Books |
My mission is to gather in one place whatever I find useful. In my case, books do take the place of actual experience in a lot of cases... Hopefully within my lifespan, I can at least contribute something useful....
| Technology |
| Life |
| Investment |
| Other Books |
| Technology |
Beyond Reengineering, 1996, Michael Hammer.
With the next technology wave, the hype is about re-engineering processes. What does all this translate into? New challenges against traditional theories; Industrial Revolution undergoing a reversal wave and so forth. Process is important and not tasks ! What better way to re-engineer than to start replacing manager with process owner and effective leadership.
| Life |
Nurture Your Spirits,1990, Taoist Master Ni, Hua-Ching.
Spirit, mind and body are the 3 most important components of life. Without any one, life is unbalanced. Cultivate one's spirit and learn to flow with nature. Accept divine and accept oneself.
Hua Hu Ching (The Later Teachings of Lao Tzu),1990, Taoist Master Ni, Hua-Ching.
Tao is so abstract and one often marvels at the theory of formlessness and nature. A very good abstract from the book" "Dissolving individuality enables one to free oneself from the entangling discriminations of form, language, sense perception, feeling, and other relative conditions. It allows one's true being to grow freely without the hindrance of attachment. When the mind is attached to something, it can hold little more than self-created pain. One who is highly evolved, therefore, is attached to nothing and does not depend on any particular mental concept or form in his relations with people or in serving them. His very being benefits all life." Also mentioned are the concepts of non-duality and Ying and Yang. The truth of the Universe is unleased when one simplifies all aspects of one's life.
Ambivalent Zen (one man's adventures on the Dharma path),1995, Lawrence Shainberg.
An entirely frank reflection of a man's adventures on the Dharma path! Particularly enlightening is this phrase: "If you sacrifice everything, you won't be afraid of anything." What better thing to do do than think about this Zen koan :
"The wind was flapping a temple flag. Two monks were arguing about it. One said the flag was moving; the other said the wind was moving. Arguing back & forth they come to no agreement. The Sixth Patriarch said, 'It is neither the wind nor the flag that is moving. It is your mind that is moving.'
Surfing The Himalayas (Conversions and Travels with Master Fwap),1995, Rama- Dr Frederick Lenz.
A snowballer's extraordinary encounter with a Tibetan Buddhist monk turned into a path of self discovery. Being mindful is to be ware.... being transient as in emptiness opens one's mind to all phenomenon...
The Mind And The Way (Buddhist Reflections On Life),1995, Ajahn Sumedho.
A suitable book for beginners who would like to know about Buddhism...Common questions about life, nature, death, attachment are asked and answered. Right Understanding, awareness, non-attachment....something to ponder as one is engrossed in the new age of material possessions and fragile relationships...
The Door to Satisfaction (The Heart Advice of a Tibetan Buddhist Master),1994, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche.
An enlightening book from a lama's perspective of practical Buddhism. This book talks about the fruitlessness of endless desire and the ever important consciousness of the present moment. One tends to focus too much on self and treat anything unpleasant in life as opposites. The following abstract explains so well our innate tendency to focus on self-cherishing thought "Normally in our daily life, we interpret someone treating us badly as negative, but actually it is positive. It becomes a remedy for our selfish mind and worldly concern."
Road To Heaven (Encounters with Chinese Hermits),1993, Bill Porter.
The author actually went on a personal exploration looking for hermits living in secluded mountains. Among the places covered include Huashan, Chungnan Mountains and Loukuantai (all magnificent products of nature). This trip gave him opportunities to hold interviews with monks who had made a decision to follow the path of Taoism or Buddhism. Heard about the 7 disciples of Chuanchen sect and 8 immortals...Their roots were also revealed in this easy-to-read book...plus the artistic black & white photos taken by the accompanying photographer...
Meditation, The Buddhist Way of Tranquility & Insight,1992, Kamalashila.
Meditation is a way of living out one's true self. In our daily hectic life, it's rare for us to ponder over the routine...has our life been made unnecessarily too complex. Simplicity begets peace of mind and provides less impetus for craving. Food for thought here: Our resistance to truth of impermanence is basic reason why life is so often frustrating. We tend to expect things to remain as they are......
It's Easier Than You Think, The Buddhist Way to Happiness,1995, Sylvia Boorstein.
Life is difficult but it's how we see it that makes the difference. Many at times it's because of one's craving that suffering inevitably results. Viewing life with the right understanding and appreciating the spirit of the Eightfold paths, life is not as difficult as what we see it.. Through the author's interesting anecdotes and life experiences, the reader is exposed also to the three truths: Annicca (impermanence) , Dukkha (unsatifactoriness) and Annatta (emptiness). Well.....live in the present !
Going To Pieces Without Falling Apart (A Buddhist Perspective on Wholeness),1998, Mark Epstein, MD.
This is a book that combines psychothotherapy with Buddhist perspectives on life. Disturbed minds are often a problem of modern man with the craving for things transient. "Our minds are running on without us, keeping us at a distance from that which we love, or from love itself. We justifiably complain of feeling unreal because we are busy keeping ourselves at arm's length from the biggest reality of all- the transience of which we are a part." Letting go...we can discover how inexhaustible our hearts are when we let our unneeded defenses go to pieces....
Transforming Problems Into Happiness,1993, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Problems look for everyone. One can never escape from problems...having the right attitude is important. In this book, the author advocates Mahayana thought transformation"Use whatever problems you experience to generate the realisations of the path to enlightenment within your mind. Instead of disturbing you, problems can help you to develop your mind and continue your practice of the path." A verse from the Bodhicanyavatara: "My karma induced me to receive this harm. But didn't I harm this person bt causing them to be lost in the pit of the hells?"
Time Shifting,1996, Stephan Rechtschaffen.
We think so much of the past..so much of the future and less so of the present. If we were able to timeshift and concentrate on nothing but the present, life will be much richer, encounters more real and pressure less so. Time is subjective and not objective as the author emphasises. We can take control of our lives by changing the way we think about time. Live life to one's fullest potential, have time for families and ourselves...well..
Time Awareness...let us all be aware
"Eternity has nothing to do with the hereafter..This is it...If you don't get it here, you won't get it anywhere. The experience of eternity right here and now is the function of life. Heaven is not the place to have the experience; here's the place to have the experience." By Joseph Campbell
A Heart as Wide as the World,1997, Sharon Salzberg.
To face the world with wisdom and compassion...Do you know that happiness can be found in the capacity to open our hearts to others? In the book, the author shares her insights on how meditation is able to change one's perspective on life. Lovingkindness, or metta, is a meditation practice that involves offering a sense of lovingkindness to oneself and then extending this offering to loved ones, friends, acquaintances, difficult people and ultimately to all beings everywhere. Always think each breath as though it were my very first breath and as though it were my last breath. Live in the present , not in the past nor the future.
Reincarnation- Amazing True Cases From Around The World, 1997, Roy Stemman.
Want to read about first hand accounts of people who remember a past life. Are illnesses, scars, birthmarks a sign of a tragic past? Some are haunted by consistent fears or dreams....Is there a past life?
| Investment |
Mobius on Emerging Markets,1995, Dr J Mark Mobius.
Emerging markets are a new arena for investing. Growth rate is relatively faster as compared to developed markets. There are different types of risks in emerging market investing: transactional, political, economic, financial, etc. Nationalisation of enterprises, capital controls, non-transparent trading rules, incoherent accounting standards are discussed. Emerging markets are found in countries like Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia, etc., some of which with past Communist ideology, some with abundant but under-utilised natural resources, some with political upheavals.
Buffet, The Making Of An American Capitalist,1996, Roger Lowenstein.
