Being Dharma: The Essence of the Buddha's Teachings

Description

This collection of 'dharma talks' from one of the great Buddhist teachers of the 20th-century is a fun, accessible crash course in Theravadan teachings on meditation, mindfulness, and more Ajahn Chah influenced a generation of Western teachers- Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Sylvia Boorstein, Joseph Goldstein, and many other Western Buddhist teachers were at one time his students. Anyone who has attended a retreat led by one of these teachers, or read one of their books, will be familiar with this master's name and reputation as one of the great Buddhist teachers of this century. Here, Chah offers a thorough exploration of Theravada Buddhism in a gentle, sometimes humorous, style that makes the reader feel as though he or she is being entertained by a story. He emphasizes the path to freedom from emotional and psychological suffering and provides insight into the fact that taking ourselves seriously causes unnecessary hardship.

Ajahn Chah (1919_x0096_1992) was a beloved Thai Buddhist master whose teachings were refreshingly uncompromising in their clarity and certainty-the certainty of a meditator who has achieved deep understanding of the Buddha's teachings. He was an important influence and spiritual mentor for a generation of American Buddhist teachers.

"Employing simple, precise language, his words convey his belief that liberation is possible for each of us through diligent effort and sincere intention."-Tricycle "Chah's style of teaching Buddhism was informal and non-systematic; he was renowned for giving instructions in a way that an 'uneducated rice farmer' could understand. The talks in Being Dharma reflect Ajahn Chah's fundamental orientation toward Buddhism as a way of life, rather than a set of rules or rituals."- Shambhala Sun