Jon Norris 2008-03-30
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
This book is a record with commentary of the author's spiritual adventures at a retreat in Dharamsala, India, home-in-exile to the Dalai Lama of Tibet. I read the paperback edition.
The author, David Komito, is a colleague of mine in the "lofty halls of academia," and I was curious about the book more for a deeper personal look into his psyche than for professional reasons. David wrote another book, "Nagarjuna's Seventy Stanzas: A Buddhist Psychology of Emptiness," which was listed in the bibliography of the Dalai Lama's book, "The Meaning Of Life," and is highly regarded in Buddhist circles. David's doctorate is in Central Asian studies, and he teaches at the university level and at a Zen Center in San Francisco. He has worked with such luminaries as Bob Thurman (whose daughter, Uma, you may have seen), and recounts a few relevant stories about the rest of his career in the book.
Most of the book concerns a seven month retreat David and his wife, Kay, took in Dharamsala after the death of their lama, or spiritual teacher, Tara Tulku Kensur Rinpoche. He describes in wonderful detail the circumstances of taking the retreat, the location and conditions in which they lived, the interactions with the lamas and other Tibetans in exile there, and the spiritual work he and Kay did under the guidance of the lamas at Dharamsala. He also describes their audiences with the Dalai Lama. There are a few pictures in the book, including some of Kay's impressive artwork. Unfortunately, black and white photos cannot do justice to some of the subjects. Still, the images are quite welcome.
I found it to be a marvelous book, full of warmth, insight, and weighty spiritual matters, with bits of humor here and there. David is amazingly honest about his thoughts, feelings, and the process he goes through as he tries to reconcile his modern persona with ancient wisdom teachings. It reminded me somewhat of Castenada's Don Juan series, although I found David to be far more receptive and open to exploring the teachings than Castenada, who always seemed very resistant to the process.
This is not a book for beginners curious about Buddhism. This is a book for serious students who are striving to practice this path. While others could gain from reading it as a sort of spiritual or personal adventure, the book is somewhat academic in tone and depth at times. When David goes into detail about the practices, philosophy, and terminology, it requires one to be reasonably familiar with this form of Buddhism. Terms are not explained or simplified for the general reader.
While certainly not an expert on the subject, I have studied enough to be comfortable with the subject matter. I found some strong similarities with other spiritual paths I have explored, particularly Taoism and Hermetic magick. (Two past lives in Tibet also help, although few people will take that seriously.)
David is rather modest about this (and his other) book. I found it a very interesting and engaging read, although slow at times because of the detail and terminology, which I did not want to skip over or rush through. There are many places where David shares important teachings well worth the extra time. His experiences with, and insights into, the practices are also helpful.
I recommend this book for anyone walking the Tibetan Buddhist path, or those whose spiritual, academic, or personal interest would lead them in this direction. It is a good book.
