The Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha by Hsing Yun

The Biography of Sakyamuni Buddha Reviews

• 
  Lightwhisper

  A mais completa biografia do último Buda em português. Muito detalhado. No entanto, quem procura mais sobre os seus ensinos, deverá consultar outros livros que não estes.
• 
  Matt Kelland

  If you're expecting a book with the title "Biography" to be a serious look at what is known about a historical figure, forget it. This is Buddhist mythology and doctrine, plain and simple. That's fine by me - I'm always interested in what the various religions believe about their holy people.
  What I really didn't like was that much of the book was endless lists: six forms of this, eight ways to do that, and so on. It's an aspect of Buddhism that has always turned me off, because it's more about learning a catechism than actually thinking about what your religion means. It's not just Buddhism - it's an approach that really doesn't work for me.
  However, the aspect that most annoyed me was the misogyny. I've always thought of Buddhism as a fairly egalitarian religion, at least in its modern forms. But this showed an entirely different side of Buddha. Women are told to be subservient, to do their husband's bidding, and that they're inferior. To me, that's the mark of an outdated religion, and it's not inspiring in any way.
• 
  Mehri Abdukodirova

  I love reading about the wisdom buried in different religions and from my reading experience so far I can see time and time again that regardless of major theological differences present in each of them (especially Islam versus Buddhism) we All share that Universal Wisdom - and that wisdom is solely acquired by understanding that our minds should be in perfect harmony with our physical being (we should be clear about our values and what we do and say on daily basis is in perfect alignment with what we believe/value). To find spiritual freedom, we should not get attached to both suffering and worldly pleasures. And as it's stated in the book, "It's by not attaching to both suffering (pain and trials) and comfort (desires, wealth and all the worldly pleasures) that our minds will be freed".
  
  My quotes from the book for a future reference:
  
  "I feel body is in perfect harmony with my mind - my mind is clear"
  
  "The essence of cultivation should be to purify the mind and not so much on the external forms"
  
  "It's by not attaching to both suffering (pain and trials) and comfort (desires, wealth and all the worldly pleasures) that our minds will be freed"
  
  "He finally let go off thoughts, discrimination and attachments, all ignorance and afflictions"
  
  The Siddhartha Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path:
  1. Right Understanding.
  2. Right Thought.
  3. Right Speech.
  4. Right Action.
  5. Right Livelihood (we say halal eating and living)
  6. Right Effort (right aims - niyyah)
  7. Right Mindfulness.
  8. Right Concentration.
  
  To put an end to dukkha (aging, sickness and death, in the symbol of suffering) we should cultivate 3 learning:
  - DISCIPLINE (Habits) -> To eradicate bad habits and purify our minds)
  - CONCENTRATION and STILLNESS-> as the mind becomes pure it will be unmoved and clear.
  - PANNA WISDOM (DHAMMA) -> The principles of righteousness and truth (It also means law, the law which exists in a man's own heart and mind. It is the principle of righteousness, being righteous.)
  
  It also teaches about impermanence of all things - nothing is permanent in this life, even your own body isn't guaranteed to serve you.
  
  "It's impossible to attain enlightenment as long as you're occupied with jealousy".
  
  The sources of suffering:
  Greed (ochko'zlik), hatred and ignorance.
  Suffering comes from confusion and kamma, which come from discrimination.
  And Generosity is the antidote of Greed.
  
  "Happiness is NOT to be sought externally"
  And there should not be discrimination against sentient beings (beings with feelings)
  
  The Buddha's teachings were later collected as the Agama Sutta.
  
  "Just as lotus, untainted by mud, maintains its purity, let us keep our mind pure too, in this samsaric world (samsaric world is the temporary world in Buddhism, very similar to Islamic principles on the temporality of the world and worldly pleasures).
  
  10 Precepts (general rules) to abstain from:
  1. Killing
  2. Stealing
  3. Sexual misconduct
  4. Lying
  5. Unkind speech
  6. False speech
  7. Flattering (over praising and complimenting)
  8. Greed
  9. Hatred
  10. False views.
  But one thing I was confused to know about its teachings is that "our past deeds determine how much wealth, longevity and health we have" which is partly true but very different from Islamic views as there's no past life where you could've been in a different form. The Buddhist concept of "One returns to experience suffering, for all the bad deed committed in the past" is similar to the concept of our wrongdoings to be gifted with trials and suffering so that we pay for the past wrongdoings we had, but different from Buddhism, Islamic way of "past wrongdoings" doesn't refer to the past lives of the person where he/she could have lived different lives and it rather is about the past years/life of the same life (previous years) in the single life of a human.
  
  "The truth is that there is no end to our suffering in this world".
  
  The Three practices of pure Kamma (truth):
  1. Supporting parents, respecting teachers, refrain from killing, and do the ten good deeds.
  2. UNderstanding the law of causes and effects
  
  The Buddha delivered 300 discourses over a period of 49 years. Gautama Buddha, popularly known as the Buddha (also known as Siddhattha Gotama or Siddhārtha Gautama or Buddha Shakyamuni), was a Śramaṇa who lived in ancient India (c. 5th to 4th century BCE).
  
  Although its theological teachings are very different from my Islamic faith, the core foundational principles and righteousness are at the root of all the religions.
  
  
• 
  EMMANUEL

  I received this book when I went to the temple in Guam. I was very grateful for the service in which the master provided me. The temple attendant customized my divine care and provided me with ample of lessons. literature.
  
  This book was one of the few books I was gifted by the temple. During this time... when I received this book, was my first time ever attending Buddhist church service. I was born and raised catholic. Fulfilled all my catholic sacraments that qualify me for Holy orders and / or Holy Matrimony.
  
  Aside from that. This first experience at Buddhist temple church service was definitely worth the reality. What is best and ideal of this experience was that I was able to venture into my ancestry and practice the dormant part of my life and my life's life influence on myself.
  
  Anyway. As for the book's context. The book's context is definitely a real life eye opener. This book is filled with many stories of the Sakyamuni Buddha - Siddhartha. I am very grateful for this book. If you really want to get a clear understanding of how Buddhist make sense to the world and how Asian social hierarchy is in of influence and in of social system positioning. This book is for you.
• 
  Bruno Venâncio

  Leitura muito acessível sobre a história do Buda Shakyamuni 🙏 . Permite uma conexão profunda ao mundo espiritual Budista, com muita mensagem e ensinamentos preciosos para alcançar um estado de paz interior. Gostei muito, li em duas semanas 🌟