Accessible and inspring, 13 Jan 2006
I have read fairly widely in Buddhism of schools and none can match anything written by Ikeda for pure inspiration.

Not that this interpretive biography is short of historical background, but written from the perspective of Shakyamuni as being a man - albeit a Great one - and not a deity whose life is a dead dogma of an unapproachable sage; this little book succeedes where others have barely trod in presenting the human Buddha.

It's very refreshing to read an account of the Buddha's life that puts into its historical and social context without losing the centrality of the message of personal liberation. The early propagation of this world religion was no passive exercise involving only navel gazing in remote monestries - that essential part of Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda stresses pertinantly and very well.

I highly recommend The Living Buddha to students and practicioners of Buddhism through to the most casual enquirer.

The Eternal Light of Buddha, 08 Aug 2000
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions. What is the secret of its vigor some three thousand years after the death of its founder, Shakyamuni? This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" seeks to answer that question.

Surely essential to a full understanding of the continuing impact of this teaching is a knowledge and appreciation of the life and personality of Shakyamuni himself.

Unlike most major religions, Buddhism depends neither on divine revelation nor an incarnation of God for its authenticity. Shakyamuni, the Buddha or "Enlightened One" was a man who through his own efforts attained enlightenment as to the essential nature of life itself. And for this very reason, his life story is meaningful to us today.

"The Living Buddha" is a biography with a double focus. On the one hand, it is a vivid historical narrative based on what is known of Shakyamuni's life and times. One the other hand, it is the inspiring account of a heroic life dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind.

In this book, exquisitely written by world-renowned author Daisaku Ikeda, Shakyamuni Buddha emerges as the amazing man he was. Yet, he was only a man; not some superhuman deity, just a man who attained a state of life that, according to his own teachings, is inherent in every one of us. Therein lies his true greatness.

Through this book, we see that Shakyamuni Buddha lived in a turbulent period and was confronted with the same kinds of social conflicts and personal problems that we all face. The description of how he conquered these obstacles is what makes for an engrossing and inspiring account, and one that is highly relevant to our lives in these modern times.

The author, Daisaku Ikeda, as leader of the world's largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, brings unique qualifications to this portrait of Buddha. With this book, as with all of his writings, Mr. Ikeda has once again contributed a profoundly useful tool to those in pursuit of greater Buddhist knowledge.

Accessible and inspring, 13 Jan 2006
I have read fairly widely in Buddhism of schools and none can match anything written by Ikeda for pure inspiration.

Not that this interpretive biography is short of historical background, but written from the perspective of Shakyamuni as being a man - albeit a Great one - and not a deity whose life is a dead dogma of an unapproachable sage; this little book succeedes where others have barely trod in presenting the human Buddha.

It's very refreshing to read an account of the Buddha's life that puts into its historical and social context without losing the centrality of the message of personal liberation. The early propagation of this world religion was no passive exercise involving only navel gazing in remote monestries - that essential part of Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda stresses pertinantly and very well.

I highly recommend The Living Buddha to students and practicioners of Buddhism through to the most casual enquirer.

The Eternal Light of Buddha, 08 Aug 2000
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions. What is the secret of its vigor some three thousand years after the death of its founder, Shakyamuni? This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" seeks to answer that question.

Surely essential to a full understanding of the continuing impact of this teaching is a knowledge and appreciation of the life and personality of Shakyamuni himself.

Unlike most major religions, Buddhism depends neither on divine revelation nor an incarnation of God for its authenticity. Shakyamuni, the Buddha or "Enlightened One" was a man who through his own efforts attained enlightenment as to the essential nature of life itself. And for this very reason, his life story is meaningful to us today.

"The Living Buddha" is a biography with a double focus. On the one hand, it is a vivid historical narrative based on what is known of Shakyamuni's life and times. One the other hand, it is the inspiring account of a heroic life dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind.

In this book, exquisitely written by world-renowned author Daisaku Ikeda, Shakyamuni Buddha emerges as the amazing man he was. Yet, he was only a man; not some superhuman deity, just a man who attained a state of life that, according to his own teachings, is inherent in every one of us. Therein lies his true greatness.

