Product Description

Why does an idea that’s 2,500 years old seem more relevant today than ever before? How can the Buddha’s teachings help us solve many of the world’s problems? Journalist Perry Garfinkel circumnavigated the globe to discover the heart of Buddhism and the reasons for its growing popularity—and ended up discovering himself in the process.

The assignment from National Geographic couldn’t have come at a better time for Garfinkel. Burned out, laid up with back problems, disillusioned by relationships and religion itself, he was still hoping for that big journalistic break—and the answers to life’s biggest riddles as well. So he set out on a geographic, historical and personal expedition that would lead him around the world in search of those answers, and then some.

First, to better understand the man who was born Prince Siddhartha Gautama, he followed the time-honored pilgrimage “in the footsteps of the Buddha” in India. From there, he tracked the historical course of Buddhism: to Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Tibet, Japan and on to San Francisco and Europe. He found that the Buddha’s teachings have spawned a worldwide movement of “engaged Buddhism,” the application of Buddhist principles to resolve social, environmental, health, political and other contemporary problems. From East to West and back to the East again, this movement has caused a Buddhism Boom.

Along the way he met a diverse array of Buddhist practitioners—Thai artists, Indian nuns, Sri Lankan school children, Zen archers in Japan, kung fu monks in China and the world’s first Buddhist comic (only in America). Among dozens of Buddhist scholars and leaders, Garfinkel interviewed His Holiness the Dalai Lama, an experience that left him speechless—almost. As just reward for his efforts, toward the end of his journey Garfinkel fell in love in the south of France at the retreat center of a leader of the engaged movement, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh—a romance that taught him as much about Buddhism as all the masters combined.

In this original, entertaining book, Garfinkel separates Buddhist fact from fiction, sharing his humorous insights and keen perceptions about everything from spiritual tourism to Asian traffic jams to the endless road to enlightenment.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #989306 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-13
• Released on: 2006-06-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781400082179
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
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From Publishers Weekly
A wonderful idea with so-so execution, this spiritual travelogue ambitiously circles the globe to explore the Asian roots and worldwide branches of Buddhism. Journalist Garfinkel got an assignment to write a feature for National Geographic magazine about the spread of Buddhism; the book includes both the material he gathered in nine countries and his memoirish commentary on his experiences. The book is at its best when Garfinkel holds memoir to a minimum and just reports on his subjects, whether people or countries. The resurgence of Buddhism in economically booming China is particularly fascinating. By contrast, increased coverage of Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh and a little less of Garfinkel's girlfriend at Nhat Hanh's Plum Village in France would have been more to the point. Some readers, especially nostalgic baby boomers, will appreciate the author's light tone, while others will find his frequent jokiness shallow and his cultural allusions occasionally mysterious ("the Buddhist version of 'I'm from Missouri' "). Although Garfinkel presents useful material, some conclusions are unconvincing leaps. "I was having trouble connecting the dots in Sri Lanka" doesn't speak precisely enough about that country's contradictions. While informative, this book isn't fresh or rigorous enough. (June 13)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Garfinkel undertook a 20-week round-the-world trip to write an in-depth article for National Geographic about the worldwide Buddhist movement. Following in the footsteps of the Buddha, he hoped to gain, if not nirvana, at least insight and "merit" to redeem in this lifetime. He begins the journey in Poland, on an Auschwitz retreat through Zen Peacemakers, looking for Buddha's truth of suffering. It is a heartrending beginning that at the end of the journey makes a great deal of sense. Next on his agenda is India, birthplace of Buddha, and from this point on the itinerary is more logical. Each step is another lesson in history, teasing out what is known from what has been merely attributed to the Buddha. He travels to Thailand, Hong Kong, and China, and some discoveries are disheartening. In Sri Lanka, for instance, Garfinkel is appalled to find that the civil war is closer to a religious war. Despite occasional confusion in the discussion of various Buddhist sects, Garfinkel presents a dynamic account of twentieth-century Buddhism. Pamela Crossland
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
“A compelling read . . . part travelogue, part primer, part spiritual quest. Garfinkel brings a reporter’s sharp eyes to an elusive topic.” —Tony Horwitz, author of Blue Latitudes and Confederates in the Attic

