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BOOKS IN BRIEF | EASTERN HORIZON 57

BOOKS IN BRIEF

equanimity extinguishes hatred, aversion, and
attachment in the hearts of living beings.

If we learn the proper ways to practice loving-
Kate Crosby, Esoteric
kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and
Theravada. The Story of
equanimity, we can manage the illnesses of
the Forgotten Meditation
anger, sorrow, insecurity, sadness, hatred,
Tradition of Southeast Asia.
loneliness, and unhealthy attachments more
Shambhala, Boulder. 2020.
effectively and successfully.
pp 303. US$ 22.95.
Dadul: The general order is to cultivate www.shambhala.com
equanimity first followed by the rest three
in no fixed order among themselves. This In this insightful analysis, Kate Crosby, a professor
makes sense because equanimity involves of Buddhist studies at King’s College, investigates
levelling the mental ground of the unwanted the history and cultural context of borān
bumps and dents in the form of strong
kammaṭṭhāna, a once-dominant traditional
attachment, or intense anger, etc. With these
meditation system that was neglected and at times
obstacles relatively dealt with, the ensuing
suppressed. It is related to, though quite distinct
practices would be fairly well balanced. One
from Vipassana meditation that later became
could replicate this sequence even in a single
th
the hallmark of Theravada Buddhism in the 20
sitting meditation by devoting a specific time
century. Crosby opens with an exploration of borān
and attention to each of them one after the
kammaṭṭhāna’s position in Theravada Buddhism
other. Once one is familiar with all of them in
throughout Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, and its
general, then one can effectively work with
marginalization during the colonial and postcolonial
them in any order.
era. According to Crosby, colonialism’s focus on
Answers provided by Geshe Dadul Namgyal science and secularization undermined various
with editing assistance from Martha Leslie spiritual traditions, leading borān kammaṭṭhāna
Baker, USA. to become disconnected from a holistic network of
integrated practices. Through social and political
Venerable Āyasmā
shifts in Southeast Asia, borān kammaṭṭhāna was
Aggacitta is the founder
gradually supplanted by a Theravada tradition that
of the Sāsanārakkha
emphasized textual study, scientific rationalism,
Buddhist Sanctuary (SBS)
and common sense understanding of texts. As
in Taiping, Perak, a Pāli
for borān kammaṭṭhāna itself, Crosby explains
scholar and a meditation
that it is an orthodox practice following third-
teacher.
century Abhidhamma frameworks that focused
Geshe Dadul Namgyal on integrating and systematizing early Buddhist
doctrines. EH
is a Geshe Lharampa and
senior resident teacher
at Drepung Loseling
Monastery in Atlanta,
Georgia, USA

Ven. Min Wei is a teacher of e-learning at the
International Buddhist College (IBC) and an
independent translator of Buddhism. EH