The Diamond Cutter: The Buddha on Managing Your Business and Your Life Paperback – September 1, 2009

I had never heard of Michael Roach until I searched out Shoutcast (Internet Radio) and found the Tibetan Buddhist station. Being of that tradition, I was delighted to find the station.The program that was on at that time was Dharma talks by Michael on The Heart Sutra, a most important Buddhist teaching.I was so taken with his messages and the way he could get these deep ideas across so easily that I wanted to learn more about him. That's when I discovered that he had a new book out, The Diamond Cutter. So I bought a copy at Amazon.Michael spent many years in the New York Diamond industry. He explains that he was attracted to diamonds because they are the hardest form in the universe.This book is about business. It is about the problems that we all encounter in business daily. And it tells us how to handle the problem and why every problem has a cause, perhaps not in this lifetime but in some lifetime.Michael clearly explains why some people who are greedy and unkind are successful. No, it's nothing they've done in this life but rather they did something of merit in another life that brought the wealth in this lifetime. But in another lifetime they will reap the Karma they're now sowing.He tells us that if we wish to be wealthy, we need to be generous with our money and our time.Michael uses his vast knowledge of the diamond industry to teach business ethics from a Buddhist perspective based on the all-important teaching of Lord Buddha in His Diamond Cutter (Vajrachchedika sutra).I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone who cares about their business, their relationships, their finances and their life in general.

Geshe Michael Roach's "The Diamond Cutter" weaves ancient wisdom, contemporary commentary, and real life examples in this enjoyable book about life. Written specifically for businesspeople in the West, the book consists of three stories in one. First, a translation and explanation of the Diamond Sutra, one of Tibetan Buddhism's most important Sutras. Second, it tells the story of Geshe Roach's life as a young monk taking up the challenge to see if Buddhist principles could work in the 'real world'. Third, it's a self-help kind of text, showing how his experiences and the Sutra can be used as examples for your own life.The subtitle of the book, "The Buddha on Strategies for Managing Your Business and Your Life" pretty well explains what the book is and is not. It is not a dry scholarly exegesis. It is not new-age 'skimming the surface' of Buddhist wisdom. It is not a critique of everything Western from a supposedly superior standpoint. It is practical advice, carefully converting ancient strategies into our fast-paced, money-obsessed world. It is a book claiming to show you how to have your cake (a successful career and lots of money) and eat it too (keep your health, family life, and other interests intact).If you are the type of person who has difficulty working/thinking independently (outside-the-box in a big way) then you probably shouldn't read this book. If you are the type of person who isn't looking for 'meaning' (ie just looking to get rich and powerful), then this book won't hold your attention very long. But if you are thoughtful, creative, hard-working, and realize that a ton of money and a big office doesn't automatically bring happiness, (or if this is what you aspire to be) then this is a perfect book for you.

and I don't end up speechless often.Since I started reading this book 4 days ago I retold the basics of its lessons to half a dozen friends, and they have been adding their names to the waiting list to borrow it.This book came into my life at the time when I already reached the level of spiritual understanding needed to put it into practice.The bottom line of the book (and the buddhist teaching) is that every thing we DO, SAY and THINK, leaves an imprint onto our minds. Good or bad.The more positive imprints we "stamp" onto our consciousness, the more positive our life's circumstances will be, resulting in more positive experiences.Most desirable imprints we can plant in our minds, summarized in an 1800 years old poem by an indian master (quoted from the book):I'll tell you briefly the fine qualitiesof those on path of compassionGiving, and ethics, patience and effort,concentrating, wisdom, compassion and such.Giving is giving away what you have,And ethics is doing good to others.Patience is giving up feelings of anger,And effort is joy that increases all good.Concentration 's one pointed, free of bad thoughts,And wisdom decides what truth really is.Compassion's a kind of high intelligenceMixed deep with love for all living kind.Giving brings wealth, a good world comes from ethics;Patience brings beauty, eminence comes from effort.Concentration brings peace, and from wisdom comes freedom;Compassion achieves everything we all wish for.On how to use the knowledge given in Buddha's teaching in everyday life, do read the book. Its going to change your life. Or rather, it will give you tools to start changing your life.I already started changing mine.