Free Downloads Dipa Ma: The Life And Legacy Of A Buddhist Master
This biography of one of the few women in her generation to devote herself entirely to the pursuit of meditation also includes Dipa Ma's spiritual teachings, which have made her a major figure in contemporary Buddhism.
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: BlueBridge (May 1, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0974240559
ISBN-13: 978-0974240558
Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #256,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #71 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism > Theravada #807 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Worship & Devotion > Meditations #1726 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Religious
I'm a dharma book junkie, I admit. But this book stands alone in its ability to move me from talking and thinking about meditation practice, to actually doing the practice. It is my favorite dharma book ever, 3 years standing (I originally bought a previous edition, when it was called "Knee Deep in Grace", which had a bit less content). My favorite Dipa quote from the book: "Practice now. Don't think you will do more tomorrow". The accounts in this book of her are inspiring. Dipa Ma was a very gentle, but practical lay woman, all about persistence. She wanted everyone to benefit from Buddhist practice. The stories reflect all of this so nicely. Amy Schmidt did an amazing job collecting all these stories. Bravo!!!
This is an excellent read, very inspirational and well worth the price. I think some of the reviwers slightly missed the point - whilst Dipa Ma probably didnt eat meat, Theravadin Buddhists are not vegetarian because like the Buddha himself, they rely on alms donations for food. There is no prohibition on eating meat or fish in either the vinaya or the sutras, monks and nuns in Thailand and Burma are mostly meat eaters. As for the change in title, its really just a reprint with colour photos and a new publisher - its not done to rip anybody off, the newer version I think is a better tribute to Dipa Ma's spiritual legacy. Anyhow, for anybody wanting to read about a lay meditatior who was highly acomplished and masterd the siddhis (spiritual para normal powers), the janas (absorbtions) and three of the four paths to nirvana, this is the book!Other highly recommended books to people who enjoy this one are "Life of a Siamese Monk" by Richard Randall and also Maha Bowas facinating biography of Ajan Mun, a Thai forest monk who attained nirvana and passed away in the late 1940's. Maha Bowas book is given away freely and a great read, I think its also on the internet.
Dipa Ma's life story was a journey of losing her mother at a young age, multiple child loss, late age childbearing, widowhood, single parenting, etc etc... Enough loss & suffering to incorporate all of our own and honor its shameless potential. Dipa Ma confirms how richly transformative such suffering can prove to be once one commits to vipassana practice.This is a very emotionally embodied female householder version of an enlightenment journey, far removed from the repressingly tidy versions of male monastic legends and the even tidier examples of virgin saints. All this, and - she was the teacher of pivotal and now famous American vipassana senior teachers: Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzburg, to name a few. And nobody's heard of Dipa Ma, but everybody's heard of them! While that is the ultimate success of teaching (to be surpassed by one's students), Dipa Ma's role in the east-west vipassana lineage needs to known about for a variety of reasons.This book tells the biography through factual research along with a collection of teaching quotes by Dipa Ma from a variety of interviews as well as student anecdotes. Very easy to read and hard to put down!The last part of the book shares Dipa Ma's Metta meditations, progressing from basic beginner to more extensive ones - very cool. Sometimes she would tell a beginner to just practice Metta for months until they were capable of other practices. Those with self-deprecation/self-acceptance karma benefit greatly from Dipa Ma's insightful guidance. She taught as far outside the box of the monastic-based tradition as from deep within it, because that's what a yogini does.
My heartfelt thanks to Ms. Schmidt for writing this book and collecting the very moving reflections of Dipa Ma's students. The teachings about the power of love embodied in this book and in the life of Dipa Ma can help us all to live a life that is truly joyful.There are many wonderful books available that provide guidance and inspiration on the spiritual path. I found this one to be particularly inspirational and instructive about how suffering can be transformed into love and how love can be shared and a source of healing and joy.What a blessing it would have been to meet Dipa Ma in person. What a blessing it is to be able to meet her through the words of people who knew her and now know in their hearts the power of kindness.
Dipa Ma's life, practice and high level of attainment is truly inspirational. If you're looking for a book that will teach you the basic tenets of Theravadin Buddhism, this is not it. But, if you're looking for a powerfully inspirational story of a profoundly loving, compassionate master who transformed and inspired many Western practitioners this book is great. It really brought tears to my eyes and I keep rereading it and my wonder never ceases. It has good pictures and can easily be read in an evening. I've bought and sent copies to all the women in my life. Buy it, read it and enjoy!
In response to the reviewer who claimed false advertising because the content of this book is the same as "Knee Deep in Grace" - with some attentiveness he will note it is in fact the same book reprinted. No one is trying to pull the wool over his eyes, the original publisher is no longer in business. Another publisher, wishing to keep this important Dhamma work in existence has republished it under a different title. (However, there are unscrupulous used book store owners attempting to sell the original title at exorbitant prices, claiming the book is out of print, which is untrue.)
Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master Chinese Buddhist Monasteries: Their Plan and Its Function as a Setting for Buddhist Monastic Life Master Planning Success Stories: How Business Owners Used Master Planning to Achieve Business, Financial, and Life Goals (The Master Plan Book 2) The Sharing Knife, Vol. 2: Legacy (Legacy (Blackstone Audio)) Learn & Master Ballroom Dance with Jaimee Simon & Mark Short, from Legacy Learning, 13 DVDs, 6 CDs, a 75+ page workbook & full access to online support Classic Still Life Painting: A Contemporary Master Shows How to Achieve Old Master Effects Using Today's Art Materials King Udrayana and the Wheel of Life: The History and Meaning of the Buddhist Teaching of Dependent Origination The Mind and the Way: Buddhist Reflections on Life Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction (Religious Life in History) Himalayan Hermitess: The Life of a Tibetan Buddhist Nun Victorious Teen: Buddhist Advice for Dealing With What Life Throws at You Nutri Ninja Master Prep Blender Smoothie Book: 101 Superfood Smoothie Recipes For Better Health, Energy and Weight Loss! (Ninja Master Prep, Nutri ... Ninja Kitchen System Cookbooks) (Volume 1) Scrum: Scrum Master - Learn How to Build Teams, Boost Your Productivity and Beat Deadlines! (Scrum Master, Scrum Agile, Agile Project Management) Master the Miller Analogies Test 2004 (Arco Master the Miller Analogies Test) Master the Miller Analogies Test 2002 (Arco Master the Miller Analogies Test) Master the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) (Peterson's Master the Veterinary Technician National Exam) Master the Mat 2001: Miller Analogies Test (Master the Mat: Miller Analogies Test, 8th ed) Master the Miller Analogies Test 2006 (Arco Master the Miller Analogies Test) Master The Officer Candidate Tests: Targeted Test Prep to Jump-Start Your Career (Peterson's Master the Officer Candidate Tests) Master the Case Worker Exam (Arco Master the Case Worker Exam)
