The Book of Dharma: Making Enlightened Choices

the Wisdom i gained is sweet ,deep and practical. It was such a smooth journey the Author took me on, yet i learned how to overcome difficult feelings and situations.He transports one right unto the roads of India with all its magic and adventures. I could almost smell the air and feel the Humidity .I gained deep insights of my own self and Humanity at large. I bought more of this particular Book to give as gifts, which felt so good as it is a Life tool for sure. I am ready to follow Simon Haas on the next journey of his, "Yoga and the Dark night of the soul" !!

At times I felt like I was highlighting lines and paragraphs every other page. Great stuff to internalize and review often. Really enjoyed it.

The ancient scriptural texts of India can seem daunting and inaccessible to modern and especially Western readers. The original writings are in the Sankskrit language and it can be challenging to find readable translations and clear commentaries. In addition, the library of Vedic literature is staggeringly extensive.Author Simon Haas, who studied with an enlightened master in India and graduated with honors from the University of Cambridge, has presented a clear and enjoyable guide to the essence of the principles of Dharma as presented in the Bhagavad Gita, the Mahabharata, the Bhagavata Purana, and a large collection of works by a wide assortment of philosophers, scientists and social commentators. Haas examines how we create our own prisons of ego identification and attachment and outlines a system of four main principles for moving out of these and toward the freedom that we all seek.

The Book of Dharma is an incredible, thought-provoking, inspiring and well-written book. It helped me with my self-development and is definitely a life-changing read. I feel blessed to have come across it. I was fortunate to read the book before starting a yoga teacher training program, because the Dharma teachings can be applied easily to everyday life, and I will definitely be recommending the book to my students once I become a teacher. If you are looking to grow and improve yourself, this is just a perfect gift for yourself. I highly recommend this book. It’s an easy read and it makes a beautiful, meaningful gift too. I gave The Book of Dharma to couple of my friends, and they absolutely love it!

Haas beautifully explains the Dharma Code and succinctly captures thousands of years of wisdom in one well written, inspiring book.

Love love love this book. One of my absolute favorites. I recommend it to everyone on this planet.

This is one of the most incredible books that I have ever read, and I find myself constantly recommending it to friends and family.Based on timeless wisdom from enlightened sages thousands of years ago, It contains highly practical information on how to live life to your full potential. It is written in a wonderful way, drawing on examples, stories and quotes from around the world.It has changed my life. Thank you Simon.

Yes. Just yes! An excellent book, one I refer back to regularly. I keep it in my purse, as it’s more of a study than just a quick and easy read. Love this author and his style of writing, but the message..that’s what it’s about.

Best writing on Dharma Ive ever read

In simple language made me understand what Dharma is? Now it is time to apply in my life what I have learnt.

After reading the marvelous spiritual writings of this great Rishi I thought about the words of Bhaktivedanta Swami on The Guide which states inter alia "Have faith in one who has traveled the way before you" and this says it all about Simon. How lucky I was to read this book which I will value deeply, I only wish I could thank him personally and sit at his feet for further instructions. I can hardly wait to read more of his books. If only we were to listen and practice the words of this man the world would not be in such a mess.Thank you Simon please keep writing.Mohan

Beautifully designed and laid out, thoroughly researched, this is a book that deserves to be read.The Book of Dharma discloses a set of four ancient principles to help us make the very best choices in our life. The author begins by pointing out that we make choices continually in life. Most of our choices are unconscious, the product of unseen habits of thought and behaviour. In this ground-breaking book, Haas, who grew up as a monk in the temple monasteries of India, explains the process of "inward-looking perception", by which we can enhance our ability to make conscious choices in everyday life. He then reveals the four principles of Dharma, which act as navigational stars to guide us in our life by helping us make enlightened choices.This timeless wisdom was once used by kings and queens to rule vast kingdoms. Haas shows us how this knowledge from the past can help us overcome the challenges of life we face in the present. He shows us how we can use it to govern the "territory" of our everyday life.I have been interested in the wisdom of ancient India for many years; but the in-depth books available on the subject are often full of Sanskrit terms and largely inaccessible for Western readers. In this book, Haas makes these ancient, profound teachings accessible and relevant for readers of our times without compromising on authenticity. This is one of the first books in this genre in which the author does not position himself as a guru, or enlightened teacher, but shares his own everyday struggles in applying these teachings.I especially liked how The Book of Dharma does not try to offer a simplistic formula for resolving the existential challenges of living. This is not a "how to" self-help book. Rather, it is a book of ancient wisdom, a set of teachings passed down from master to student for thousands of years. The teachings of Dharma are designed, I think, to help us adopt a more reflective approach in our life. At a time when our lives seem to be getting ever more hectic and anxiety-ridden, a book like this one, which reminds us of the cornerstones of good living, couldn't be more valuable.

An excellent read offering profound insights into the wisdom of Ancient India’s mystics. Haas’s deep assimilation of the subject matter is evident throughout this well researched and intelligently presented book. I found it most enjoyable to read and even though I am very familiar with the source material, I found myself repeatedly admiring his many insights. Dharma is a much used word these days, but also much misunderstood I would suggest. This book draws deeply on the origins of true dharma found in the Sanskrit texts left by the spiritually realised sages of yore, books such as the Bhagavad-gita, the Bhagavata Purana and other similar works. Whilst adhering closely to those enlightening teachings, Haas brings in more contemporary wisdom from many schools of thought to show a consistency of direction given by them all. Basically, by incorporating the universal principles of the Dharma Code, which he extracts from these various teachings and lucidly presents, we can enhance our lives without limit, finding within ourselves the boundless happiness that is our birthright. Highly recommended.