Collection
Status
Available
Call number
Publication
HarperOne (2008), 278 pages
Description
"The Buddha was as mortal as you and I, yet he attained enlightenment and was raised to the rank of an immortal. The miracle is that he got there following a heart as human as yours and mine, and just as vulnerable." --from the Introduction Bestselling author Deepak Chopra brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping account of the young prince who abandoned his inheritance to discover his true calling. This iconic journey changed the world forever, and the truths revealed continue to influence every corner of the globe today. A young man in line for the throne is trapped in his father's kingdom and yearns for the outside world. Betrayed by those closest to him, Siddhartha abandons his palace and princely title. Finally alone and face-to-face with his demons, he becomes a wandering monk and embarks on a spiritual fast that carries him to the brink of death. Ultimately recognizing his inability to conquer his body and mind by sheer force, Siddhartha transcends his physical pain and achieves enlightenment. Although we recognize Buddha today as an icon of peace and serenity, his life story was a tumultuous and spellbinding affair filled with love and sex, murder and loss, struggle and surrender. From the rocky terrain of the material world to the summit of the spiritual one, Buddha entertains and inspires--ultimately leading us closer to understanding the true nature of life and ourselves.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member zina
Fictionalized biography and excellent introduction to Buddhism
LibraryThing member ashley_schmidt
A clear cut and straight-forward story of the enlightenment of Buddha. I'll read anything by Deepak Chopra. And this one shouldn't be missed.
LibraryThing member Solar-Moon
This book is very well written. It's a fictional account based on the true story of the Buddha's life. I feel that Deepak Chopra really captures the essence of the Buddha's teachings woven very nicely into the story. It has some very good imagery as well as some great characters. Deepak is an
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author that can write both fiction and nonfiction equally well. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jamnjazzz
Rather uninspiring, the fact that it is a fictionalized account also seems to add the the 'dumbed down' feeling. If you're interested in the Buddha, try something else, Karen Armstrong's "Buddha" perhaps.
LibraryThing member GTTexas
An interesting and educational read that kept me engrossed from start to finish. I look forward to reading others in Chopra's series of "biographies". One of a dozen or so I read on a Mediterranean cruise.
LibraryThing member cherylscountry
I enjoyed this fictional account of Buddah's life from childhood to enlightenment. The writing was good and enjoyable. Since I knew little about the Buddah's life I enjoyed reading about it in entertaining story. However I really did not get a solid understanding of Buddism.
LibraryThing member weeksj10
Not great. If your going to read a "biography" of the Buddha then go with Old Path White Clouds, by Thich Nhat Hanh.
LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
This was fun. Chopra's narration was a bit uneven sometimes on the audio book, some odd rhythms in his speech at times, but enjoyable overall. The afterward that deals a bit with Buddhist practice I may have enjoyed even more than the novel itself.
LibraryThing member veroamore
fictionalized history around buddhaism
LibraryThing member aimelire
What an interesting way to explain the history of buddhism.
LibraryThing member vita13
Loved every minute of it!
LibraryThing member margaretfield
it felt as if it was not real; maybe poorly researched. Something was wrong
LibraryThing member jefware
Gone, gone, completely gone, completely & utterly gone! Awaken YES!
It is all the same thing, samsara and nirvana, illusion and reality.
Allow your self to walk the path of Siddharta Goatama. Anatta is.
It is all the same thing, samsara and nirvana, illusion and reality.
Allow your self to walk the path of Siddharta Goatama. Anatta is.
LibraryThing member goosecap
So, Hamlet, how many people of color would you say are big names in the contemporary Western new age scene—two, one, how many?
—No, not so much, not two….
🤓
Anyway. I felt rewarded to some extent because I could see how modern this God-mythology novel is compared to the sorta medieval
Although it took me awhile to get through this relatively short book because I find myself less moved by monastic religion than I used to be…. Although Deepak certainly portrays the difficulties of the thing even if he ultimately views the Buddha as a hero or whatever. If you become a monastic, and you have a steady place in society before you leave, then both you, and the other people you associate with, are dealing with a loss in your new position, at least from a certain point of view, and those other people might feel slighted and even push back against the whole idea…. And if you never had a steady place in society, and you decide to compensate by becoming a monastic, you’re open to the charge, that you’re running away from life….
I mean, I remember I was reading the Hunger Games, and somebody was like, Oh yeah I remember him. He got beaten to death in District 13 for stealing a potato. And I’m reading and in my mind I’m a monastic or whatever, so I’m like whatever, you know. I’m like, You know, you should really count calories. They probably had his week all planned out—and they knew that he didn’t need that extra potato.
I’m like, I’ve heard worse. I’m over it.
And now I read Napoleon Hill and Deepak’s success/abundance books and Joel Osteen and the billion dollar cosmetics company girl, you know.
And I still count calories, but it makes me feel abundant to have one more potato sometimes, if I think I need it to not be hungry, you know.
[The Fray: ‘Let’s re-arrange:
I wish you were a stranger, I could dis-engage….’
Me: (nods) I love dis-engaging.]
…. ‘Whatever you are, be a good one’, is a saying I heard once.
…. It’s a nice novel…. Of course, Muhammad is probably more practical, as such. (An empire is like a business….) Of course, I realize that’s not the group-think right now, but group-think is historically determined, in more ways than one…. And of course! Of course, that’s an ironic thing that I just did, if you can catch me in it….
