This book offers a contemporary philosophy of life drawing upon Buddhist resources from the Vimalakirti Sutra. Among the major themes in this Mahayana Buddhist scripture is the "skillful means" required to live a healthy and undeluded life. The book adopts that theme as a means of developing a practical approach to contemporary Buddhist life. Following many of the brilliant stories in the sutra, this book attempts to provide clear explanations for the primary Buddhist teachings and the relationships that bind them all together into an inspiring way of living. Among the questions addressed are: who is the Buddha, how is a worldview of change and contingency applicable to current life, what does it mean to claim that there is no permanent self, what are the primary characteristics of an admirable Buddhist life, how is freedom conceived in Buddhism, and how do all of these themes help us address issues that are pressing for us today. Although historical questions do arise in the book, its primary purpose is contemporary and practical, an effort to say clearly how this text helps us stake out a way of living for contemporary, global citizens.
Living Skillfully: Buddhist Philosophy of Life from the Vimalakirti Sutra, Dale S. Wright, Oxford University Press, Hardcover, 176 pp, $29.95

Dale S. Wright is the Gamble Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies and Asian Studies, Emeritus, at Occidental College in Los Angeles. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Buddhism: What Everyone Needs to Know and The Six Perfections: Buddhism and the Cultivation of Character.