Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness

"Inner Revolution" shows that it is a misunderstanding of reality that produces the cynicism we now live with. The Western world view has taken root through a view of history that sees wars as its landmarks; a view of society indicating that we should expect the worst of one another; a view of life as a one-time, meaningless event. Enlightenment scientists, as Thurman calls those who have followed in the footsteps of the Buddha, have left behind a method for proving just the opposite. Other histories and the empirical exploration of reality and the psyche by the Buddha demonstrate that the worldview the West has inherited is nothing but a trick of our own imaginations. "Inner Revolution" reveals the principles of the movement to celebrate individual happiness, which the Buddha initiated 2,500 years ago, and shows how to continue it. This is a deeply intelligent primer on practical Buddhism, written in the engaging context of a completely original understanding of the history of civilization.