Through this book, we see that Shakyamuni Buddha lived in a turbulent period and was confronted with the same kinds of social conflicts and personal problems that we all face. The description of how he conquered these obstacles is what makes for an engrossing and inspiring account, and one that is highly relevant to our lives in these modern times.

The author, Daisaku Ikeda, as leader of the world's largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, brings unique qualifications to this portrait of Buddha. With this book, as with all of his writings, Mr. Ikeda has once again contributed a profoundly useful tool to those in pursuit of greater Buddhist knowledge.

Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

Accessible and inspring, 13 Jan 2006
I have read fairly widely in Buddhism of schools and none can match anything written by Ikeda for pure inspiration.

Not that this interpretive biography is short of historical background, but written from the perspective of Shakyamuni as being a man - albeit a Great one - and not a deity whose life is a dead dogma of an unapproachable sage; this little book succeedes where others have barely trod in presenting the human Buddha.

It's very refreshing to read an account of the Buddha's life that puts into its historical and social context without losing the centrality of the message of personal liberation. The early propagation of this world religion was no passive exercise involving only navel gazing in remote monestries - that essential part of Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda stresses pertinantly and very well.

I highly recommend The Living Buddha to students and practicioners of Buddhism through to the most casual enquirer.

The Eternal Light of Buddha, 08 Aug 2000
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions. What is the secret of its vigor some three thousand years after the death of its founder, Shakyamuni? This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" seeks to answer that question.

Surely essential to a full understanding of the continuing impact of this teaching is a knowledge and appreciation of the life and personality of Shakyamuni himself.

Unlike most major religions, Buddhism depends neither on divine revelation nor an incarnation of God for its authenticity. Shakyamuni, the Buddha or "Enlightened One" was a man who through his own efforts attained enlightenment as to the essential nature of life itself. And for this very reason, his life story is meaningful to us today.

"The Living Buddha" is a biography with a double focus. On the one hand, it is a vivid historical narrative based on what is known of Shakyamuni's life and times. One the other hand, it is the inspiring account of a heroic life dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind.

In this book, exquisitely written by world-renowned author Daisaku Ikeda, Shakyamuni Buddha emerges as the amazing man he was. Yet, he was only a man; not some superhuman deity, just a man who attained a state of life that, according to his own teachings, is inherent in every one of us. Therein lies his true greatness.

Through this book, we see that Shakyamuni Buddha lived in a turbulent period and was confronted with the same kinds of social conflicts and personal problems that we all face. The description of how he conquered these obstacles is what makes for an engrossing and inspiring account, and one that is highly relevant to our lives in these modern times.

The author, Daisaku Ikeda, as leader of the world's largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, brings unique qualifications to this portrait of Buddha. With this book, as with all of his writings, Mr. Ikeda has once again contributed a profoundly useful tool to those in pursuit of greater Buddhist knowledge.

Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

A real inspiration to go back to the source, 18 Oct 2008

I remember like yesterday the excitement I felt in the summer of 1986 when I first began to read the teaching of a true buddha-ancestor in his own original words. At that time the ancestor in question was Zen Master Dogen, and the text in question was his masterwork Shobogenzo, written in a combination of Chinese characters and Japanese kana. In the past couple of weeks I have experienced the same excitement again, thanks to the publication by the Clay Sanskrit Library of this book, along with the other of Ashvaghosha's surviving works, Saundarananda, or "Handsome Nanda."

Having got my hands on these two books, I have found myself drawn back to my copy of Teach Yourself Sanskrit by Michael Coulson, which has lain heavily on my shelf for nearly 20 years. Without the carrot of a penetrable and accessible Sanskrit text by a revered author, this donkey could not apply his mind to the proper means of Sanskrit study. But now, gripped by the truth of Ashva-ghoshas's words, which seem to reach out of the page and grab me even though I recognize only a few of them, I know that my study of Sanskrit in earnest has already started.

If, like me, you are inspired by the existence of these two books to start studying Ashva-ghosha's words in their original Sanskrit, then this one, Buddhacarita, Life of the Buddha, is probably the one to start with. Because the English translation is evidently very faithful to the original, and because it is in the form of four-line verses, one can soon begin to recognize, even without the bother of looking everything up in a dictionary, which Sanskrit words correspond to which English words on the facing page.

