|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 On the fence? Oct 05, 2009
So heres the plain, simple truth about this book: Its a great work of fiction that combines elements of both mahayana and theravada buddhism. If you don't believe buddhist was a god or had god-like powers, you'll appreciate the down-to-earth buddha portrayed in the book. If you do, you'll appreciate all the miracles and demons presented in the book. Now, obviously, believing that buddha is a god and believing he wasn't a god are two very different points of view. Unfortunately, the only thing wrong with this book is that it tries to combine both viewpoints. Of course, this is just a work of fiction so it shouldn't offend anyone and it didn't offend me, but portraying buddha as a regular joe and then throwing in mystical things like miracles and demons just doesn't mesh together as well as if the author chose a realistic world or a spiritual world. In a way, it reminds me more of that movie Constantine than anything buddhist I've read. Its a realistic world that happens to have demons and buddha eventually gains wisdom that can ward off the demons.
So the question remains, should you buy this book? If you keep in mind its a work of fiction revolving around a few bulletin points in the real Buddha's life, and you like stories combining a realistic world with debatably mythical creatures, then yes, you will love it. If you'd rather just have a down-to-earth, realistic story of buddha (which is what i originally thought this book would be), this probably won't make you completely satisfied, though because it does a good job teaching buddhist values, I give it a 4 of 5 stars.
Wonderful Perspective Aug 25, 2009
I enjoyed this book mostly for one reason, that Buddhas life is rarely ever told the way this book does. Most books on Buddhism (and believe me, ive read a lot of them) are more like instruction manuals, however, this book gives readers a chance to experience the life of Buddha, both before and after enlightenment. It draws those interested ever deeper into a profound respect for the journey of an ordinary man that dedicated himself to becoming something more.
1 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Expected something and got nothing Aug 09, 2009
I honestly, sincerely cannot imagine how anyone could enjoy this book. It's clear what's being attempted: to bring a famous historical and religious figure to life with fictional details so that we realize he really lived and really was a person like us. Sorry, but I feel the book fails miserably. There are so many useless, pointless details and anecdotes related in the beginning that the reader gets quite bored and does not feel personally touched by the main character's experiences. The author is very good at writing self-help books but he's very poor at writing fictional narrative. The vast majority of the book covers the time before the Buddha decided to start his quest for enlightenment, and again, all this background foreshadowing failed to get me interested in the main character as a real person. Then it's painfully obvious the author got tired and bored with the project himself and he sprinted through the remainder of Buddha's life, trying to finish the book as quickly as possible. What a let-down. Please pick any other Buddhist book at random, it will very likely be better than this attempt to make fast money off the Buddha's life and name.
 The Buddha A Story of Enlightenment Aug 04, 2009
If the Buddha had a business manager he would have probably written a lot of books, gone on speaking tours, and in general, collected a lot of cash for his money generating movement. Because he didn't do this, we know about him today, and are able to find peace through his teachings.
Mr. Chopra writes about a man who found enlightenment and refused to write the books and go on the speaking tours. A man who felt so deeply the suffering of others that he spent nearly all his life helping the lost find peace. This book is excellent. There are a few, 'scenes,' in the book near the end that seem unreal but overall this book brings the Buddha to life, which is quite an accomplishment.
James A. Baker (Opelika, AL)
 Good Buddhist Fiction Jul 22, 2009
This is a quick and pleasant book to read. It leaves you with the sense that you actually know something about the life of Buddha. Yes, it is allegorical or biographical fiction. The actual story of Gautama Buddha's daily life is buried in 2,500 years of legend.
No, this book does not have the same depth as some of Chopra's books, but it does prompt you to think about what the life of that man might, or might not, have been like. Chopra depicts him as something semi-supernatural, something beyond any ordinary man. Millions of people today gratefully benefit from what Guatama discovered even though they hold differing views about the nature of Buddha. Being one who thinks Buddha was a man who discovered in himself what is wonderfully present in all of us, I still enjoyed Chopra's god-like touches.
For comparison to a vaguely similar work, I would rate Siddartha, by Herman Hesse, at five stars because of Hesse's better writing. His allegorical tale (of Buddha, perhaps?) told through the life of (another?) Siddhartha is far more subtle and human.
|
| |
|
![Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51V%2Beipy8-L._SL75_.jpg "Up (4 Disc Combo Pack with Digital Copy and DVD) [Blu-ray]")
![Across the Universe [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51T24FuHPEL._SL75_.jpg "Across the Universe [Blu-ray]")
![Underworld Trilogy (Underworld / Underworld: Evolution / Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51F27VzUl%2BL._SL75_.jpg "Underworld Trilogy (Underworld / Underworld: Evolution / Underworld: Rise of the Lycans) [Blu-ray]")
![Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RQUEopdlL._SL75_.jpg "Shakira: Oral Fixation Tour [Blu-ray]")
