Buddha

A Story of Enlightenment

By: Deepak Chopra

Narrated by: Deepak Chopra

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

"The Buddha 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."

Best-selling author Deepak Chopra brings the Buddha back to life in this gripping account 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. Finally alone and 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 force, 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 entertains and inspires - ultimately leading us closer to understanding the true nature of life and ourselves.

©2007 Deepak Chopra (P)2007 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"The narrative moves forward simply and inexorably. Especially imaginative and intriguing is the low-key nature of the Buddha's enlightenment experience....An epilogue and concluding "practical guide" offer nonfiction commentary and teaching on core Buddhist principles. ( Publishers Weekly)
"The audio version of this text may very well trump the written one because of Chopras deft character performance, authentic Indian pronunciation, and familiarity with the story of a fellow Indian who came to be known as the Buddha." ( AudioFile)

Meh

Deepak isn't the best narrator. I could have done without listening to his voice. Sorry.

My Personal Favorite Book

This book is very detailed and easy to read (and listen) to. A great book to learn an into to the life of Buddha

Thought-provoking, great listen

Excellent historic fiction. Great listen, well done performance.

Awesome Account!

If you could sum up Buddha in three words, what would they be?

Insightful, Inspiring, Moving

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Buddha for his calm, understanding and human aspect.

Which character – as performed by Deepak Chopra – was your favorite?

The Buddha-- I loved the softness in his voice.

Excellent introduction to Buddhism

The book was written in a simple and easy to understand way. Ideal for somebody who is looking for an introduction to buddhism.

Loved It As A Work Of FICTION - Not Historical

I found this to be a fantastic fictional work. While the author took liberties with some of the original stories about Siddhartha (think T.H. White's The Once and Future King), he does get a decent general faux-biography going. Chopra's personal ideas get put in characters' mouths and in the discussion of the concepts at the end, but those with knowledge of Buddhism and Siddhartha beyond pop-culture stories like these will be able to spot the inserts and appreciate the story anyway. Chopra does a decent job at narration here (better than his other attempts anyway) and his voice kind of fits his story. I listened to this entire audiobook on a trip and am waiting for the opportunity to listen again once I've explored more of my library.

Basically, it comes to this: If you're looking for a book on historical Buddhism or the real Siddhartha, then look elsewhere. If you have already read some of that material and are just looking for a good story, then this is perfect.

Eye opener

As someone always interested in buddism and never really knowing where to start this was a great listen. It's opened my eyes and made me hunger for more.

informative and interesting telling

I would have liked more breakdown of why we think these particular stories are true.

A lot of unnecessary fiction, and hard to understand at times!

I listened to it all the way even though it was hard at times to keep listening to unnecessary fiction the author has added. The book would have been much better if it was read by someone who is easier to understand. The story was mainly about the Buddha’s childhood and before he became a Buddha which was not what I expected... it would have been better to name it Siddhārtha Gautama, and not Buddha!

Couldn't Stop Listening

Excellent book. Spent my lunches in the car listening! Deepak does it again.