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Deepak Chopra's teachings... are they Buddhist related?

catygtzcatygtz New
edited October 2011 in Buddhism Basics
Hello All

I really like Deepak Chopra's books, I was just wondering If they are really coming from a Buddhism source, or if the teachings there are Buddhism related.

Thanks

Comments

  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    Clearly there is a good bit of Buddhist influence (he's written a book about the Buddha after all), but I don't think he considers himself a Buddhist from everything I've read.
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    I like Deepak Chopra personally. He seems to be a lot into Hinduism, though, more-so than Buddhism.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    I liked him more before he became wildly popular and became "Deepak Chopra, Inc".
  • BeachHouseGuyBeachHouseGuy
    He has some good speeches on youtube aswell
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    He's one of the best speakers in the world. As a graduate of TM, he took the Indian guru religion and turned it into a world wide business. He is not Buddhist, though, and certainly doesn't teach Buddhism or the Dharma although like most gurus he tries to incorporate Buddha's teachings into his package.

    The problem is, people confuse what he does with Buddhism.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    I read a lot of his work is plagiarized and remixed to look like his own ideas. I think he gets his material from a variety of sources.
  • shays860shays860
    edited November 2011
    I liked The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire when I was about 19... it was one of my early new age books. But yeah, definitely more Hindu than Buddhist. I'm afraid his writings are motivated more by whether or not they will sell than whether or not they are spiritually valuable... but I guess that is a problem with capitalism. There's not always a profit to be made in good deeds. I do want to read his newest book eventually though.

    http://www.amazon.com/War-Worldviews-Science-Vs-Spirituality/dp/0307886883/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

    Found this interesting little clip of Chopra on O'Reilly... I'm surprised O'Reilly sided with a non-Christian. I guess atheists are a bigger threat than non-christian believers...

    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/believers-vs-non-believers-bill-oreilly-and-deepak-chopra-take-on-atheists/
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    edited November 2011
    Found this interesting little clip of Chopra on O'Reilly... I'm surprised O'Reilly sided with a non-Christian. I guess atheists are a bigger threat than non-christian believers...

    http://www.mediaite.com/tv/believers-vs-non-believers-bill-oreilly-and-deepak-chopra-take-on-atheists/
    lol I just found out that Cheepak Chopra is a turd. Along with Bill O'Reilly (everyone knows that, though).
  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    It is always better to read reputable Buddhist teachers then new age authors as most of the time they confuse the doctrine of pure Dharma with their own inclinations and misunderstandings, Buddhist teaching isnt compatible with a whole list of the things new agers take out of their mixed bag of beleifs following the advise of teachers like these will lead to great confusion and more suffering.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    I liked him more before he became wildly popular and became "Deepak Chopra, Inc".
    Same as Eckhart Tolle.....

  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    edited November 2011
    I liked him more before he became wildly popular and became "Deepak Chopra, Inc".
    Same as Eckhart Tolle.....
    I find it strange that Eckhart Tolle went through "enlightenment" as a poor, humble human being, but now after enlightenment as a poor person, you have to pay for all of his teachings.
  • catygtzcatygtz New
    so who is a good Buddhist writer?
  • taiyakitaiyaki Veteran
    jack kornfield
  • JeffreyJeffrey Veteran
    edited November 2011
    pema chodron, thich nhat hanh, ajahn brahm

    da lai lama
  • Floating_AbuFloating_Abu Veteran
    Diamond Sutra
    Lankavatru Sutra
    Heart Sutra

    Much more reliable.
  • Floating_AbuFloating_Abu Veteran
    Hello All

    I really like Deepak Chopra's books, I was just wondering If they are really coming from a Buddhism source, or if the teachings there are Buddhism related.

    Thanks
    I doubt Buddhism is (meant to be) as superficial as that. .
  • CinorjerCinorjer Veteran
    There are many books written by Buddhists about their Buddhist practice. Do a quick search in Amazon.com and you'll find some. To figure out if it's something you're interested in reading, take note of the author and do another quick search of that name.

    Zen master Seung Sahn, for instance, wrote several acclaimed books about his journey and teaching, such as "Dropping Ashes on the Buddha".

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    Diamond Sutra
    Lankavatru Sutra
    Heart Sutra

    Much more reliable.
    But who can make any sense out of them without the guidance of a teacher? The last time we had a thread on the Heart Sutra it was a mess. Nobody could make heads or tails of what it said. It provoked a fight. (How ironic is that?)

  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran


    I has regained my respect.
  • Bodha8Bodha8 Veteran
    From the books I have read from Dr. Chopra, it seems clear that he is of the Hindu persuasion. Some of his writings however do cover other major religions and their leaders.
  • B5CB5C Veteran
    What else should Dr. Chopra apologizing for? Misrepresenting physics.
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