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Having had the pleasure of learning from Bhante Kovida
at a number of his
talks and one-day retreats over several years, I eagerly awaited the
publication of his book, An Inquiring Mind's Journey into wisdom,
compassion, freedom and silence. Reading it made me feel he was right there
with me, a spiritual friend talking to a fellow traveller.
In the book he recounts the process of his awakening from his childhood in
the Caribbean and through his travels in Southeast Asia. He writes clearly
about basic Dharma matters in one question and answer chapter; two chapters
are talks given at the University of Toronto one on self-knowledge and
freedom and the other on the nature of fear.
Written in a warm and casual style the reader will come away feeling they
know themselves better as human beings as well as getting to know Bhante
Kovida's mind - no nonsense, down to earth, one-of-a-kind, with a
delightful sense of humour.
Jack Cunningham
Writer, Teacher, Counsellor
Bhante comments on his book...
Some people will be surprised and puzzled while others,
no doubt, will be shocked and upset with my
explanation of certain topics such as khamma and
rebirth, since many teachers explain these topics
otherwise.
My thoughts on these subjects should not be
viewed as concrete truths but rather as
different ways of looking and reflecting on
aspects of the Dhamma. We should, after all, keep an
open and inquiring mind, and resist the easy
temptation of clinging to
views and opinions. We must always be alert to the
persisting habit of the clinging/craving mind because
it's really not important what we think and
want to believe. What really matters, and what the
Buddha kept reminding people, is that our minds and
hearts are peaceful and free from suffering and
dis-ease, ego pride, arrogance and conceit, and
blessed with the four sublime states of loving
kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.
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