12 Steps on the Buddha's Path is the extraordinary spiritual journey of a woman once trapped in the downward spiral of alcoholism. Misdiagnosed, Laura Keene was put in a mental hospital and given more than 40 electroshock treatments. Left incapable by the treatments of even speaking a coherent sentence, Keene was released against medical advice and ended up in the back row of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting where she embraced the 12 Step program and gradually recovered. Yet the black hole inside her remained, until, on a trek in the Himalayas, Keene discovered Buddhism and began a new path on the road to recovery. With humor and grace, this brilliant author shows that the experience, strength, and hope of Alcoholics Anonymous meld seamlessly with Buddha's teachings of wisdom and compassion.
12 Steps on Buddha's Path : Bill, Buddha, and We, A Spiritual Journey of Recovery , Laura S., Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 2006, 183 Pages, $18.95
Laura S. has written this book anonymously out of deep respect for the 12-Step tradition. Under her own name, she is a well-known Buddhist teacher, a widely published author, and is active in the meditation and recovery communities.
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Contents: 12 Steps on Buddha's Path |
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Foreword |
xi |
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Preface |
xv |
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Part One: Bill W. |
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1. |
Has It Come to This?
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3 |
2. |
Strangers Loved Me Back to Life |
7 |
3. |
One Step at a Time |
11 |
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Step One |
13 |
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Step Two |
15 |
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Step Three |
17 |
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Step Four |
18 |
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Step Five |
19 |
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Step Six |
20 |
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Step Seven |
21 |
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Step Eight |
23 |
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Step Nine |
25 |
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Step Ten |
26 |
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Step Eleven |
27 |
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Step Twelve |
28 |
4. |
Promises of Things to Come |
31 |
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Part Two:
Buddha |
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5. |
Looking for the Buddha |
43 |
6. |
Changing My Mind |
51 |
7. |
The First Noble Truth
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55 |
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Not-Self
|
56 |
8. |
The Second and Third Noble Truths
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60 |
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Nirvana |
62 |
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Dependent Origination |
63 |
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Karma |
67 |
10. |
The Fourth Noble Truth |
69 |
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The Eightfold Path |
70 |
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Wisdom Teachings |
70 |
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Morality Tachings |
72 |
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Mental Discipline Teachings |
76 |
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Meditation Instructions |
77 |
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The Five Hindrances |
79 |
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Part Three: We |
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10. |
The Four Sover Truths: Alcoholism Is Dukka |
83 |
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The Dependent Origination of Drunk Dukkha |
84 |
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Karma in a Bottle |
87 |
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Sober Karma |
88 |
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Roadmap for Sobriety |
89 |
11. |
Taking Sober Refuge in the Steps |
91 |
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Sober Refuge |
92 |
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Taking Sober Steps |
93 |
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| Step One |
94 |
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Step Two |
96 |
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Step Three |
97 |
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Step Four and Five |
99 |
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Step Six and Seven |
100 |
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Step Eight |
101 |
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Step Nine |
102 |
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Step Ten |
102 |
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Step Eleven |
104 |
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Step Twelve |
105 |
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12.
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The Eightfold Sober Path |
109 |
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Sober Understanding |
110 |
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Sober Thought / Sober Intention |
112 |
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Sober Speech |
113 |
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Sober Action |
115 |
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Sober Livelihood |
118 |
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Sober Effort |
120 |
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Sober Mindfulness |
120 |
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Sober Concentration |
121 |
| 13. |
The Dharma-Promises |
125 |
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We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness |
127 |
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We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the
door on it |
129 |
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We will comprhend the word serenity and we will
know peace |
130 |
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No matter how far down the scale we have gone,
we will see how our experience can benefit others; That feeling of uselessness
and self-pity will disappear; We will lose interst in selfish things and
gain interest in our fellows; Self-seeking will slip away. |
131 |
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Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. |
135 |
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Fear of people and of economic insecurity will
leave us. |
136 |
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We will intuitively know how to handle situations
that used to baffle us |
138 |
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We will suddenly realize that God is doing for
us what we could not do for ourselves |
140 |
| 14. |
Sublime Abiding |
142 |
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Lovingkindness / Metta |
143 |
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Compassion / Karuna |
155 |
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Sympathetic Joy / Mudita |
158 |
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Equanimity / Upekkha |
160 |
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Works Cited and Suggested Readings |
163 |
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Brief Glossary and Selected Terms in Buddhism |
165 |
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Appendix: Twelve Steps and Twlve Traditions |
173 |
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Index |
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