“Narrating his observations of contemporary Buddhist practice and meetings with Buddhists in situations that include traditional Buddhist strongholds and places in the West, where the Dharma has only recently arrived, Perry Garfinkel presents Buddhism as a practical approach to human problems. The Buddha’s teaching remains refreshing and relevant today, because, more than two and a half thousand years ago, he invited people to listen, reflect and critically examine what he had to say in the context of their own lives.” —His Holiness the Dalai Lama

“Garfinkel dramatically demonstrates that the socially engaged Buddhism movement is growing globally and touching millions of minds and hearts—including his own.” —Thich Nhat Hanh

“Garfinkel’s global search for the essence of Buddhism today is in turn entertaining, informative and enlightening. As a raconteur of the Dharma, Garfinkel is as lively a guide as anyone could hope for on such a pilgrimage—Woody Allen in the footsteps of the Buddha.” —Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence


From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews

Humorous and Insightful Take on Contemporary Buddhism
At some point in our cultural consciousness, Buddhism developed a hip cachet. From Zen mp3 players and the rock band Nirvana to Richard Gere's appearances with the Dalai Lama, Buddhist vocabulary and imagery began to infiltrate our collective psychic ken. Journalist/Author Perry Garfinkel spins what began as a National Geographic assignment on modern Buddism around the globe to a full-length book chronicling his journeys around the planet in search of the living Buddhist spirit amidst the cacaphony of modern life. From the war-torn provinces of Sri Lanka(where Buddhist soldiers defy the image of pacificism associated with the religion) to Takster, the birthplace of the Dalai Lama, Garfinkel gives a humorous and sharp-eyed report on Buddhist faith and practice. The picture that emerges is of a complex, evolving religion that is not spared the contradictions, hypocricies, and perplexities of other faiths. Along the way Garfinkel encounters a cast of lively characters, including Sri Lankan activist Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne, Shao Lin monk Shi De Cheng, Thich Nhat Hanh, and His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Garfinkel seasons the book with just enough autobiographical information and humor to keep it lively and quick-paced without becoming indulgent or self-aggrandizing. He manages to blend contemporary observations with historical record to create an informative, clear, and accessible portrait of the historic Buddha and the religion that followed in his wake. At 291 pages, the book is a quick, lean, and fun read. For those who enjoy travel writing and/or religious exploration, this book is a score.

Good, but like a marine biologist studying whales above water
This book was a fast and light read. Garfinkel's voice is engaging and witty. Speaking of engaged, one of the book's goals is to track the Engaged Buddhist movement. Here, the author travels around the globe taking snapshots of how different cultures have adapted and modernized Buddhism, in many instances making the religion more socially "engaged."

However, in each of the stops I wanted to know more--they truly were just snapshots. For example, he goes to India and signs on with a tour group covering the four major Buddhist holy sights: where the Buddha was born, where he attained enlightenment, where he gave his first teaching, and where he died. Yet, the author really focuses on Bodh Gaya (where the Buddha became enlightened), and says the other spots are sort-of "hazy." Hardly what I call a book about the author's travels "in the footsteps of the Buddha." A more acurrate designation might be "in the footsteps of BUDDHISM."

Covering Engaged Buddhism was equally light, and I was very disappointed in the chapter on American Buddhism, where he was more concerned about his relationship with Buddhism as a Jew. He talked more about Engaged Buddism in his introduction and in the chapter on Auschwitz, Poleland than in the American chapter.

Yet, I still enjoyed the book. If you want a light read and a brief overview of Buddhism around the world, this is the book for you. But if you want something heavier, look elswhere.

It was funny. It was on target.
I bought the book as a gift for my husband and as I was wrapping it I started reading it.

Ultimately, read the whole damn thing.

Garfinkel is funny with dry detached observations that make the subject digestable and, well, funny!

I've struggled with traditional discussions of Buddhism and heard scholars discuss Buddhism in the west. I usually zoned out early on.
Not this time.


I ended up buying 4 books, gave them all away and now, damn it, need one for myself.