Great Eastern Sun

Rating:
Summary: Dazzling, exasperating
Review: "The Great Eastern Sun" is presented as a companion volume to Chogyam Trungpa's spiritual classic "Shambhala: The Sacred Art of the Warrior."

Both books were based on Trungpa's talks, but "The Great Eastern Sun" has suffered (or benefitted) from a much lighter editorial hand. The result is that the present volume preserves a stronger flavor of Trungpa's teaching style. On the other hand, the talks in this book were intended for a more advanced audience who were presumed to be already familiar with the material presented in the earlier book.

My experience of Trungpa's books has always been one of a cumulative effect. It helps to read, to practice, to read again, and to practice some more. The extraordinary nature of the teachings grow clearer with time and practice, although sometimes very little comes through on the first reading.

Rating:
Summary: Dazzling, exasperating
Review: "The Great Eastern Sun" is presented as a companion volume to Chogyam Trungpa's spiritual classic "Shambhala: The Sacred Art of the Warrior."

Both books were based on Trungpa's talks, but "The Great Eastern Sun" has suffered (or benefitted) from a much lighter editorial hand. The result is that the present volume preserves a stronger flavor of Trungpa's teaching style. On the other hand, the talks in this book were intended for a more advanced audience who were presumed to be already familiar with the material presented in the earlier book.

My experience of Trungpa's books has always been one of a cumulative effect. It helps to read, to practice, to read again, and to practice some more. The extraordinary nature of the teachings grow clearer with time and practice, although sometimes very little comes through on the first reading.

Rating:
Summary: Every minute is important.
Review: Chogyam Trungpa uses the Great Eastern Sun as a metaphor for liberation. It is always rising, and "there is always the potential for human beings to discover their own goodness and the sacredness of the world" (p. xvi). It represents "the dawn of wakefulness" (p. 151), and "overcoming frivolity and becoming a decent person" (p. 161). Conversely, the world in which people are "sleeping in their cocoons trying to avoid the pain of death is called the setting-sun world" (p. 9). Trungpa observes that the setting-sun world is synonymous with having a "groovy" time, trying to avoid the reality of impermanence (p. 162).

The basic goal of Trungpa's Eastern Sun teachings is "to radiate the peacefulness of nonaggression, learning how to develop discipline and wisdom, and developing the wisdom of body, speech, and mind" (pp. 50-51). Trungpa encourages us to take care of the world, and also have a sense of humor (p. 210). "Listen to your own brook, echoing yourself" (p. 123).

For some enlightening reading, I recommend Trungpa's GREAT EASTERN SUN.

G. Merritt



Rating:
Summary: Every minute is important.
Review: Chogyam Trungpa uses the Great Eastern Sun as a metaphor for liberation. It is always rising, and "there is always the potential for human beings to discover their own goodness and the sacredness of the world" (p. xvi). It represents "the dawn of wakefulness" (p. 151), and "overcoming frivolity and becoming a decent person" (p. 161). Conversely, the world in which people are "sleeping in their cocoons trying to avoid the pain of death is called the setting-sun world" (p. 9). Trungpa observes that the setting-sun world is synonymous with having a "groovy" time, trying to avoid the reality of impermanence (p. 162).

The basic goal of Trungpa's Eastern Sun teachings is "to radiate the peacefulness of nonaggression, learning how to develop discipline and wisdom, and developing the wisdom of body, speech, and mind" (pp. 50-51). Trungpa encourages us to take care of the world, and also have a sense of humor (p. 210). "Listen to your own brook, echoing yourself" (p. 123).

For some enlightening reading, I recommend Trungpa's GREAT EASTERN SUN.

G. Merritt



Rating:
Summary: Great Eastern Sun
Review: This book is a tough read, it becomes very tricky to piece together certain understandings. I would suggest reading it twice. But the profundity is there. I have not read any other Shambala teachings, but the "Primordial Dot" has been very intriguing to meditate upon. Along with the awakening from the "shadow world" of the autonomous mind; this parralels other buddhist teachings. A nice addition to any collection, the hardcover is bleach white with the great eastern sun symbol in gold. It complements my Art of War hardcover which is completely black and the same size.