Synopses & Reviews
Deepak Chopra brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping
New York Times bestselling novel about the young prince who abandoned his inheritance to discover his true calling. This iconic journey changed the world forever, and the truths revealed continue to influence every corner of the globe today.
A young man in line for the throne is trapped in his father's kingdom and yearns for the outside world. Betrayed y those closest to him, Siddhartha abandons his palace and princely title. Face-to-face with his demons, he becomes a wandering monk and embarks on a spiritual fast that carries him to the brink of death. Ultimately recognizing his inability to conquer his body and mind by sheer will, Siddhartha transcends his physical pain and achieves enlightenment.
Although we recognize Buddha today as an icon of peace and serenity, his life story was a tumultuous and spellbinding affair filled with love and sex, murder and loss, struggle and surrender. From the rocky terrain of the material world to the summit of the spiritual one, Buddha captivates and inspires—ultimately leading us closer to understanding the true nature of life and ourselves.
Review
“A page turning masterpiece. This book is destined to become a classic.” Wayne Dyer, author of The Power of Intention
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“This fast and easy-to-read book teaches without being didactic. Chopra scores a fiction winner.” Publisher's Weekly, starred review
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“Chopras engaging novel has the over-the-top appeal of a TV extravaganza like Rome...” People
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“A wonderful novelization of the greatest adventure you will ever undertake....” Ken Wilber, author of The Integral Vision
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“An adventure in enlightenment with all the twists and turns of a great movie.” Peter Guber, Chairman of Mandalay Entertainment, Producer of "Batman," "Rainman" and "Color Purple," and host of AMC's Sunday Morning Shootout
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“The Buddhas story is compelling and… Chopra captures the essence of the spiritual seeker.” Booklist
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“Essential reading for anyone curious about the foundations of Buddhism.” Brian Grazer, Oscar Award Winning Producer of "A Beautiful Mind," Emmy Winning Producer, "24"
Synopsis
BUDDHA is an inspiring re-imagining of the life of a prince who gave up the trappings of royalty for something much more important-wisdom and enlightenment. This revolutionary journey has changed the world forever, and the lessons Buddha taught continue to influence every corner of the globe today. This is a new form of teaching for beloved Chopra and with it he brings us closer to understanding the true nature of life and ourselves.
From the Author's Note:
I wrote this book as a sacred journey, fictionalized in many of its externals but psychologically true, I hope, to what the seeker's path feels like. In all three phases of his life-Siddhartha the prince, Gautama the monk, and Buddha the Compassionate One--he was as mortal as you and I, yet he attained enlightenment and was raised to the rank of an immortal. The miracle is that he got there following a heart as human as yours and mine, and just as vulnerable.
About the Author
Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP, is the author of
God: A Story of Revelation, in addition to more than sixty-five books that have been translated into more than eighty languages, including twenty
New York Times bestsellers in both fiction and nonfiction. His medical training is in internal medicine and endocrinology, and he is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, adjunct professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Distinguished Executive Scholar at Columbia Business School, Columbia University, and Senior Scientist with The Gallup Organization.
Dr. Chopra participates annually as a lecturer at the Update in Internal Medicine sponsored by Harvard Medical School, Department of Continuing Education and the Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center since 1997. Time magazine has described Dr. Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine."