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Gautama Buddha

The Life and Teachings of the Awakened One

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Gautama Buddha

By: Vishvapani Blomfield
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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About this listen

While many accounts of the Buddha’s life mix legend and history, this compelling new biography discriminates between fact and fiction to reveal Gautama, the remarkable human being behind the myth, and sheds new light on his teachings.

Plunging us into the noises, smells and jostling streets of Gautama’s world, Vishvapani Blomfield brings the Buddha to life as a passionate and determined individual - a strikingly modern figure who rejected contemporary beliefs and found his own answers by mastering his mind. Even after he gained enlightenment and became the Buddha (the "Awakened One"), Gautama experienced struggles as well as triumphs as he trod India’s dusty paths.

Vishvapani shows how he sought to establish a community of practitioners amid his society’s divided culture and perilous politics and how the ideas that became the Buddhist teachings grew from Gautama’s efforts to address the needs and beliefs of his listeners. Drawing on years of meticulous research into original sources, Gautama Buddha takes us to within touching distance of one of history’s greatest figures.

©2011 Vishvapani Blomfield (P)2015 Ukemi Productions Ltd Buddhism Inspiring Physical Exercise Yoga Ancient History

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Critic reviews

"Master of clariety and simplicity, Vishvapani presents throught the life of the Buddha an understanding of Buddhism of immense relevance to the way we live now." (Dorothy Rowe)
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so much in insight and information coming out of this book, it is incredible .I loved it.

Brilliant

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Awesome book! Must read. This book provides a complete new way of looking at Buddha....not as a mystic but as a human being....one of the greatest human beings ever lived on our planet.

Awesome book! Must read (or listen to on Audible)

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I’ve read a few bookson Buddha. However this is the best of the best. Wonderfully researched and magnificently read by Jonathan Keeble, who bring the book alive with his tone and diction

Loved it

A supberbly written history of Gautama Buddha

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Over arching view of Buddhism It took several weeks but it was worth the time.

The Buddha

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I loved this. I just returned from my first ever vipassana Dhama Dipa at Hereford and was keen to know about this, pretty cool, smart, and insightful guy..what a way to get to know him through this book. Atreat (equanimous of course 😀)

Utterly sublime

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This book/audio book gives a deep insight into the life of Buddha and addresses queries some may have. A long listen - but well worth it for anyone wishing a deeper understanding

A deeper understanding

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Just what I was waiting for. This is far from the level of rigour which Christian scholarship has attained, yet it's still very good and gets the job done. Well written, interesting, and ideally suited to western readers curious about Buddha's roots, shorn of 2.5k years of religious additions. The narrator is passable but not much more. Overall, highly recommend.

Excellent

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This is a quite astonishing piece of work as regards the information it imparts and also for the fact that it reads like,a novel - it really brings Gautama and his time to life. It doesn’t make Gautama seems a figure from the dim and distant past but someone with a relevant message from not so long ago, and this audiobook explains that message with great clarity. In addition, to match this perfect depiction of Gautama, they have chosen the perfect narrator.

A fantastic achievement by the author.

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I never written a review before but this book captivated me from the start.

A wonderful story brought to life by Jonathan Keeble.

I've gained a deeper understanding of the roots of Buddhism, of peace, love and joyful wisdom.

I couldn't put it down. It was vivid and informative and pleasure to listen to all the way through.

Out of my 152 audio books this is the best one I've listened to so far.

Blessed book of peace, love, joy and wisdom.

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A great listen for anyone interested in consciousness, life and living it with awareness. Thanks for your efforts.

Brilliant book well read

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