Thus in Canto 12.205, Patrick Olivelle has:

Mental concentration springs up
when one's mind is well and serene,
And practice of trance advances
when concentration grips one's mind.

This seems to me to be a strikingly good translation -- one that indeed springs up off the page and grips one's mind.

But the fact that I have the four lines of Sanskrit on the facing page enables me to see that "mental concentration" and "concentration" are translations of samadhi, and "trance" is a translation of "dhyana." I am therefore enabled if I wish to revise Patrick Olivelle's translation more to my own liking:

When one's mind is well and serene,
Stillness springs up,
And stillness grips one's mind,
So that meditation practice progresses...



Aided by this treasure of a book, may samadhi spring up and grip us all.

Accessible and inspring, 13 Jan 2006
I have read fairly widely in Buddhism of schools and none can match anything written by Ikeda for pure inspiration.

Not that this interpretive biography is short of historical background, but written from the perspective of Shakyamuni as being a man - albeit a Great one - and not a deity whose life is a dead dogma of an unapproachable sage; this little book succeedes where others have barely trod in presenting the human Buddha.

It's very refreshing to read an account of the Buddha's life that puts into its historical and social context without losing the centrality of the message of personal liberation. The early propagation of this world religion was no passive exercise involving only navel gazing in remote monestries - that essential part of Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda stresses pertinantly and very well.

I highly recommend The Living Buddha to students and practicioners of Buddhism through to the most casual enquirer.

The Eternal Light of Buddha, 08 Aug 2000
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions. What is the secret of its vigor some three thousand years after the death of its founder, Shakyamuni? This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" seeks to answer that question.

Surely essential to a full understanding of the continuing impact of this teaching is a knowledge and appreciation of the life and personality of Shakyamuni himself.

Unlike most major religions, Buddhism depends neither on divine revelation nor an incarnation of God for its authenticity. Shakyamuni, the Buddha or "Enlightened One" was a man who through his own efforts attained enlightenment as to the essential nature of life itself. And for this very reason, his life story is meaningful to us today.

"The Living Buddha" is a biography with a double focus. On the one hand, it is a vivid historical narrative based on what is known of Shakyamuni's life and times. One the other hand, it is the inspiring account of a heroic life dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind.

In this book, exquisitely written by world-renowned author Daisaku Ikeda, Shakyamuni Buddha emerges as the amazing man he was. Yet, he was only a man; not some superhuman deity, just a man who attained a state of life that, according to his own teachings, is inherent in every one of us. Therein lies his true greatness.

Through this book, we see that Shakyamuni Buddha lived in a turbulent period and was confronted with the same kinds of social conflicts and personal problems that we all face. The description of how he conquered these obstacles is what makes for an engrossing and inspiring account, and one that is highly relevant to our lives in these modern times.

The author, Daisaku Ikeda, as leader of the world's largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, brings unique qualifications to this portrait of Buddha. With this book, as with all of his writings, Mr. Ikeda has once again contributed a profoundly useful tool to those in pursuit of greater Buddhist knowledge.

Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

A real inspiration to go back to the source, 18 Oct 2008

I remember like yesterday the excitement I felt in the summer of 1986 when I first began to read the teaching of a true buddha-ancestor in his own original words. At that time the ancestor in question was Zen Master Dogen, and the text in question was his masterwork Shobogenzo, written in a combination of Chinese characters and Japanese kana. In the past couple of weeks I have experienced the same excitement again, thanks to the publication by the Clay Sanskrit Library of this book, along with the other of Ashvaghosha's surviving works, Saundarananda, or "Handsome Nanda."

Having got my hands on these two books, I have found myself drawn back to my copy of Teach Yourself Sanskrit by Michael Coulson, which has lain heavily on my shelf for nearly 20 years. Without the carrot of a penetrable and accessible Sanskrit text by a revered author, this donkey could not apply his mind to the proper means of Sanskrit study. But now, gripped by the truth of Ashva-ghoshas's words, which seem to reach out of the page and grab me even though I recognize only a few of them, I know that my study of Sanskrit in earnest has already started.

