The Buddha Is Still Teaching: Contemporary Buddhist Wisdom

by Jack Kornfield

When the Buddha set in motion the wheel of Dharma, he knew that the teaching he gave was inexhaustible—that every future generation would find its own skillful ways to convey it to the hearts and minds of those ready to hear. The Buddha Is Still Teaching is testimony to the fulfillment of that promise today. The selections it contains, from today’s most highly regarded contemporary Buddhist teachers, bring the Dharma eloquently to life for us in our own time, place, and culture. They demonstrate that two and a half millennia have done nothing to diminish the freshness of the Buddhist teachings, or their universal applicability to our lives.

Contributors Ajahn Chah, Joko Beck, Sylvia Boorstein, Tara Brach, Pema Chödrön, the Dalai Lama, Ram Dass, Mark Epstein, Norman Fischer, Natalie Goldberg, Joseph Goldstein, Dilgo Khyentse, Jack Kornfield, Noah Levine, Stephen Levine, Sakyong Mipham, Sharon Salzberg, Suzuki Roshi, Robert Thurman, Thich Nhat Hanh, and Tulku Thondup.


To learn more about the author, visit his website at  .

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Audiobook, Meditation, Religion, Nonfiction, Philosophy

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 5, 2010

About the author

Jack Kornfield trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma. He has taught meditation internationally since 1974 and is one of the key teachers to introduce Buddhist mindfulness practice to the West. He began his training after graduating from Dartmouth College in Asian Studies in 1967. Then he joined the Peace Corps and was assigned to the Public Health Service in northeast Thailand, which is home to several of the world’s oldest Buddhist forest monasteries. He met and studied under the Buddhist master Ven. Ajahn Chah, as well as the Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. After returning to the United States, Jack co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with fellow meditation teachers Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein. He is also a founding teacher of the Spirit Rock Center in Woodacre, California, where he currently lives and teaches. Over the years, Jack has taught in centers and universities worldwide, led International Buddhist Teacher meetings with the Dalai Lama and worked with many of the great teachers of our time. He holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is a husband, father and an activist.

His books have been translated into 20 languages and sold more than a million copies. They include, A Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology, A Path with Heart; After the Ecstasy, the Laundry; Teachings of the Buddha; Seeking the Heart of Wisdom; Living Dharma; A Still Forest Pool; Stories of the Spirit, Stories of the Heart; Buddha’s Little Instruction Book; The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness and Peace, Bringing Home the Dharma: Awakening Right Where You Are, and his most recent book, No Time Like the Present: Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy Right Where You Are.

Reviews

[Steve Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

A daily reading has become an essential part of my practice and my life. This collection by Jack Kornfield has provided a trove of short readings that I use daily to remind me of the quality, the timbre I should seek to create for my life as I live it. These diamonds of the spirit inspire, uplift and support. They are balm on the bad days and fuel for my determination to persist...on the good days they send my mind and spirit soaring in the realization that I am not alone and never have been, that compassion and generosity, wisdom, brilliance and love are on offer from the words it contains; thoughts of my fellow human beings who have walked the same path in the past, and who walk the same path still. I am grateful to this man dedicated to our release from suffering for his intention and his effort.

[Katie Woodwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! I loved this from start to end. It is full of eye opening quotes that are so true. I definitely will be listening to this book again. Thank you.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a lot of real gems in here. It was worth the listen. However, it is a bit like being read one of those tiny novelty gift books you buy near the cash register in a book store with quotes or whatever in it. Because it is short passages curated from a number of sources, it is rather disjointed. Probably better as a coffee table book than an audio book. But it did give me some good fodder for my reading list.

This audiobook reader is not my favourite - very wooden - but seems to do a lot of the Sounds True productions, unfortunately.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice vibes to listen to on the commute

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific collection of quotes, thoughts, parables, koans, and lessons from a variety of Buddhist teachers: The XIV Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron, Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Tara Brach, Noah Levine, and other notable teachers and practitioners.

Perfect for on-the-go or daily contemplation. Each passage is only a few lines, a page at the most, so it makes for a great morning or evening bedside or meditation cushion companion.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book during one of my darkest hours, and it helped me bring myself back to the light. The passages are potent, thoughtful, profound, and exactly what I needed to help me put things back in perspective. This is the kind of book I will go back to be again and again, just flipping through the various selections. Wonderfully done.

[Clifford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The contents, of course, are five star. I think the book could use a little context, though. It's organized into 4 sections (Wise Understanding; Compassion and Courage; Freedom; Enlightenment and the Bodhisattva Path), but to be useful to a casual reader I think each of the sections could have used an introduction to the topic.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

In defense of this book, I think it would work well as a physical book, where you could read a short reflection each day, but as an audiobook the structure didn't quite work for me. Hearing quote after quote, with no apparent unifying theme between each section, made it difficult to really solidify any teaching.

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent compilation of Buddhist wisdom from luminaries such as The Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Jack Kornfield, and many more. These kinds of writings are becoming increasingly necessary in today's rushed, non-mindful society.

[Vibhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

i started this book without any expectations- it was my third title by Krofield - a superb collection that is meant to be referenced from time to time

[Wit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great 'sampler' of some of the best authors, teachers and practitioners in Buddhism. Each sample is one to two page 'snippets' of their own writings on display for you to peruse at your leisure. Great for subway or bus reading when you don't have a lot of time to get too engrossed in a read. It's a great way to get acquainted with some teachers and other writings that you might never come across otherwise. This is also the type of book you don't have to read linearly so you can hop and skip around as much as you like discovering gems of Buddhist wisdom - another plus!

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an awesome collection of anecdotes from many Buddhists authors. Each excerpt is just short enough, yet rich enough to capture the essence of the larger book it was drawn from. This book took many weeks for me to read simply because after each page, I needed to ponder and really consider the wisdom in each message. I still refer to this often for inspiration and for my mental list of books that I'd like to read in their entirety someday.

[Jennifer Campaniolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good primer for people looking for new Buddhist authors to read.

[Roben · Rating 5 out of 5]

As another reviewer said, I marked this book as read, but will keep close for regular reconsideration. Short and dear entries from the great practitioners...a great help.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was hooked on every word of these teachings and it will be one I read and reread for some years to come every year without fail.

5 stars!

[Sumaya alqadhy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have very limited knowledge of Buddhism but I've been curious to learn more. I stumbled upon this book by accident and I'm so glad I did. It is a collection of various text on Buddhism and covers a fairly wide variety of writers and sects.

This was a great introductory book for me and I learned a lot about Buddhism through it. I especially enjoyed reading the selections from Zen pieces. In a way, this was very much a self-help book for me as well. I learned a lot about letting go of the ego, not clinging to things, and the concept of reaching enlightenment.

Since this is a collection, I now have a starting point for what to read next based on the writings and the authors that stood out to me. If you don't know much about Buddhism, like myself, but are curious to learn, I strongly recommend this book.

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one, but buyer beware: this is a compilation of many great writers and scholars on the topic of Buddhism.
I listened on audio and found myself often time scrambling for a pen in the car to write down which author or book a certain pearl cake from 😬 I think this book is an excellent repository for Buddhist knowledge in “fun size” bites.

[John Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little book with short writings from multiple people complied in short sections on topics. And example;
“Relax, just relax. Be nice to each other. As you go through your life simply be kind to people. Try to help them rather than hurt them. Try to get along with them rather than fall out with them.

[Gary Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful collection of writings from Buddhist scholars and authors. I probably consumed this book wrong on Audible as it's more of a one liner and contemplate book than just leave it playing in the background. I will come back the the audio book, particularly the last hour, but think this book would be better in physical copy for light reading and contemplating.

[Kelly Kerns · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well curated selection of Buddhist sentiment collected from important contemporary thinkers, including the author himself. Not a lazy compilation of quotes, but a thoughtful collection of poignant, compelling and relevent philosophly.

This compendium offers the reader a great source of further discovery while giving a broad and relevant overview of the core Buddhist teachings.

[Danica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I listened to the audiobook.

Absolutely wonderful book for modern-day application of Buddhist principles in the Western world. It includes excerpts from a wide range of books written over many decades, but whose ideas still have direct application in our everyday lives.

Jack Kornfield is an incredible author himself, but is also the perfect gentle narrator for this content.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me exactly what I was looking for - a wealth of resources (via authors and literature) to pursue further regarding current teachings today. This book also has a side message - that the teachings of the Buddha are not only relevant today, but I would argue even more valuable and needed.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

At some point I will read this book and then will probably like it more. I listened to it thinking I would hear Jack'e voice but it is another reader and he sounded waaaay too dramatic to me. Couldn't stand that voice!

[Michelle Jerome · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Sigh) it feels so good to read this

This was a fun collection of wisdom. Definitely kept my attention because each passage was brief. Some stories I liked better than others. But they all held meaning.

[Alex Pogue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of writings from various authors.. A little all over the place, but 5 stars because the incredibly insightful excerpts brought new interest my meditation practice. Get your highlighter ready and jump in!

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the format of this book, not to mention the messages

Little snippets were great for picking up when I needed them. So much wisdom. So much to unpack. So much to take with you when you walk through life

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should have been marketed as a book of quotes, but wasn’t, so it was misleading. This book was a smattering of paragraphs from books I’ve mostly already read, which seemed a bit of a waste of time. If it had included some teachings from the author, I would have enjoyed it more.

[Phuoc Truong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sách trích đoạn những bài viết của nhiều tác giả, phần lớn là ở phương Tây giảng dạy phật giáo. Nói chung là không hay lắm.

[Chandrakant Balikai · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has quotes from Buddhist teachers Dalai lama, Ram das, Thich Nath Hanh and from zen mind beginners Mind, and many more, overall this book is best.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read- insightful and well done. The person reading I could listen to for hours