From the late 1970s onwards the West, especially the United States, witnessed a strong and growing interest in Buddhism.

The author of this book is an outstanding meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Center in Massachusetts.

American Buddhism, incidentally, differs more in style than in substance from “Buddhisms” of other countries, just like African Catholicism, for example, differs from Italian Catholicism.

One Dharma is a direct result of the author’s decades long and continuing investigations of various Buddhist traditions and their remarkable teachers and the difficulties he experienced in attempting to reconcile their diverse doctrines and practices (far more diverse and complex than the differences between Christian denominations, incidentally.)

This book is extremely useful and inspiring, but not quite in the way the author intended.

I don’t believe the author’s fervently desired “One Dharma” and “Emerging Western Buddhism” are possible or even desirable, at least in the author’s terms. All indications are that the spread of Buddhism to the West will echo the history of the spread of Buddhism elsewhere, which is characterised by sectarian diversity, which shouldn’t rule out tolerance and respect for difference, of course.

We can expect Buddhism, American–style, to fully arise if and when Buddhism becomes mainstream. Western-style “Buddhisms” are also gradually arising and feature the predictable national characteristics of England, Germany, and Italy, etc. Interestingly, some traditions are more popular in some countries than others. Thus, Tibetan Buddhism has strong appeal in Russia and Chinese Buddhism is popular in France.

As Buddhism is likely to engender a cultural change in the West as great as the Renaissance – according to the late psychologist Professor Valera – it may be the case that Buddhism will remain an oppositional alternative element in the West for quite some time, especially as Buddhism is not compatible with consumerism, the endless pursuit of ever greater wealth and disrespect for the environment and all forms of life.

Many in the West are both mystified and excited by Buddhist concepts which offer fresh insights and perspectives on perennial problems and dilemmas, while others are attracted by figures like the Dalai Lama and Aung Sang Suu Kyi.

Well, reference books are of little help in really understanding Buddhism as are books written from historical or geographical perspectives. However, this book does help us understand how Buddhism works and explains what are its major concerns, practices and doctrines and how they relate to the business of living and so will be warmly welcomed.

As for the anecdotes it contains, often they are hilarious and sometimes tragic, and they enliven most chapters – indeed, this whole review could be devoted to them.

Now what does a meditation master say to you when you mention the venue and it's the noise, squalor and the smell of an adjacent Third World toilet? Or, what important lesson in living might one learn from closely examining a preserved fish for three days?

Let’s now sample some of the riches of this fine book. Here’s the author on attachment and impermanence:

“We (usually) lean forward and so stay tangled in anticipation. Reflecting on and directly observing impermanence reminds us again and again that all experience is simply part of an endlessly passing show.”

He also quotes the legendary Thai monk, Ajahn Chah, who advises us to cultivate “a letting – go – mind,” that is to abandon clinging to our numerous concerns and worries. This doesn’t mean we mentally opt out, but rather we consider, decide and act in an unattached and wise way.

The implications of cultivating this kind of mindset are immensely advantageous as it provides the wherewithal to thrive and grow in a ceaselessly changing and unpredictable environment.

The author gives a masterful exposition of the Buddhist principle of avoiding harm and not returning evil for evil and begins by pointing out that Buddhist morality does not have commandments but training rules.

“Purify the mind and cease to do evil,” is the foundation of Buddhist morality and this applies to actions, words and thoughts and we can note that purifying the mind involves us wisely considering all our ethically related actions, which we can do by being mindful or by reflecting upon our conduct or by examining our minds by various forms of meditation, or any combination of the three.

The author concludes this section by noting, “In this very straightforward Teaching, the Buddha helps us understand the practice of freedom with mature and long-ranging vision. Freedom is not simply doing what we want when we want it – that is addiction. Freedom is the wisdom to choose wisely.” The author then moves on to seamlessly link personal mental cultivation with acting for the good in everyday life.

The Dalai Lama is quoted to good affect, advising us not to discriminate between our spiritual life and life in society as this is often forgotten by Buddhists, for whom the development of unselfishness should have the highest priority.

The chapter on Loving-kindness is also very fine. Loving-kindness (Metta) is not so easy to define and the author’s linking it with “kindness” and “goodwill” may be useful. Metta is derived from the word for friend and a strong case can be made for defining Metta as a profound benevolence which is also a mental power and an essential social resource. (No society can function effectively where it is lacking, for example.)

We probably all have experienced Metta at times when sheer goodwill transcends any fault-finding, malice and misgivings.

How wonderful life would be if we could continually sustain this state of mind as the Buddha outlined in his brief but profound and beautiful Discourse on loving–kindness! Not so easy to cultivate, but the author has some helpful guidance:

“With gratitude loving-kindness will flow from us naturally” and “Forgiveness means renouncing the suffering of anger and resentment.”

In an important way “One Dharma” has always existed as the Buddha pointed out. Furthermore, enlightenment is available in any spiritual tradition with morality and highly developed contemplative practices. Numerous people who know nothing of Buddhism certainly practise the Dharma and we can learn from them and we should pay them due respect, the Buddha said.

No matter what tradition of Buddhism we choose to practise, inevitably we must develop a way of living by the Dharma which suits us personally. So in this way “One Dharma” becomes a reality in our hearts and minds.

In fact, this must be so as the Buddha’s Teachings are so vast that it is literally impossible to practise them all at once. We can’t ignore the basic morality and practices so we are obliged to work out “our own” Dharma.

– Reviewed by Terry Burgess in New Dawn No. 93