If, like me, you are inspired by the existence of these two books to start studying Ashva-ghosha's words in their original Sanskrit, then this one, Buddhacarita, Life of the Buddha, is probably the one to start with. Because the English translation is evidently very faithful to the original, and because it is in the form of four-line verses, one can soon begin to recognize, even without the bother of looking everything up in a dictionary, which Sanskrit words correspond to which English words on the facing page.

Thus in Canto 12.205, Patrick Olivelle has:

Mental concentration springs up
when one's mind is well and serene,
And practice of trance advances
when concentration grips one's mind.

This seems to me to be a strikingly good translation -- one that indeed springs up off the page and grips one's mind.

But the fact that I have the four lines of Sanskrit on the facing page enables me to see that "mental concentration" and "concentration" are translations of samadhi, and "trance" is a translation of "dhyana." I am therefore enabled if I wish to revise Patrick Olivelle's translation more to my own liking:

When one's mind is well and serene,
Stillness springs up,
And stillness grips one's mind,
So that meditation practice progresses...



Aided by this treasure of a book, may samadhi spring up and grip us all.



Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

Accessible and inspring, 13 Jan 2006
I have read fairly widely in Buddhism of schools and none can match anything written by Ikeda for pure inspiration.

Not that this interpretive biography is short of historical background, but written from the perspective of Shakyamuni as being a man - albeit a Great one - and not a deity whose life is a dead dogma of an unapproachable sage; this little book succeedes where others have barely trod in presenting the human Buddha.

It's very refreshing to read an account of the Buddha's life that puts into its historical and social context without losing the centrality of the message of personal liberation. The early propagation of this world religion was no passive exercise involving only navel gazing in remote monestries - that essential part of Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda stresses pertinantly and very well.

I highly recommend The Living Buddha to students and practicioners of Buddhism through to the most casual enquirer.

The Eternal Light of Buddha, 08 Aug 2000
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions. What is the secret of its vigor some three thousand years after the death of its founder, Shakyamuni? This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" seeks to answer that question.

Surely essential to a full understanding of the continuing impact of this teaching is a knowledge and appreciation of the life and personality of Shakyamuni himself.

Unlike most major religions, Buddhism depends neither on divine revelation nor an incarnation of God for its authenticity. Shakyamuni, the Buddha or "Enlightened One" was a man who through his own efforts attained enlightenment as to the essential nature of life itself. And for this very reason, his life story is meaningful to us today.

"The Living Buddha" is a biography with a double focus. On the one hand, it is a vivid historical narrative based on what is known of Shakyamuni's life and times. One the other hand, it is the inspiring account of a heroic life dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind.

In this book, exquisitely written by world-renowned author Daisaku Ikeda, Shakyamuni Buddha emerges as the amazing man he was. Yet, he was only a man; not some superhuman deity, just a man who attained a state of life that, according to his own teachings, is inherent in every one of us. Therein lies his true greatness.

Through this book, we see that Shakyamuni Buddha lived in a turbulent period and was confronted with the same kinds of social conflicts and personal problems that we all face. The description of how he conquered these obstacles is what makes for an engrossing and inspiring account, and one that is highly relevant to our lives in these modern times.

The author, Daisaku Ikeda, as leader of the world's largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, brings unique qualifications to this portrait of Buddha. With this book, as with all of his writings, Mr. Ikeda has once again contributed a profoundly useful tool to those in pursuit of greater Buddhist knowledge.

Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

A real inspiration to go back to the source, 18 Oct 2008

I remember like yesterday the excitement I felt in the summer of 1986 when I first began to read the teaching of a true buddha-ancestor in his own original words. At that time the ancestor in question was Zen Master Dogen, and the text in question was his masterwork Shobogenzo, written in a combination of Chinese characters and Japanese kana. In the past couple of weeks I have experienced the same excitement again, thanks to the publication by the Clay Sanskrit Library of this book, along with the other of Ashvaghosha's surviving works, Saundarananda, or "Handsome Nanda."

