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BOOKS IN BRIEF | EASTERN HORIZON 61

BOOKS IN BRIEF

sees in his excursions from the palace. What would it to Karen’s own mother, who physically abused her
mean for her to be in the crowd, straining to see the throughout a traumatic childhood. By placing herself
prince with her own sick and impermanent body—to into these stories, she turns them from distant and
be pushed aside and out of sight by the palace minders, static narratives into companions, and from companions
just as our society so often tries to brush aside anything into guides.
uncomfortable, but to nonetheless be seen by the
th
young bodhisattva? Or reading as a mother, maybe she As His Holiness the 17 Karmapa wrote in the
shares something akin to what Queen Maya may have Foreword, Karen has been able to live with her
felt, knowing she was dying, giving her new born son diagnosis of terminal brain cancer with love rather than
over to her sister’s care? What will it mean for her own with fear. Karen’s experience which she shares in this
children to be motherless? She follows the knotted book is therefore very beneficial to many others who
threads connecting Milarepa’s angry, vengeful mother are living with terminal cancer and other illnesses. EH

and compassion, and the cultivation of faith and
devotion refines our aspirations and ideals. This book
by Bhante Gunaratana is about Buddhist devotions.

This handy little manual therefore provides everything
you need to know about Buddhist devotions, especially
the practice of contemplative recitation and reflection.
These practices will deepen your connection to the
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Buddhist Suttas for Buddha, strengthen your faith in the Path, and nurture
Recitation. A Companion for Walking the Buddha’s Path. your intellectual understanding of the Buddha’s
Wisdom: USA, 2022. pp 275. US$26.95 teachings.
www.wisdomexperience.org
This unique volume includes carefully chosen
Bhikkhu Bodhi mentioned in the Foreword to the book discourses of the Buddha from the Pali Canon—
that while meditation is the heart of Buddhist practice, presented in inspiring and accessible English with
there are also other aspects that are important. He accompanying Pali—that convey the essence of the
mentioned that one cultivates wisdom to nurture Dhamma. The introductory material explains the
understanding; the practice of meditation transforms relationship between meditation and devotional
the attentive, observational, and affective capacities of practice, offers instructions on setting up a home altar,
the mind; engagement in ethical action gives dynamic and gives advice on how to use these texts to enhance
expression to the sterling qualities of loving kindness your spiritual development. EH