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Why Buddhism?: Westerners in Search of Wisdom by Vicki MacKenzie (Paperback, 2001)
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Why Buddhism?. Westerners in Search of Wisdom ; by Vicki MacKenzie. This book is in GOOD used condition overall. The cover has light wear. The spine is straight. This edition published in 2001. Illustrations / Photo's - No.
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Why Buddhism? is a series of interviews through which Vicki McKenzie (author of Cave in the Sw) explores the reason for Buddhism's growing appeal in western society. Through personal examples, this book will reveal what Buddhism means to a wide range of people in the UK, Australia and US. The interviews are inspiring and informative, covering the process each person went through in becoming involved in Buddhism, as well as the effect it has had on their lives and any difficulties they've encountered. The subjects interviewed in Why Buddhism? range from the famous, like composer Phillip Glass, actor Tracy Mann, and author/teacher Robert Thurman, to the heroic, such as the nun who brings Buddhist teachings to hardened criminals in jail, the extraordinary - like the Buddhist diamond merchant, and the ordinary made remarkable - like the woman Queensland woman dying a good Buddhist death. Popular rather than scholarly in tone, Why Buddhism? should appeal to those of us who are keen to kw more about a religion that is much talked about but little understood.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Allen & Unwin
ISBN-10
186448781x
ISBN-13
9781864487817
eBay Product ID (ePID)
96773653
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Why Buddhism?: Westerners in Search of Wisdom
Want to Read
by Vicki Mackenzie
Vicki Mackenzie, bestselling author of Cave in the Snow, investigates this question with the insight of a journalist who has explored Buddhism for 25 years. Among those who speak candidly about the effects of Buddhism in their lives are counselors and writers, a woman lama, a terminal cancer patient, a diamond merchant, composer Philip Glass, Professor Robert Thurman, and Buddhist luminaries Sharon Salzberg and Stephen Batchelor. The stories present intriguing responses to the Buddhist way -- to its ideas about consciousness and compassion, work and worldly success, family and relationships, nature and death, reincarnation, and other faiths. At a time when Western culture seems overwhelmed by materialism and individualism, Buddhism is attracting thoughtful people seeking a wiser way to live, inspiring them with tolerant and practical ethics and joyful spirituality. (less)
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A fascinating look at why Westerners are turning to Buddhism in record numbers, featuring world-renowned Buddhists such as composer Philip Glass and Professor Bob Thurman.
Why is Buddhism the fastest growing religion in the West? Vicki Mackenzie, best-selling author of A Cave in the Snow, has been a Buddhist for 25 years. A skilled interviewer, journalist and author, she explores this question in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia with extraordinary people who have turned to Buddhism, taking its philosophy and spirit into their lives and work. Among the stories are those of Buddhist luminaries Sharon Salzberg and Stephen Batchelor, and ordinary people: a mother, a counsellor and a businessman.
The book explores Buddhism, ideas about other religions, about work and worldly success, thoughts on mind, consciousness and enlightenment; views on nature, the family, relationships, and death. The picture that emerges is an intriguing reflection on what Buddhism means to the contemporary West. Buddhism is attracting intelligent and creative thinkers who seek a wiser way to live, inspiring them with joyful spirituality, tolerant and practical ethics, and fellowship within the unity of all life.
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Paperback, 308 pages
Published July 25th 2003 by Element Books (first published April 1st 2001)
Original TitleWhy Buddhism?: Westerners in Search of Wisdom
ISBN0007142285 (ISBN13: 9780007142286)
Edition LanguageEnglish
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Johannes Bertus
Dec 21, 2013Johannes Bertus rated it really liked it
Some very inspiring stories. The author's views come through somewhat in the interviews, but she is sincere enough that it didn't bother me too much.
If I had to raise criticism, I would say is somewhat prone to equate Buddhism with Tibetanism, treating the many (legitimate) alternatives as oddities or even aberations. For instance she seems genuinely dumbfounded by Stephen Batchelor's skepticism of rebirth, while I would argue Batchelor merely takes the Buddha's teachings of non-self to their logical conclusion.
But when all is said and done, this is an inspiring overview of some dedicated Western Tibetan Buddhists. (less)
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Dean
Aug 09, 2013Dean rated it really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: buddhism
Some interesting interviews with a wide range of Western background Buddhists over different traditions. Some well known, others not. Gives quite a good overview of the ways that Western people have taken on Buddhism and adapted some of the practices. It is good that the author also included both sides of views on issues such as karma, rebirth etc.
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Duncan Reed
Jun 15, 2019Duncan Reed rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2019, spirituality
A really interesting and quite diverse group of Western Buddhist practitioners (many well known, some not so) explain why they find Buddhist practices personally beneficial. Mainly focuses on Mahayana, but does include Theravada too. The book is well written, based on interviews with the subjects which have been presented very clearly, and easy to read.
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Masahiko
rated it really liked it
Aug 08, 2019
Belle
Apr 26, 2017Belle rated it it was amazing
This was so inspiring. I started meditating more in hope of experiencing even something in the slight that others in this book. It opens your eyes to another life. Another way of existing in this world that carries you through everything imaginable and not so imaginable.
I really enjoyed getting the different perspectives from all the people interviewed because they each said something valuable and unique and equally important for the understanding and progress of someone hoping to embark on the same path. I felt excited to meditate reading it. The concepts were well explained with many stories and anecdotes along the way to help cement your understanding and to some extent the profundity these people have experienced. As a practical person I very much identified with Buddhism. There were some things I didn't agree with quite as much but that's the beauty of it - it's not an all or nothing "religion" which denotes true authenticity for the benefit of every individual whom partakes. I can't wait to continue my journey of discovering the Buddhist philosophy. (less)
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Top international reviews
felicitas
3.0 out of 5 stars Too Tibetan!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 May 2010
Verified Purchase
I think that for me the biggest drawback to this book is the sectarianism of its subjects. Of the 16 people featured in this book by Vicki Mackenzie (herself a Tibetan Buddhist) all but 4 are Tibetan Buddhists, two of them being Theravaden and of the remaining two, Stephen Batchelor was once a Tibetan Buddhist monk and Yvonne Rand is married to a Tibetan Buddhist and say she practices that alongside the Zen for which she is better known. I do think the author could have made more effort to also talk to Westerners who had found themselves drawn to other forms of Buddhism, notably (because it arguably has the largest number of adherents in the West) Zen Buddhism, and explain that there are other ways of experiencing the Buddhist teachings than the way in which it is interpreted in Tibet, which is idiosyncratic to say the least.
That aside, on the whole her interviewees were interesting enough, and had certainly varied in the ways in which they incorporated Buddhist teachings into a "Western" setting and culture, and there is enough general information about Buddhism to attract and inform people who know very little to begin with. Perhaps the two I found most intriguing of those she talked to were Michael Roach, who is a very successful diamond merchant as well as being a Buddhist monk and Sister Kovida, whose humility and understanding of the dharma made quite an impact on more.
Having been riveted by her book "Cave In The Snow", a true story of a really remarkable English woman Tenzin Palmo (formerly Diane Perry), this was never going to be as good, but the stories in it do shed some light on how, why and when Buddhism started to become popular in the West, and as such it is a valuable record.
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