January/February Book Review - Old Path White Clouds

Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha - Old Path White Clouds is a wonderful book by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk who has written over 25 books.

First published by Parallax Press in 1991, this book presents the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha.  The book is written in a simple, yet interesting way following Prince Siddhartha as he becomes the Buddha, either through the eyes of Svasti, the buffalo boy, and partly through the eyes of the Buddha himself.

From the back, it tells how this life story has been drawn directly from 24 Pali, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources, to create the most accurate version of the Buddha's life.

In story form the book give many life lessons, like in the chapter, "Earth's Lessons", the Buddha reminds us to dwell in mindfulness, and to do this you must observe your breath.  Continue to meditate on the impermanent and non-self aggregates which comprise all beings. The five aggregates are the body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness.  He said to observe your breath and thoughts, and the mind will not become dispersed.

Also, in talking to Rahula, his son, he says to practice loving kindness to overcome anger.  Loving kindness has the capacity to bring happiness to others without anything in return.  Practice compassion to overcome cruelty. Compassion has the capacity to remove the suffering of others without expecting anything in return.  Practice sympathetic joy to overcome hatred.  Sympathetic joy wishes others well-being and success.  Practice non-attachment to overcome prejudice.  Non-attachment is the way of looking at all things openly and equally.  This is because that is.  That is because this is.  These are the Four Immeasurables. 

I love reading books that share a story, yet also open the eyes to many life lessons.  It made the Buddha seem even more human to me.  He was only human, and was not afraid to admit that. 

As a new year begins, this is a great book to bring it in with..practicing Loving Kindness, Compassion, Sympathetic joy and non-attachment.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
www.plnyoga.vpweb.com