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58 EASTERN HORIZON | BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF BOOKS IN BRIEF

Wisdom Publications.
199 Elm Street, Somerville,
MA 02144, USA
www.wisdompubs.org

The Foundation of Buddhist Practice. Tenzin Gyatso and Samatha, Jhāna, Vipassanā. Practice at the Pa-Auk
Thubten Chodron. 2018. pp 366. US$29.95. Hardcover Monastery: A Meditator’s Experience. Hyunsoo Jeon. 2018.
pp 235. US$18.95
This volume describes the important teachings that help us
establish our practice as Buddhists. Written by His Holiness This step-by-step meditator’s guide walks the reader
the 14th Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chodron, an through practices that can hold the key to unlocking new
American Buddhist nun, this volume features key Buddhist levels of concentration and insight. A student of the famed
ideas such as the four seals and the two truths, dependent Pa-Auk Monastery and a practicing psychiatrist, Jeon Hyun-
arising and emptiness, spiritual mentors and their roles, soo, MD, PhD, uses these two paths to guide the reader to
meditation, the essence of a meaningful life, rebirth, and a new understanding of themselves and the world around
the workings of karma. them. Drawing both from Jeon’s own experience with Pa-
Auk Sayadaw and from the words of the Buddha, this is
The Buddha wanted his students to investigate, to see for an authentic and practical guide to samatha, materiality,
themselves whether what he said were true. As a student mentality, dependent origination, and vipassanā.
of the Buddha, the Dalai Lama promotes the same spirit
of investigation, and as the rich tradition of the Buddha The entire book comprises six chapters. It starts with
makes its way into new lands and cultures, His Holiness an introduction to Pa Auk meditation which today has
has recognized that new approaches are needed to allow become just as popular as the older, more established
seekers in the West to experience the relevance of the Mahasi tradition. A whole chapter is then devoted
liberating message in their own lives. Such an approach to samatha meditation with follow-up chapters on
cannot assume listeners are free from doubt and already meditation on body, meditation on mind and meditation
have faith in Buddhism’s basic tenets. Thus, he realized on dependent origination. The final chapter in the book
that traditional presentations of the Buddhist path which ends with explanations on Vipassanā meditation. A
assume the audience already has faith in the Buddha and fairly exhaustive glossary of the key terms used in this
believes in rebirth and karma is no longer valid. So this meditation manual is provided for at the end of the book.
book represents a different approach taken by His Holiness EH
(together with Venerable Thubten Chodron) targeting
at mainly the Western students. However, even though
this book is targeted at Western Buddhist students, it is
nevertheless still relevant and useful for those who are
not Westerners. It is an important foundation for the
systematic illumination of the path to all who wish to
practice the Buddhist path. EH