…. It obviously works out for Buddha, then and now, for the enlightened one, but I feel like if /Eye/ were to keep this up much longer, I would end up selfishly hugging enlightenment to myself, and end up Much more selfish than the one who just wants to have two or three gold coins to rub together, you know. (Although I wouldn’t want to do it in the old way, which is basically slavery, you know. But, you know—you know how it is. Gold, what’s gold? —Gold is, money, Mommy. —The true gold is the Truth! —Then if we know the Truth, we’ll have lots of money! —No, no. Let me start again; let me begin at the beginning. There are Four Noble Truths. —Do the four nobles have money and nice estates, Mommy! —You know what: No. No, they do not.)
But Deepak’s a great guy, he really is. He can make almost anything work for him, and he can live a thousand different lives—and in the best way.
—No, not so much, not two….
🤓
Anyway. I felt rewarded to some extent because I could see how modern this God-mythology novel is compared to the sorta medieval
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manuscript biographies of the Buddha which exist, you know; it’s from closer to 2000 AD than (say) 500 AD. (I always thought that CE was a little pedantic, personally.) Although it took me awhile to get through this relatively short book because I find myself less moved by monastic religion than I used to be…. Although Deepak certainly portrays the difficulties of the thing even if he ultimately views the Buddha as a hero or whatever. If you become a monastic, and you have a steady place in society before you leave, then both you, and the other people you associate with, are dealing with a loss in your new position, at least from a certain point of view, and those other people might feel slighted and even push back against the whole idea…. And if you never had a steady place in society, and you decide to compensate by becoming a monastic, you’re open to the charge, that you’re running away from life….
I mean, I remember I was reading the Hunger Games, and somebody was like, Oh yeah I remember him. He got beaten to death in District 13 for stealing a potato. And I’m reading and in my mind I’m a monastic or whatever, so I’m like whatever, you know. I’m like, You know, you should really count calories. They probably had his week all planned out—and they knew that he didn’t need that extra potato.
I’m like, I’ve heard worse. I’m over it.
And now I read Napoleon Hill and Deepak’s success/abundance books and Joel Osteen and the billion dollar cosmetics company girl, you know.
And I still count calories, but it makes me feel abundant to have one more potato sometimes, if I think I need it to not be hungry, you know.
[The Fray: ‘Let’s re-arrange:
I wish you were a stranger, I could dis-engage….’
Me: (nods) I love dis-engaging.]
…. ‘Whatever you are, be a good one’, is a saying I heard once.
…. It’s a nice novel…. Of course, Muhammad is probably more practical, as such. (An empire is like a business….) Of course, I realize that’s not the group-think right now, but group-think is historically determined, in more ways than one…. And of course! Of course, that’s an ironic thing that I just did, if you can catch me in it….
…. It obviously works out for Buddha, then and now, for the enlightened one, but I feel like if /Eye/ were to keep this up much longer, I would end up selfishly hugging enlightenment to myself, and end up Much more selfish than the one who just wants to have two or three gold coins to rub together, you know. (Although I wouldn’t want to do it in the old way, which is basically slavery, you know. But, you know—you know how it is. Gold, what’s gold? —Gold is, money, Mommy. —The true gold is the Truth! —Then if we know the Truth, we’ll have lots of money! —No, no. Let me start again; let me begin at the beginning. There are Four Noble Truths. —Do the four nobles have money and nice estates, Mommy! —You know what: No. No, they do not.)
But Deepak’s a great guy, he really is. He can make almost anything work for him, and he can live a thousand different lives—and in the best way.
Show Less
LibraryThing member AAPremlall
What a blessing!
Perfect reading to stumble on during my journey back from a Buddhist gathering at the mountains of Tibet. So many of my inquiries about suffering and my strange path in this lifetime have been answered and I am at peace with my past, awake for my presence, and free from my future.
Perfect reading to stumble on during my journey back from a Buddhist gathering at the mountains of Tibet. So many of my inquiries about suffering and my strange path in this lifetime have been answered and I am at peace with my past, awake for my presence, and free from my future.
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Thank you and Namaste. Show Less
Original publication date
2007
ISBN
9780060878818
Similar in this library
The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Call number
CHO-504
Pages
278
Library's review
Deepak Chopra brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping New York Times bestselling novel about the young prince who abandoned his inheritance to discover his true calling. This iconic journey changed the world forever, and the truths revealed continue to influence every corner of the globe
A young man in line for the throne is trapped in his father's kingdom and yearns for the outside world. Betrayed y those closest to him, Siddhartha abandons his palace and princely title. Face-to-face with his demons, he becomes a wandering monk and embarks on a spiritual fast that carries him to the brink of death. Ultimately recognizing his inability to conquer his body and mind by sheer will, Siddhartha transcends his physical pain and achieves enlightenment.
Although we recognize Buddha today as an icon of peace and serenity, his life story was a tumultuous and spellbinding affair filled with love and sex, murder and loss, struggle and surrender. From the rocky terrain of the material world to the summit of the spiritual one, Buddha captivates and inspires—ultimately leading us closer to understanding the true nature of life and ourselves.
Show More
today.A young man in line for the throne is trapped in his father's kingdom and yearns for the outside world. Betrayed y those closest to him, Siddhartha abandons his palace and princely title. Face-to-face with his demons, he becomes a wandering monk and embarks on a spiritual fast that carries him to the brink of death. Ultimately recognizing his inability to conquer his body and mind by sheer will, Siddhartha transcends his physical pain and achieves enlightenment.
Although we recognize Buddha today as an icon of peace and serenity, his life story was a tumultuous and spellbinding affair filled with love and sex, murder and loss, struggle and surrender. From the rocky terrain of the material world to the summit of the spiritual one, Buddha captivates and inspires—ultimately leading us closer to understanding the true nature of life and ourselves.
Show Less