Having got my hands on these two books, I have found myself drawn back to my copy of Teach Yourself Sanskrit by Michael Coulson, which has lain heavily on my shelf for nearly 20 years. Without the carrot of a penetrable and accessible Sanskrit text by a revered author, this donkey could not apply his mind to the proper means of Sanskrit study. But now, gripped by the truth of Ashva-ghoshas's words, which seem to reach out of the page and grab me even though I recognize only a few of them, I know that my study of Sanskrit in earnest has already started.

If, like me, you are inspired by the existence of these two books to start studying Ashva-ghosha's words in their original Sanskrit, then this one, Buddhacarita, Life of the Buddha, is probably the one to start with. Because the English translation is evidently very faithful to the original, and because it is in the form of four-line verses, one can soon begin to recognize, even without the bother of looking everything up in a dictionary, which Sanskrit words correspond to which English words on the facing page.

Thus in Canto 12.205, Patrick Olivelle has:

Mental concentration springs up
when one's mind is well and serene,
And practice of trance advances
when concentration grips one's mind.

This seems to me to be a strikingly good translation -- one that indeed springs up off the page and grips one's mind.

But the fact that I have the four lines of Sanskrit on the facing page enables me to see that "mental concentration" and "concentration" are translations of samadhi, and "trance" is a translation of "dhyana." I am therefore enabled if I wish to revise Patrick Olivelle's translation more to my own liking:

When one's mind is well and serene,
Stillness springs up,
And stillness grips one's mind,
So that meditation practice progresses...



Aided by this treasure of a book, may samadhi spring up and grip us all.



Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

Solid Again, 03 Jul 2007
Same as the first book in terms of approach and writing style. Together, these volumes really add something to the study of early Buddhism. Nakamura uses a copious amount of material in his presentation of early Buddhist history, and almost all of it is well documented and clearly set out.

A rare book, and well worth searching out.

Accessible and inspring, 13 Jan 2006
I have read fairly widely in Buddhism of schools and none can match anything written by Ikeda for pure inspiration.

Not that this interpretive biography is short of historical background, but written from the perspective of Shakyamuni as being a man - albeit a Great one - and not a deity whose life is a dead dogma of an unapproachable sage; this little book succeedes where others have barely trod in presenting the human Buddha.

It's very refreshing to read an account of the Buddha's life that puts into its historical and social context without losing the centrality of the message of personal liberation. The early propagation of this world religion was no passive exercise involving only navel gazing in remote monestries - that essential part of Buddhism, Daisaku Ikeda stresses pertinantly and very well.

I highly recommend The Living Buddha to students and practicioners of Buddhism through to the most casual enquirer.

The Eternal Light of Buddha, 08 Aug 2000
Buddhism is one of the world's major religions. What is the secret of its vigor some three thousand years after the death of its founder, Shakyamuni? This book, "The Living Buddha, An Interpretive Biography" seeks to answer that question.

Surely essential to a full understanding of the continuing impact of this teaching is a knowledge and appreciation of the life and personality of Shakyamuni himself.

Unlike most major religions, Buddhism depends neither on divine revelation nor an incarnation of God for its authenticity. Shakyamuni, the Buddha or "Enlightened One" was a man who through his own efforts attained enlightenment as to the essential nature of life itself. And for this very reason, his life story is meaningful to us today.

"The Living Buddha" is a biography with a double focus. On the one hand, it is a vivid historical narrative based on what is known of Shakyamuni's life and times. One the other hand, it is the inspiring account of a heroic life dedicated to helping all people free themselves from suffering and futility and attain true peace of mind.

In this book, exquisitely written by world-renowned author Daisaku Ikeda, Shakyamuni Buddha emerges as the amazing man he was. Yet, he was only a man; not some superhuman deity, just a man who attained a state of life that, according to his own teachings, is inherent in every one of us. Therein lies his true greatness.

Through this book, we see that Shakyamuni Buddha lived in a turbulent period and was confronted with the same kinds of social conflicts and personal problems that we all face. The description of how he conquered these obstacles is what makes for an engrossing and inspiring account, and one that is highly relevant to our lives in these modern times.

