Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment

Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84  ·  rating details  ·  4,063 ratings  ·  456 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 an...more
Paperback, 279 pages
Published February 26th 2008 by HarperOne (first published January 1st 2007)
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Harun Harahap
Namaste *Aku menyapa apa yang suci dalam dirimu*

Berikut ajaran Buddha yang terdapat dalam bab Epilog:
Kebenaran Mulia Pertama : Kehidupan mengandung penderitaan
Kebenaran Mulia Kedua : Penderitaan memiliki sebab, dan sebabnya dapat diketahui.
Kebenaran Mulia Ketiga : Penderitaan dapat diakhiri.
Kebenaran Mulia Keempat : Jalan untuk mengakhiri penderitaan ada delapan ruas.

Lalu apakah delapan ruas tersebut?
Pandangan Benar, Pikiran Benar, Perkataan Benar, Perbuatan benar, Mata Pencaharian Benar, Daya U...more
Shawn Sorensen
A fascinating, readable fictionalized account of Buddha's life, conveniently broken into three sections: prince, monk, Buddha. We learn that Buddha's mission was to conquer fear and desire and live in total freedom - and that this was his calling from an early age. We learn that he gave up the life of prince and husband and father to live alone in the mountains - and survived an encounter with an enraged serial killer in the woods by simply walking away. We learn that Buddha avoided thinking in...more
Theresia
First thing first, I honestly have no idea of what to call this book with.

I broke the spin of my copy, fyi, for I read and reread it. I was moved, I admit, as much as I was shaken by the message.

In the first part, Chopraji managed to sow the story of feral, raw, ancient India so well, so unbelievably human, Siddhartha included. It wasn't difficult to, say, picture the characters. Unfortunately, it degrades in the second part, "Gautama the Monk." Chopraji said in his foreword that Buddha is as hu...more
htanzil
Siddharta Gautama adalah salah seorang tokoh sejarah yang juga dikenal sebagai pendiri salah satu agama tertua yang masih dianut di dunia hingga kini. Melalui dirinya yang telah mengalami pencerahan sejati, ia mengajar dan melahirkan sebuah keyakinan yang kini disebut agama Buddha.

Bagi para penganutnya riwayat hidup pangeran Siddharta yang kemudian menjadi Sang Buddha tentu sudah hafal diluar kepala. Namun bagi sebagian lainnya mungkin hanya mereka ketahui secara singkat lewat pelajaran agama di...more
Roos
Dah lama selesai nih buku...

Mengutip kata-kata Deepak Chopra...bahwa kehidupan Buddha itu adalah D.R.A.M.A yaitu Distraction, Regression, Adjusment, Maturity and Action , setuju gak yah?
Dalam buku ini memang Deepak lebih dalam mengungkapkan apa yang terjadi terhadap Sidharta...perang batinnya menghadapi Devadatta, Ayahnya, orang-orang yang mempunyai expectasi lebih terhadapnya, Setan Mara bahkan perang melawan dirinya sendiri...Awal hidup sebagai pangeran, lalu hidup sebagai petapa, pengembara...more
Aditya
One major reason I liked this book is because it takes a 'what-if' approach to the story of Gautam Buddha and presents an alternative explanation of events. I also liked the last part where the author discusses the teachings of Buddha in a Q&A section. I think this should have been put in the narrative itself coming directly from Buddha. That said, there were some of the teachings in his conversations with his new disciples. The writing/language was pretty ordinary, compared to books like Si...more
Paul Wilder
Jul 02, 2007 Paul Wilder rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: Those interested in spirituality in general
This was a very entertaining and inspiring fictional account of the life of the Buddha. Most of the characters and events of the novel are from the passed down story of Buddha, but it is the depiction of his inner experience that is imagined. The scope of the novel is wonderful in that it starts with his life as Prince Siddartha, moves next into his years as Gautama the monk, then to his enlightenment and subsequent transformation into the Buddha. He was truly an Everyman, and his story demonstr...more
Roniq
Apr 08, 2008 Roniq rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone interested in Spirituality, Buddhism,Adventure and or Fantasy
This book was wonderful!! A tale of Buddha as imagined by Deepak Chopra. We learn of Siddartha's birth, His relationship to all those around him and about his life protected from the world behind walls of the kingdom while trying to find his own true path. A tale full of war, love, Jealousy, death, passion and following ones true Soul calling. This book is a great descriptive read full of fantasy, adventure and spirituality. Included are Buddha's life after enlightenment and a breakdown of the e...more
Ita
Kerajaan Sakya, 563 SM. Istana Kapilavastu, Nepal.

