Saffron Days in L.A.: Tales of a Buddhist Monk in America

this is a book of stories that is both fun, and inspirational. the authors gentle and humorous nature comes through in his tales of being a buddhist monk in america. i really enjoyed reading this.

I could not put it down. Simply loved it, what a beautifully written book. It was humorous and entertaining while still managing to teach me the ways of Buddhism. Highly recommend!

Bhante Piyananda takes the hairiest of situations--punks confronting him on the boardwalk, catholic-buddhist marriages in trouble, murders in the monastery--and shines the light of metta and compassion upon them. He is a truly amazing person, and this is a truly amazing book. It will make you more mindful just by reading it, I guarantee!

This is my review for The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A., but it applies to this one as well. If I were to choose one, it would be that one, and if you're hungering for more, read this one.A jewel of a book! Piyananda is the only author/monk of his kind, and this book and his earlier book SAFFRON DAYS IN L.A. contain wonderful stories of his life in America, the difficulties he encountered and those brought to him, and how he dealt with them using Buddhist teachings. Piyananda illustrates all the basic principles of Theravada Buddhism through these absorbing, entertaining and often humorous tales. I laughed out loud many times when reading about the crazy cross cultural mixups that happen when a robed monk meets American society. This book and its sibling can each be read in an afternoon, but they will stay with you for a long time. I look forward to revisiting the book in the future. Definitely 5 stars!

This is a sweet book, featuring 20 short stories about Bhante Piyananda's experiences as a Sri Lankan Theravada monk in America. Specifically the tales take place in Los Angeles, where since the mid 70's he has headed a local temple.The stories he presents regard a variety of issues and circumstances that he finds himself in, or are brought to him by other Buddhists, many of whom have also immigrated to America. As well, he recounts experiences when his Buddhism attracted attention enough to inspire conversation, judgement, confidences. All the stories are morally driven, as Piyananda passes on the Buddha's words and feelings.As a resident of L.A. this book seemed by the title an oasis, a peaceful perspective on a wacky, unrooted place. In fact, Los Angeles could be anywhere in America inside these stories. What matters is the lovely heart and soul of Buddhism, shone through it's most disciplined, devoted monks. Whether dealing with marriage troubles, robbery, parent/child conflicts, gossip, wealth, cultural differences, etc., Piyananda's compassion and love evoke the Buddha's and the beauty of their revolutionary religion and lifestyle.I recommend this as a sweet, easy read. For anyone interested in Buddhism this features a wide range of situations all addressed by Piyananda and Buddhist texts he draws from.

Bhante Walpola Piyananda is a sri lankan monk who came to the united states on,of all days,july 4,1976.{there is a humorous account of this in this volume] He has been the spiritual advisor and friend to countless southeast asian immigrants,and westerners who are attracted to the middle path. This volume is a collection of vignettes that he has collected through the years,all the while gently inflecting Buddhist teachings . From confrontations with a gang, to a cuckold husband, to a "hopeless "alcoholic, Bhante is there with compassion and wisdom. There is a lightness here, not a lack of depth ,but a freshness lacking western cynicism that is both invigorating and assuring. There is no magic here,no easy way to nirvana passed out to gullible desperate people. Bahnte grounds himself seriuosly in Buddhist scripture,and the result is a delight and,well enlightening. Well done, a decpetively easy read and a very interesting monk.

Nowadays , Buddhism is viewed as somewhat cerebral . Indeed , it seems to attract the more philosophical amongst us . Not without probable cause , Buddhism starts with the mind and its perspectives / perceptions . With Mahayana , we see this coming to its logical ( or illogical as the case may be ) fruition with a plethora of mind bending philosophical schools .It is therefore quite refreshing to read a book about a monk's everyday experience . Better still , couched in these experiences are the Buddha's Teachings . Its so much easier to digest a new way of thinking when the context in which it is told is something we can all quite easily identify with . Bhante's little anecdotes are often quite funny , but the message is powerful .I recommend this book .

An anecdote of many feel-good stories written by an ordained monk of the Theravada school of Buddhism, the book is simply written and contains some canonical discourses relevant to the situation described in each chapter. Try not to read it as a biography or a self-help book; most people who do so will be sorely disappointed. However, it is a comforting work that leaves one feeling a little more hopeful, and perhaps that's what the bhiku is aiming for and nothing more. The collection is not an explanatory work on Theravada Buddhism and does not really cover the "tenets" of that sect per se. However, since Buddhism relies less on vicarous experience than on personal, individual experience, the lack of theology may even be a good thing! I did find the stories to become a bit too formulaic, but none-the-less they were all heart-warming and at times even humorous.