The author, Daisaku Ikeda, as leader of the world's largest Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, brings unique qualifications to this portrait of Buddha. With this book, as with all of his writings, Mr. Ikeda has once again contributed a profoundly useful tool to those in pursuit of greater Buddhist knowledge.

Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

A real inspiration to go back to the source, 18 Oct 2008

I remember like yesterday the excitement I felt in the summer of 1986 when I first began to read the teaching of a true buddha-ancestor in his own original words. At that time the ancestor in question was Zen Master Dogen, and the text in question was his masterwork Shobogenzo, written in a combination of Chinese characters and Japanese kana. In the past couple of weeks I have experienced the same excitement again, thanks to the publication by the Clay Sanskrit Library of this book, along with the other of Ashvaghosha's surviving works, Saundarananda, or "Handsome Nanda."

Having got my hands on these two books, I have found myself drawn back to my copy of Teach Yourself Sanskrit by Michael Coulson, which has lain heavily on my shelf for nearly 20 years. Without the carrot of a penetrable and accessible Sanskrit text by a revered author, this donkey could not apply his mind to the proper means of Sanskrit study. But now, gripped by the truth of Ashva-ghoshas's words, which seem to reach out of the page and grab me even though I recognize only a few of them, I know that my study of Sanskrit in earnest has already started.

If, like me, you are inspired by the existence of these two books to start studying Ashva-ghosha's words in their original Sanskrit, then this one, Buddhacarita, Life of the Buddha, is probably the one to start with. Because the English translation is evidently very faithful to the original, and because it is in the form of four-line verses, one can soon begin to recognize, even without the bother of looking everything up in a dictionary, which Sanskrit words correspond to which English words on the facing page.

Thus in Canto 12.205, Patrick Olivelle has:

Mental concentration springs up
when one's mind is well and serene,
And practice of trance advances
when concentration grips one's mind.

This seems to me to be a strikingly good translation -- one that indeed springs up off the page and grips one's mind.

But the fact that I have the four lines of Sanskrit on the facing page enables me to see that "mental concentration" and "concentration" are translations of samadhi, and "trance" is a translation of "dhyana." I am therefore enabled if I wish to revise Patrick Olivelle's translation more to my own liking:

When one's mind is well and serene,
Stillness springs up,
And stillness grips one's mind,
So that meditation practice progresses...



Aided by this treasure of a book, may samadhi spring up and grip us all.



Real live superheros, 21 Jan 2001
People who can fly, walk on water, multiply themselves or have x-ray vision are usually associated with comic books. According to Buddhist teachings, these powers are accessible to those who can perfect their concentration. Apart from including biographies of some individuals credited with the above sorts of psychic abilities, it also has equally gripping accounts of the more ordinary aspects of these and many other disciples of the Buddha most of whom became enlightened. It is thus an account of the principal individuals after the Buddha who were supposed to have finished everything that needs accomplishing with no further burdens or debts to pay having gained superknowledge.

The book includes several self contained short biographies, mainly by the Germans Helmuth Hecker and the late Ven Nanyaponika. It is sadly short on details on the great female disciples. Perhaps more room can be created later.

A must for anyone inspired by Buddhism and the potentiality of the human mind for lasting freedom.

Great Book. Brings a lot of hard to find material together., 24 Aug 1999
This book saves everybody a lot of searching around. It covers the main Disciples of the Buddha plus a number of Disciples not particularly well known in the Buddhist Lay Community, every Monastic I know who has read it, applauds it.

Solid Again, 03 Jul 2007
Same as the first book in terms of approach and writing style. Together, these volumes really add something to the study of early Buddhism. Nakamura uses a copious amount of material in his presentation of early Buddhist history, and almost all of it is well documented and clearly set out.

A rare book, and well worth searching out.





Solid Stuff, 03 Jul 2007
This is a really solid text, full of little details, and it is a real mine of information concerning early Buddhism. It is easy to read despite being quite thorough, and concise rather than being overly academic and weighty.

At times the writing style is perhaps somewhat romantic, but overall Nakamura does a really fine job of putting together something that is comprehensive and readable.

One of my most important books in my Buddhist collection.