Siddharta, yang dalam bahasa Sansekerta berarti dia yang tercapai segala cita-citanya, dilahirkan secara darurat di Hutan Lumbini yang dingin dan sunyi. Waktu itu musim gugur. Ayahnya, Raja Suddhodana sedang sibuk perang. Ia adalah raja ambisius yang berperang bagaikan dewa. Ibunya, Ratu Maya Devi, ratu yang lembut hati dan diberkati dewa-dewa, meninggal seminggu setelah melahirkan.

Di tengah kedukaan dan kemarahan karena ditinggal istri yang di...more
Uma
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Jason
Having been interested in Buddhism and Buddhist principles for many years, I was excited to read this fictionalized account of Siddhartha's life. I got the audio version of the book for my commute, which is read by Chopra himself. Unfortunately, I found myself really struggling to get in to the story. Chopra has a heavy accent which seemed pretty distracting from the storyline because I often wasn't able to understand something he'd just said. The first half of the story seemed a bit slow, which...more
Denniger Bolton
I've read quite a few of Deepak's books, he's written over 50 of them, and this one has become my favorite. In all the books I've read, all non-fiction works, Deepak Chopra, our personal liaison to the East, gives us much content, and although his books are sprinkled with his own personal stories, I've never thought other than, well this is the truth. This is the way it is. But in this fiction book, I find myself looking at how it is written, and how the man crafts the story. Being a fiction wri...more
Brendan
As the author points out in the preface, the story of the Buddha is a story that is naturally shrouded in mystery. Over the past 2000 years, people have added to the story, embellished, and recounted the life of the Buddha in various ways. Mr. Chopra is no different. In this book, he takes these same liberties in creating his own version of the story of the Buddha. In his words, he takes the opportunity to "fictionalize" but tries to keep the book "psychologically true." In doing so, he takes th...more
Ashley Lynn
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Library Staff
Buddha portrays the life of Indian Prince, Siddhartha, and his epic journey to becoming the enlightened one, the Buddha. Although Deepak Chopra is known for his non-fiction self-help books, here he tells us a beautiful and inspiring fictional story. It begins with a sheltered Prince whose first glimpse of the suffering in the outside world leads him to abandon his inheritance, wife, and child to follow a spiritual path. He becomes a wandering monk putting his mind and body to every spiritual tes...more
Rachel Bird
When I saw this at a bookstore I felt joy wash over me. I had to get it even if I had already read Siddhartha and felt the territory had been covered. I'd never read a book by Chopra and really wanted to give it a shot.

I just finished it this morning and am reeling from it. I was disappointed a lot of the way through because I felt that Guatama's (Buddha name as a prince) coming-of-age story was largely irrelevant. What I really wanted to know were the details of how he became enlightened. There...more
Eddy Allen
Bestselling author Deepak Chopra brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping novel of 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 by those closest to him, Siddhartha abandons his palace and princely title. Alone and face-to-f...more
Susan
I didn't realize when I picked this up that it was intentionally fictionalized. I have nothing against historical fiction, but this just wasn't what I was really looking for at the moment.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy reading it. I wondered, as with all historical fiction when I don't know the history, just how much is generally believed to be true and how much is the author's invention. I thought the description of what happened in Siddhartha/Gautama/Buddha's life and the interactions among the cha...more
Natali
This book is a great personification of a historical figure. I really enjoyed reading it and can see myself referring to it again in my lifetime.

Following the story, Chopra offers a synthesis of the Buddhist doctrines that he hopes you will learn from the novel. This explanation leaves a little to be desired but I think his intention is that the reader use the story as a springboard to deeper exploration of Buddhism.
Ann
The life of the Buddha is far too long & complicated to put down easily in such a small volume but overall good starts for those who want to read & learn how Buddhism come about. It is light and easy to read. Since this partly fictionalized version, the historical backgrounds have to be taken as just that while the fictional part lacks interesting quality in my opinion. Buddha's life can be concluded in three phases: the Prince, the Monk, and the Enlightened Buddha. I like the way Deepak...more
Sher
Book 53 2012 Reading Challenge-- This retelling of the Buddha's life was okay. Like, Siddhartha written by Hesse , this text also has Hindu elements. I began by listening to this book on tape, but I wasn't able to enjoy Depak Chopra's narration. I found the heavy accent and emotional emphasis added to certain words and phrases --distracting. Normally I can tolerate any narrator, but not this time. So, I switched and read the book in print. I found the story has a quite a bite to it and a variety...more
Frankie
This book was a lot different than I thought it was going to be. It's separated into three parts, his early life as a prince, his life as a wondering monk, and finally his life as a Buddha. It was hard to tell what parts of this book were actually historical fact, and which were allegories of his life made to represent different parts of him. In the epilogue Chopra says that that the characters were real (like his cousin, who I didn't know existed before this book) but it doesn't say whether the...more
Melanie
I really enjoyed this story and thought it was very well written. However, I didn't like the violence in the story and was especially sad for the female characters who always ended up with the worst story and the worst fate. They either died, or were raped and died, or had to live in suffering.

