
Gautama Buddha
The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Keeble
About this listen
While many accounts of the Buddha’s life mix legend and history, this compelling new biography discriminates between fact and fiction to reveal Gautama, the remarkable human being behind the myth, and sheds new light on his teachings.
Plunging us into the noises, smells and jostling streets of Gautama’s world, Vishvapani Blomfield brings the Buddha to life as a passionate and determined individual - a strikingly modern figure who rejected contemporary beliefs and found his own answers by mastering his mind. Even after he gained enlightenment and became the Buddha (the "Awakened One"), Gautama experienced struggles as well as triumphs as he trod India’s dusty paths.
Vishvapani shows how he sought to establish a community of practitioners amid his society’s divided culture and perilous politics and how the ideas that became the Buddhist teachings grew from Gautama’s efforts to address the needs and beliefs of his listeners. Drawing on years of meticulous research into original sources, Gautama Buddha takes us to within touching distance of one of history’s greatest figures.
©2011 Vishvapani Blomfield (P)2015 Ukemi Productions LtdListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
Great book about the Buddha
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a background look in to buddha
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INFORMATIVE
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Thorough and inspiring
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Would highly suggest keeping a map of North India handy and trace the journeys of the Buddha though various cities of North India.
Brilliant book and excellent narration!
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No matter what tradition you prefer, Blomfield has done his research! Blomfield brings together separate versions of Buddha's life, and gives his take on what is likely to be true. Buddha has to be one of the most consistent characters in history, especially for the age he lived in. Like Socrates (during Buddha's lifetime), and Jesus about 500 years after his life, Buddha didn't write anything down, but his followers did an astounding job on recording his teachings. That, combined with other historical documents and events recorded all over Asia, Blomfield presents a very robust account of Buddha's life.
Jonathan Keeble is my favorite narrator of all time; I actually found this book by looking up Keeble because I enjoy him so much. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Keeble narrated a book like this. He usually does novels, and books about Western philosophies and religions. This is a rare match made in heaven for me!
Objective account of the historical Buddha
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