Infinite Life

Awakening to Bliss Within

By: Robert Thurman, His Holiness The Dalai Lama - foreword

Narrated by: Robert Thurman

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

One of is America's most popular and charismatic Buddhists writes about taking responsibility for our own happiness and our actions.

Infinite Life demonstrates that our every action has infinite consequences for ourselves and others, here and now, and after we are gone. Thurman introduces the seven Transcendent Virtues to reconstructing body and mind carefully in order to reduce the negative consequences and cultivate the positive. In his powerful, pragmatic style, Thurman delivers life-changing lessons on the virtues and emotions. He invites us to take responsibility for our actions and their consequences while we revel in the knowledge that our lives are truly infinite.

Infinite Life is the ultimate guidebook to understanding our place in the universe and realizing how we can personally succeed while helping others.

Finalist for the 2014 Books for a Better Life Award in Spirituality.

©2019 Robert Thurman (P)2019 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

just like my prebirth memory.

it was all very familiar since I was born with this experience. To me this is extraordinary that these teachings really exist. the JFK assasination shocked me into forgetting at 13 months old and I didn't find buddhism till much later.

Very enlightening

I am moved by this book. Grateful to have found it. I will listen to this book many more times I’m sure I missed many good points and this book is so helpful for a positive journey. I highly recommend.

A very comprehensible way of explaining the nature of existence

Say you what you want (“Tolle is a meme now!”), but for those who have spent years striving to cultivate a peaceful mind and to understand the nature of universe and the being, Tolle is the real deal!

He puts the nature of being into words I think most westerners can understand, and he doesn’t just lean on New Agey or eastern thought, he really couches much of what he says in biblical terms, specifically Jesus’ words. I like this because most of my friends and family are Christian and I feel this book and Tolle’s specific ways of explaining things can help me help others make key connections that may improve their lives and understand of themselves and the meaning of life and the way to escape suffering.

This book is a absolutely worth listening to at least once!

Great book

I am happy to listen this book. In great way of understanding and taking this book help to open our reality. Thank you!

If you’re ready for it…

Then this will be one of the most profound books you’ve ever read. If not, that’s ok too.

The one book I’d take to the proverbial island

I’m a glutton for books, particularly wisdom tradition books around practical compassion, consciousness, and spirituality from all traditions, cultures and religions. I am so grateful that I came across this magnum opus from Dr. Thurman, and can never adequately express my thanks. I cannot overstate the importance of this work in my life, and admire so deeply its concise, intelligent, self verifiable, line upon line method of teaching that leads one from the mundane terminal life and limited, conditioned thought to the infinite life some part of us all knows is possible. If you ever read a Buddhist book, if you ever read a spiritual book, if you ever read a book—read this book. It is that guide to being human that everyone says does not exist. Here it is. Enjoy your infinite life, my friends!

Changed my life

I’ve been studying Buddhism for quite some time and this book answered the remaining questions I have had on my quest. I’ve always felt the suffering of the world deeply and have felt powerless and depressed. This book gave me confidence and I no longer feel overwhelmed by my bodhisattva duties. I will continue to do the meditations and reread parts of this book when I need to be inspired. I now can see my role in the “infinite life” perspective and I’m able to focus and do what I can do in the now. I had almost given up and have lived for years in dark depression and hopelessness. This book changed my life. I feel “awakened” and feel a deep security and happiness. I look forward to growing on my bodhisattva path. Thank you Dr. Thurman.

Another great addition to the mindfulness training collection

Love the affirmations and all the information and examples in this book. It has helped me further my goals into the understanding of myself and how I interact with others for a more positive relationship

good stuff

this book kicks ass "Consciousness is always preceeded by another consciousness and always gives rise to further consciousness" dalai lama 14th Buddha!!!

Great book! Passionate voice

Thurman delivers a passionate reading of his own book. His passion for the topic makes him much more interesting to listen to than many other audio books I’ve listened to.

Great explanation of karma, rebirth, the ‘infinite life’, and the Bodhisattva vow. He argues why people should live as if every act they make will have infinite effects and how believing this reorients ones motives, being, and behavior. He offers practices from Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana within the book. There’s some info on the Bardo’s and the 6 realms as well.

Overall it is great.

My only complaint is that I think he misrepresented a western philosophical argument known as “Pascal’s wager”. 1. He uses the argument as a reason to act as if Buddhist rebirth is true when the argument is for believing in a Christian afterlife. 2. There are many strong refutations of Pascal’s wager in western philosophy and those are never considered here.

There are other reasons to believe in rebirth that he argues, or at least to be suspicious of substance materialism. And one can wonder what consciousness is at all. I think Alan Wallace does a great job exploring that in other books.

I personally believe for people deeply entrenched in the western mindset only an experience that your rational mind cannot discount and not account for within its previous paradigm can shake a person out of their worldview. It took several of those for me to change. But the intellectual mind might at least be able to think about why someone might believe these things.

Overall I loved this book. Thurman is entertaining as hell. The practices are unique and good. And I learned a lot about karma and rebirth! And I feel I understood the Bodhisattva Vow in a new way.

Anyway, back to life under the coronavirus epidemic. I hope all of you live through this and that your loved ones are well. May those who don’t make it have the best rebirth possible and become enlightened as quickly as possible.