I'm not sure I fully understood Buddha's path to enlightenment, it was difficult to get the meaning of his journey in it's entirety, but I did like the descriptions and the sensations of his soul travellin...more
Angie
For you interested in spirituality and/or Buddhism:

Deepak Chopra’s version of Buddha’s story is wonderful; the Indian accent reading it to me also made me smile. I don’t think this book would be my first choice for an introduction to the story of Buddha, but I do think it would be my 2nd. Ha, ha. No really. It is like many of the stories I’ve heard before but also extremely different. He goes into great depth with the story so the book is not full of Buddhism but story of the prince. The end is...more
Sara Montgomery
Well, it's fiction, so that's disappointing. I must say, I have a much darker view of Buddha after reading this and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth for Chopra. I know Chopra is supposed to be a great spiritual teacher but I think he did a poor job of carrying the story and his journey to enlightenment in an understandable and valuable way. He made the error of assuming the reader had his knowledge of the subject and didn't take the lead to unfolding Buddha's enlightenment. More of a bystande...more
John Herceg
Deepak Chopra tells the story of Prince Siddhartha, later known as Buddha, in the illuminating style the author has become known for. Chopra uses language as soft as the tale he tells, creating a smooth and transcending tone. A practicing Buddhist himself, Chopra's insight is evident in the quality of this book, and the reader will be able to see how important getting the Buddha's story right was to the author. As an aspiring writer, I am always told to write what I know, and while reading this...more
Melanie Nilles
The opening section was interesting and kept me reading wanting to know more about the special boy. It read like a fantasy, which is the genre I usually read, which was a pleasant surprise. But then I reached the end and one of the plot lines just stopped before I expected it to be resolved and that killed a lot of my enthusiasm. In the beginning of the second part, where Siddhartha is older and known as Gautama the monk, a summary of events is given. It's a disappointment since the least the au...more
Christy
Dec 01, 2008 Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition Recommends it for: spiritual people, Buddhists
Recommended to Christy by: found while searching for books on meditation
While this book is technically fiction, it is a great account of how Prince Siddhartha became the Buddha that we all know...or wish to have known. I chose this particular book because of Chopra's vast experience in spirituality and philosophy. I trusted that his book would be based on the real foundations of Buddhism, not just an exaggerated tale created for the sole purpose in keeping me entertained.

It is broken up into the three main parts of his life: 1) Prince, 2) Monk and 3) Buddha. At the...more
Lucy Elliott
In the book Buddha by Deepak Chopra, Buddha startsout as the young prince Siddhartha. From an early age he is kept from the outside world by his father because of a prophecy made when he was born. It prophicised that Siddhartha had two destinies to choose from one resulting in self mastery and the other in leading the new golden age of India. In an effort to choose his destiny for him Siddhartha's father never let him off the grounds of the palace. However his true destiny is soon proven to str...more
Richard
This is the first time I have read a book by Deepak Chopra so I thought it was appropriate to get right to the source and read something he wrote about one of the foremost leaders of Buddhism. I was surprised about the very cinematic nature of the story. It had a great balance of drama and action with spiritual elements weaved quite nicely throughout. Of course, I was very excited to get the part of the enlightenment and it didn't disappoint. The only reason I gave this story four stars was beca...more
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Buddha 1 48 Oct 11, 2008 08:33am  
Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment (Hardcover)
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Dr. Deepak Chopra is the founder of The Chopra Center for well-being in Carlsbad, California, and New York City, and cofounder and president of the Alliance for a New Humanity. Chopra’s Wellness Radio airs weekly on Sirius/XM Stars, Channels 102 and 55, and focuses on the areas of success, love, sexuality and relationships, well-being, and spirituality. The June 1999 issue of Time magazine heralde...more
More about Deepak Chopra...
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams Ageless Body, Timeless Mind: The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life Quantum Healing: Exploring the Frontiers of Mind Body Medicine The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence

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“There is no holy life. There is no war between good and evil. There is no sin and no redemption. None of these things matter to the real you. But they all matter hugely to the false you, the one who believes in the separate self. You have tried to take your separate self, with all its loneliness and anxiety and pride, to the door of enlightenment. But it will never go through, because it is a ghost.” 64 people liked it
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