Visible Here and Now: The Buddha's Teachings on the Rewards of Spiritual Practice

by Ayya Khema

Book Overview

This practical commentary on one of the most important scriptures of the Pali canon will provide essential sustenance for Buddhist practitioners. Ayya Khema is a mountain of strength, encouragement,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570624925
• ISBN13: 9781570624926
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An Ancient Text and Modern Commentary

This book consists of the text of the Samannaphala Sutta translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi, an American monk, and a commentary on the text by the late Ayya Khema, a German nun. The Samannaphala Sutta is part of the "Long Discourses of the Buddha" of the Pali Canon, the oldest series of buddhist texts. In addition to the translation by Bhikkhu Bodhi, the Sutta may be found in the translation of the entire "Long Discourses of the Buddha" by Maurice Walshe.For the past several years, I have had the good fortune to participate in a Sutta Study Group in which we study the Pali texts. Recently, we devoted three sessions to study of the Samannaphala Sutta using both Walshe's and Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation. We proceeded by reading the Sutta aloud, in small sections, and then pausing for group discussion and comments. The members of our group take turns in leading the discussions. I was favored with the opportunity to lead the discussion of this complex and profound text. The Samannaphala Sutta tells the story of an encounter beteen King Ajasattu and the Buddha. With all his power and wealth, and 500 wives, the King feels something is missing in his life. (Indeed, the King is understandably troubled because he has just killed his father to assume the throne.) He goes to the Buddha, and other ancient teachers, in search for peace of mind and for an understanding of the benefits of what Ayya Khema's book characterizes as a 'Spiritual" way of life. The Buddha explains the Buddhist ethical path to the King and further develops 14 fruits of the spiritual life. These fruits begin with the most mundane consideration of benefits of the life of the seeker and end with the attainment of the highest, most rarified wisdom. Each of the fruits is illustrated by metaphors of increasing power. The Sutta ends with King Ajasattu becoming a lay follower of the Buddha. The suggestion is that the King cannot proceed further than this due to the grave evil he has committed in murdering his father.It is a great value of this book that it presents this ancient Sutta in a form accessible to many readers.Following the Sutta, the remainder of the book consists of a lengthy commentary by Ayya Khema. Although this is not explicitly stated, the commentary appears derived from a series of lectures, as witnessed by the questions and answers at the end of several of the chapters. Her commentary is not a line-by-line exposition of the Sutta. Bhikku Bodhi, in his translation of the Sutta, offered as well a selection of commentaries from Pali sources which discuss the text in great detail. This is not the only way, or possibly even the best way, for a modern reader to approach this Sutta. It does have the advantage, however, of forcing the reader to pay close attention to the text itself. Although Ayya Khema's commentary has many interesting and valuable things to teach, it strays rather far from the text of the Samannaphala Sutta. After the opening in which she nicely sets

Another wonderful work from Ayya Khema...

If you may be a little stuck in your meditation practice and need to know what the light at the end of the tunnel looks like, READ THIS BOOK! It is an indispensible tool, like all of Sister Khema's work.