amroemer's review against another edition
5.0
A most excellent audible selection. I listened to it every day on my walks.
adamgolden's review against another edition
3.0
(3/5★)
A biographical account written about Buddha is no easy task, considering that the Buddha himself wouldn't want to glamorize his life by having a story revolve around him and his exploits. However, Karen Armstrong does a decent job of mixing the history and mythology surrounding the Buddha, creating a fairly cohesive story of his life on earth. At times, the book drags on a bit, feeling less like a biography and more like a book about the Buddha's teachings in general - which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
A biographical account written about Buddha is no easy task, considering that the Buddha himself wouldn't want to glamorize his life by having a story revolve around him and his exploits. However, Karen Armstrong does a decent job of mixing the history and mythology surrounding the Buddha, creating a fairly cohesive story of his life on earth. At times, the book drags on a bit, feeling less like a biography and more like a book about the Buddha's teachings in general - which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.
kbratten's review against another edition
5.0
I have picked up and skimmed through a lot of books about Buddha/Buddhism and this is the only one that kept my attention. It is thorough and honest without being too mystical. It gave me a much better understanding of the Buddhist faith as a mindset rather than a set of practices. HIGHLY recommend it.
chadkoh's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting, yet dense take on the Buddha. I felt there was a bit too much analogizing and explaining from a position of Catholicism. Those types of references are completely lost on non-Christians like me. Secondly, she relies too much on lists — I can read lists of texts on Wikipedia. What I want is a narrative explaining what they are and maybe how they came to be in a list.
Regardless of those criticisms, the book did a lot to fill in the holes in my knowledge of Buddhism, and of Gautama specifically. In general, I think it is a good place to start.
Regardless of those criticisms, the book did a lot to fill in the holes in my knowledge of Buddhism, and of Gautama specifically. In general, I think it is a good place to start.
professor_x's review against another edition
4.0
Recently, I have become interested in learning a bit more about the philosophy and different religions of the East. Being a Westerner I don't have a lot of exposure to that part of the world. In school I was taught a bit about the big philosophers -- Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. To my recollection, I wasn't taught anything about Confucius, Lao Tzu or the multitude of other great thinkers of Asia.
After listening to [b:Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition|16117557|Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition|Grant Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476747674l/16117557._SX50_.jpg|21935755] the subject piqued my interest and out of all the different schools of thought I learned about from said audiobook one stood out for me-- Buddhism.
The audiobook mentioned above laid a good foundation so I knew a good amount before jumping into Buddha and I think that helped a lot. Armstrongs' work helped solidify my knowledge and understanding of Buddhism and what it taught. A lot of the teachings I related to and agreed with. My moral compass aligns with many of the Buddha's viewpoints about compassion, empathy and love. Emotions like anger and jealousy or being vainglorious do nothing but harm ourselves and can harm others as well.
Separating yourself from desire can be a good thing. Really ask yourself: do I really need that shiny new television or spend 'x' amount on those new sneakers? I (like many, if not all of us) struggle with desire and want everyday. We can however realize this fault and try our best to be better. We can try to be more charitable and donate time and money to those of less fortune.
I do not believe in reincarnation (I'm irreligious) or someone having the ability to achieve 'nibbana'. I am still very much about scientific inquiry, skepticism, and critical thinking. To my surprise, the Buddha actually taught this as well, not take his or anyone else's word on hearsay, but to think for yourself. He also taught that enlightenment could be achieved without a higher being or a god, that it was done completely by you. These two teachings also called out to me.
I don't identify myself as a Buddhist, but I will very much apply many of his teachings to my life. I've started meditating when I can and I wish to try yoga. I will continue to empathize with others, believe that love can solve many of the world's problems, and be compassionate and kind to others.
A simple smile or a 'good morning' is enough to pass happiness to someone who may need it.
After listening to [b:Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition|16117557|Great Minds of the Eastern Intellectual Tradition|Grant Hardy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476747674l/16117557._SX50_.jpg|21935755] the subject piqued my interest and out of all the different schools of thought I learned about from said audiobook one stood out for me-- Buddhism.
The audiobook mentioned above laid a good foundation so I knew a good amount before jumping into Buddha and I think that helped a lot. Armstrongs' work helped solidify my knowledge and understanding of Buddhism and what it taught. A lot of the teachings I related to and agreed with. My moral compass aligns with many of the Buddha's viewpoints about compassion, empathy and love. Emotions like anger and jealousy or being vainglorious do nothing but harm ourselves and can harm others as well.
Separating yourself from desire can be a good thing. Really ask yourself: do I really need that shiny new television or spend 'x' amount on those new sneakers? I (like many, if not all of us) struggle with desire and want everyday. We can however realize this fault and try our best to be better. We can try to be more charitable and donate time and money to those of less fortune.
I do not believe in reincarnation (I'm irreligious) or someone having the ability to achieve 'nibbana'. I am still very much about scientific inquiry, skepticism, and critical thinking. To my surprise, the Buddha actually taught this as well, not take his or anyone else's word on hearsay, but to think for yourself. He also taught that enlightenment could be achieved without a higher being or a god, that it was done completely by you. These two teachings also called out to me.
I don't identify myself as a Buddhist, but I will very much apply many of his teachings to my life. I've started meditating when I can and I wish to try yoga. I will continue to empathize with others, believe that love can solve many of the world's problems, and be compassionate and kind to others.
A simple smile or a 'good morning' is enough to pass happiness to someone who may need it.