The Buddha ... Off the Record: Life and Themes, 563 BC-483 BC (Q & A)

We know him as the Buddha, the 'Awakened One', one of the world's greatest spiritual leaders. He wasn't a god but an ordinary mortal - born Siddhartha Gautama 2,500 years ago in northern India. His humanity speaks to us today. He suffered as we do, then by his own efforts found the key to liberation from the bonds of desire, hatred and ignorance. As Westerners living in relative prosperity, we can identify with this man who had it all - love, success, money, talent, privilege - but set it aside to search for something deeper and more enduring. How did he do it? What did he learn? If the Buddha were here now, how might he explain the truths he uncovered? Covering topics such as Suffering, Impermanence, Non-Self, Karma, Desire, Mindfulness, Compassion, Love and Reincarnation, this book offers wonderful insights into the Buddha's philosophy for living but also into his humanity and his character - all based faithfully on the Buddhist scriptures.