for thought, meditation and discussion. While there are many “things to do before you die” books around, this one reminds us that awareness of our mortality can offer the key to a life spent meaningfully, mindfully, and in short, fully.
Maybe it’s time to put "enlightenment" on all our bucket lists.
Rinpoche exemplifies his message here with great compassion for his readers and their struggles with human nature and experience. His metaphor of the lotus flower, rooted in mud while growing into clean perfection, is deeply moving and inspirational. His simple core theme -- to “aspire to be the most understanding person on this earth” -- seems attainable while not unrealistically easy here. The purpose of meditation and other practices becomes crystal clear through Rinpoche’s explanations.
This is one of those books I read with a highlighter in hand and plan to read again, choosing entries and sections to focus on for thought, meditation and discussion. While there are many “things to do before you die” books around, this one reminds us that awareness of our mortality can offer the key to a life spent meaningfully, mindfully, and in short, fully.
Maybe it’s time to put "enlightenment" on all our bucket lists.
May 12, 2012
Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche is trained in the 4 main Tibetan Buddhist traditions. His root guru Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche, was a Dzogchen teacher, and is also my my order's (Triratna) refuge tree of inspiration. On his website, he says he's more American than Tibetan. He has a retreat center in upstate New York, in Millerton.
This book is a tour de force of teachings that basically hammer away at the idea that life is precious and to make the most of it you will meditate, and be compassion. It has a good dose of common sense, and page notes, and a glossary at the end, plus an interview. I recognize many of the teachings, including the idea of being humble and putting thought into action.
I got a review copy and I have to say I was skeptical; Another Tibetan pumped out a book. This is a very inspirational book. If I were not spread so thin, I'd try and go on a retreat with him. Seems like a genuine teacher. I would recommend it for a beginner, or intermediate student who has an interest in an inspiring book without much academic fuss. I think that's my one criticism--I thought he should have put in footnotes, including references to Milarepa and others. There were page notes, that clarified things, but he didn't attribute his teachings to where they originated from.
To end, I'll include a prayer he wrote that I really liked:
May I act with pure motivation.
May I part from selfish ways.
May I bring Joy and happiness to others.
May I free them from pain and sorrow.
May I have a big and open heart
That encompasses the whole world.
This book is a tour de force of teachings that basically hammer away at the idea that life is precious and to make the most of it you will meditate, and be compassion. It has a good dose of common sense, and page notes, and a glossary at the end, plus an interview. I recognize many of the teachings, including the idea of being humble and putting thought into action.
I got a review copy and I have to say I was skeptical; Another Tibetan pumped out a book. This is a very inspirational book. If I were not spread so thin, I'd try and go on a retreat with him. Seems like a genuine teacher. I would recommend it for a beginner, or intermediate student who has an interest in an inspiring book without much academic fuss. I think that's my one criticism--I thought he should have put in footnotes, including references to Milarepa and others. There were page notes, that clarified things, but he didn't attribute his teachings to where they originated from.
To end, I'll include a prayer he wrote that I really liked:
May I act with pure motivation.
May I part from selfish ways.
May I bring Joy and happiness to others.
May I free them from pain and sorrow.
May I have a big and open heart
That encompasses the whole world.
February 16, 2012
It's a good book for the beginner or the non-Buddhist. I think most folks who are already Zen Practitioners will find the material fairly standard and pedestrian.
This is not to say it is bad. It's quite good and it might be just the book for you. I thought it was good but it didn't speak to me in the way that Zen Flesh Zen Bones or Opening the Hand of Thought did.
This is not to say it is bad. It's quite good and it might be just the book for you. I thought it was good but it didn't speak to me in the way that Zen Flesh Zen Bones or Opening the Hand of Thought did.
March 9, 2020
I have reread this book often, for its simplicity, clarity, encouragement, and techniques. It is inspiring and I recommend it to anyone who wants to discover Life before Death. It really is a gem, one of the finest Buddhistic commentaries I have ever read, though you do not have to be interested in Buddhism to profit from it. A superb book, one of a kind!
September 26, 2016
The hard cover edition of this book was given to me by my cousin Richard. I have now read it through twice, one section a day after my meditation time. A great resource for healthy living and for the practice of meditation.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews