Reviews

The Buddha in Me, The Buddha in You: A Handbook for Happiness by David Hare

emkoshka's review

3.0

I'm glad I encountered Zen Buddhism before Nichiren Buddhism, as the latter school really doesn't work for me, although I did try chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo a few times while walking. This book represents the fusion, for better or worse, of a style of Buddhism focused on striving for happiness with the wanky New Age corporate self-development positivity movement. And so it features such cringeworthy concepts as the 'karmic pack of cards' and the 'destiny DVD'. Every time I read 'SGI' (the acronym for the organisation), my mind went straight to Stargate SG-1 and so I could never take the author or his D-grade Hollywood celebrity Nichiren friends seriously. Even though this form of Buddhism originated in Japan, I feel like it's a very Americanised philosophy, concentrating on aspiration and achievement, whereas my interest in Buddhism centres on relieving suffering and transcending the self. I won't be reading more about Nichiren.