The World's Religions

There might come a time in your life that you yearn to know more about Religion - maybe it is to seek meaning, maybe it is curiosity, maybe you are just down on your luck and need something uplifting. Whatever the reason might be, here you are and trying to figure it all out. But this is no easy endeavor by any means - one only need think of Christendom and its Eastern Orthodox Christians, Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Unitarians to get an idea, or a headache.

So where do you start?

Perhaps a great guidance in a time like this is The World's Religions by Houston Smith, who speaks on the subject authoritatively and eloquently. Smith covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity in less than 400 pages, but none of them is rushed through - each subject is well explained, delved in deep, and thoughtfully laid out for the reader, as if it is the sole concern of the book. Smith convincingly conveys the unique appeal and gifts of each of the traditions and reveals their hold on the human heart and imagination.

This is a book that takes religion seriously; All religions. It does not belittle, mock, or patronize. It is not a tourist guide either - the concepts explained are deep and significant. Religion is a serious matter and the author treats it as such. And I quote:

"Religion alive confronts the individual with the most momentous option life can present. It calls the soul to the highest adventure it can undertake, a proposed journey across the jungles, peaks, and deserts of the human spirit. The call is to confront reality, to master the self..."

This is also a book about values. The author's concern is the world's religions at their best - not much on histories or institutions, but ideas, and wisdom deposits - the empowering essence of religion. The author strives, almost painfully, to give reader the best of the best, and I think he succeeded admirably.

On top of everything, Smith writes well. His writing is clear and beautiful. He can take a complex idea - and believe me, in religion there are plenty of those - and put it in simple terms. He uses fables, stories, and quotes to make his idea even clearer. His prose is free flowing and poetic - a great pleasure to read.

So it would be fitting to end this entry with what the author wrote at the end of the book -

Said Jesus, blessed be his name, "Do unto others as you would they should do unto you." Said Buddha, blessed be his name as well, He who would, may reach the utmost height - but he must be eager to learn." If we do not quote the other religions on these points, it is because their words would be redundant.

The Miracle of Mindfulness

Wisdom is self-evident; perhaps it is analogous to love, you know it when you see it. And that is what I saw the moment I opened this book, and as I read each chapter, each page, until the very last page.

It is an experience to read something like this, not to mention life changing.

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist monk from Vietnam. His life long dedication to Buddhism and meditation has given him insights into some of the most difficult questions of human life. In this book, he tackles the practice of Mindfulness - how important it is, how it impacts our lives, and some practical advices on how to achieve Mindfulness each and every day.

In short, how to live in the moment.

I know, through my own life experiences, that this is no simple task. It is especially true living in today's ultra-fast culture and lifestyle. Everything is in a hurry; you are always trying to get to that next thing. Your life inevitably becomes a blur right in front of your eyes. Where is the meaning of this kind of living?

To use an example from the book - in order to drink tea you need to wash dishes. If when you wash the dishes all you can think about is preparing the tea and drinking the tea afterwards, then you are really not living in the moment. As a result, you are really not living. That is the unfortunate consequence of not living a mindful life.

And what happens next? When you drink the tea, you inevitably think about something else too - it is a chain reaction, and becomes a habit.

It is very easy to read this book and relate it to your life. The author does not preach, but the wisdom and truthfulness in what he writes come across easily and effortlessly. I suppose truth is self-evident as well. Deep down in the human heart it possesses the incredible ability to recognize it.

"Thich Nhat Hanh speaks with the voice of the Buddha," one critic claims. I suppose there is very little one needs to add to that.