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| Back to the Truth: 5000 years of Advaita | 
 enlarge | Author: Dennis Waite
Publisher: O Books
Category: Book
List Price: $49.95 (117.59 RON)
Buy New: $32.97 (77.61 RON)
You Save: $16.98 (39.97 RON) (34%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 266316
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 600
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.9
ISBN: 1905047614
Dewey Decimal Number: 181.482
EAN: 9781905047611
ASIN: 1905047614
Publication Date: February 25, 2007
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 12 | | NEXT » |
Back to the Truth September 9, 2008
This excellent book is a complete exposition in very clear language of all aspects of Advaita Vedanta, attested by its more than 600 pages plus six very helpful Appendices, a full Bibliography and a Glossary of Sanscrit terms. One cannot ask for more! The arrangement of the eight chapters is superb, not to mention the fair and balanced treatment of all subjects, which is done with much competence and flair. It is obvious that the author is not only extremely well read in both classical and new forms of Vedanta, but is also well experienced in communicating the knowledge that he has assimilated. All of this is in contrast with the inherent difficulty of the subject matter, which becomes transparent, if one may say so, to the intermediate or advanced reader. A feature which attracted me is the wealth of long quotations - many of them about half a page long - from a great variety of authors, many of them quite recent. I am sure this will also attract many prospective readers. I highly recommend this excellent book for those interested in Advaita Vedanta.
Alberto Martin.
A Comprehensive Overview of Advaita July 28, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is my first book review, but when I received my copy of Back to the Truth I felt a sense of wonderment at how much had been covered and the extensive quotes which enrich the content. I rarely recommend books to others, but I have recommended this one often and given it as a gift to my very first teacher. It is an invaluable resource which you would want own if you are interested in Advaita and nonduality.
A Masterful Guide to Advaita March 2, 2008
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
A profoundly astute and masterful guide to the field of Self-discovery. An authoritative scholar, Dennis writes with supreme clarity as he skillfully expounds, logically analyzes and insightfully integrates the wisdom of classical and contemporary teachers with the principles of Advaita.
- Katie Davis, Awake Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment
A Landmark Achievement September 23, 2007
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
What can I possibly say, that hasn't already been said, and said with better style, by all the wonderful reviews of this Landmark book?
It's an incredible, awe inspiring work. Dennis Waite is truly a gift to the World. His web-site, Advaita.org.uk, has been my lifeline since I discovered it.
It is an bottomless source of Wisdom, knowledge and resources, and a truly enormous amount of work goes into maintaining it--to do this, write books, especially a Masterwork like "Back To the Truth", while still responding to emails with hapless questions from, I'm sure, many `miserable seekers' like myself, in his quiet, totally accessible way, in incomprehensible to me.
The style of Back To The Truth--his ability to draw from so many varied sources, from the most traditional of ancient Vedic Scriptures, to the most current (so called) `neo' Advaitin writings, What a skill! Then factor in his knowledge of Sanskrit.
The appendixes are nearly overwhelming--offering more resources and reviews, plus a glossary of Sanskrit terms. OK. I'm done; this review could go on and on...but I must end it.
I have to say this, however, before I do. To me, it is not the many quotes, and words of wisdom, past and current, that make this book so powerful, but Dennis's own words...his writing has a simplicity and clarity that is deceptive; like the gentle surface of a lake, there is great depth there.
Don't be put off by the size or the scholarship of this book. The best thing about Dennis, his web-site, and his writing, is his generosity and his Integrity. It shines through everything he touches.
A Balanced Approach August 13, 2007
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
This book, while almost encyclopedic in its coverage, is still very readable, especially for the person who has at least some background in non-dual thought. As I read it, I bit off a good chunk at a sitting and found I could chew it for a long time.
I especially appreciated the author's fair approach to the various ways of understanding Advaita, which like so many other spiritual viewpoints is like the proverbial blind men trying to describe an elephant by touching it's various body parts.
There are many references in the comprehensive appendices that are truly useful for the person who wants to do more study.
At first I was a bit turned off by the author's use of the Sanskrit transliteration method known as ITRANS, designed to help properly pronounce Sanskrit words, which usually come into play whenever the historical aspects of non-dualism are discussed. However, he includes a helpful explanation of how to use this technique in an appendix, if you're interested.
Most of the historical references are from Indian sources with very little acknowledgment of the Chinese (Ch'an) and Japanese (Zen) contributions to non-dual expressions. However, if these had been included it would have required multiple volumes.
This is the best and most readable book I've seen covering the full range of thought on this topic from many different perspectives, filled with quotations from a wide variety of writers, both ancient and contemporary.
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