Warren Buffet, reputed to be the "Oracle of Omaha" is a living mystery. This book gives insight to Buffet's upbringing and his outlook on life, family and work (investment). As a young starter at 11, Buffet has shown a tremendous interest in investing. His unique and extraordinary investment analysis and outlook can be traced to the roots of his great teacher at University of Columnia- Benjamin Graham. Wonders he did with his unsurpassed way of looking at fundamental values of each investment. Ever heard of Bershire Hathaway, American Express, Solomon Bank, Coca Cola, GEICO, etc. All these have in one way or another fallen nicely or not so coincidentally into his investment plan and path. Investors who have abided by his investment foresight and acumen will vouch for his down-to-earth investment style as opposed to the Get-Rich, Short-term approaches of many prominent fund managers as a $10,000 invested in 1965 has ballooned to more than $10 m in 1994. Not influenced by daily market fluctuations. Not fascinated by businesses he does not understand. Ever interested in companies with pretty good cash float for his stock pickings. Wow...it's.a marvellous book for all aspiring investors !
Armchair Tycoon (How to Make Money on the Stock Market without knowing a Thing about Business) ,1997, Malcolm Stacey.
The author shares with readers the following important tips:
You Can Be A Stock Market Genius (Even if you're not too smart),1997, Joel Greenblatt.
Ever heard of restructuring and its impact on stock prices? How about a company's announcement of recapitalising its balance sheet to create value for shareholders? Add to this...consider the impact of stub stocks, LEAPS (long-term options), mergers, spin-offs and insider trading on stock prices...All these are explained by the author using case studies drawn from history. One important lesson is institutional investors are not really as flexible as individual investors in making investment decisions as they are bound by constraints to invest in bulk and only in stocks of certain market capitalisation. If you see or hear bankruptcy restucturing, do not panic as they may provide valuable investment opprotunities. Companies might go bankrupt for many reasons like over-borrowing, short-tem cyclical business downturn, excessive leverage or over-optimistic projection while the fundamentals and business prospects are still sound.
| Other Books |
How to Get The Top Jobs That Are Never Advertised, 1996, Willet Weeks.
Do not be egocentric, do not focus on the past, do not write a long letter AND do talk about what you can do rather than what you have done...Are you aware of all these tips? Very often, we think we should put down the referees. need to send resume on top of cover letter...The author shares a different perspective on this. Send cover letter first...stating clearly that your purpose is namely to meet the other person.
Follow Your Heart (Finding Purpose in Your Life and Work), 1997, Andrew Matthews.
Do you believe "The universe has no favourites; use the universal laws"? The author also covers the cause and effect of all matters, the Frog Principle, responsibility mentality...Life is accumlative..."Have the discipline to do little things you don't like, and you can spend your life doing the big things you do like". Some other favourite quotes by the author are shared below:
"Life happens in waves. I know about these waves- this is only temporary."
"When you change your deepest beliefs about the world, your life changes accordingly."
"The challenge of life is to appreciate everything and attach yourself to nothing."
Straight A's Never Made Anybody Rich, 1991, Wess Roberts.
Do you have the courage to overcome weaknesses, determination to bounce back from failure, tenacity to persevere in difficult circumstances, willingness to selflessly share time and talents with other people, and the peace of mind that accompnaies repeated small victories? This book will direct you on how to work towards achieving these but you have to walk on the path yourself. What is your definition of success? Fame or fortune? Now ponder these:
- Experience is what you get when you don't get your way.
- There are many paths to personal achievement.
- Whether you have earned straight A's or lesser gardes, whether you are endowed with material riches or get by something less, you are the master of your own destiny.
- The ultimate goal of school days is not only to learn what you don't know but also to learn how to find out what you still need to know.
Who Am I? & How Shall I Live?, 1998, Andrew Cohen.
The above are 2 fundamental spiritual questions. Consider the 5 Fundamental tenets of Enlightenment:
1. Clarity of intention (desire for spiritual freedom must be the most important thing on our lives)
2. The Law of Volitionality (we are not victims of our experience)
3. Face Everything and Avoid Nothing (always want to know the truth)
4. The Truth of Impersonality (every aspect of our personal experience is ultimately completely impersonal)
5. For the Sake of the Whole (no longer living for ourselves but are living for the sake of the whole)
Meditation and Comtemplation- To discover who we are beyond the mind.
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Revised: 08 October, 2000.