The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
Alan Watts
Sep 2011 · Sold by Vintage
4.7star
83 reviews
Ebook
176
Pages
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About this ebook
A revelatory primer on what it means to be human and a mind-opening manual of initiation into the central mystery of existence, by “perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West" (Los Angeles Times).
At the root of human conflict is our fundamental misunderstanding of who we are. The illusion that we are isolated beings, unconnected to the rest of the universe, has led us to view the “outside” world with hostility, and has fueled our misuse of technology and our violent and hostile subjugation of the natural world. To help us understand that the self is in fact the root and ground of the universe, Alan Watts provides us with a much-needed answer to the problem of personal identity, distilling and adapting the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta.
At the root of human conflict is our fundamental misunderstanding of who we are. The illusion that we are isolated beings, unconnected to the rest of the universe, has led us to view the “outside” world with hostility, and has fueled our misuse of technology and our violent and hostile subjugation of the natural world. To help us understand that the self is in fact the root and ground of the universe, Alan Watts provides us with a much-needed answer to the problem of personal identity, distilling and adapting the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta.
Ratings and reviews
4.7
83 reviews
Bre R̷o̷m̷e̷r̷o̷
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March 21, 2023
Alan Watts is a great author the way he puts things makes them easier to understand and makes me want to read more of this book and all his books. very smart man.
phasma cyril
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February 6, 2013
I honestly dont know how to describe this in dualistic language. I guess all I should say is this is one of my favorite books of all time.
1 person found this review helpful
Ben Althoff
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March 20, 2013
This is wonderful and it only gets better. Read it 5 times so far...
6 people found this review helpful
About the author
ALAN W. WATTS, who held both a master’s degree in theology and a doctorate of divinity, is best remembered as an interpreter of Zen Buddhism in particular, and of Indian and Chinese philosophy in general. Standing apart, however, from sectarian membership, he has earned the reputation of being one of the most original and “unrutted” philosophers of the twentieth century. Watts was the author of some twenty books on the philosophy and psychology of religion that have been published in many languages throughout the world, including the bestselling The Way of Zen. An avid lecturer, Watts appeared regularly on the radio and hosted the popular television series, Eastern Wisdom and Modern Life,in the 1960s. He died in 1973.
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