Books about Matthieu from Amazon.com

How did the universe come into being? What is the meaning of human life against the blackness of infinity? Religion and science have many answers to these and like questions, answers that sometimes meet but more often diverge.

In this book-length conversation, French Buddhist monk Ricard and Vietnamese-born astrophysicist Trinh explore how Buddhism and modern science address life's big questions. Among the matters they touch on, sometimes fleetingly and sometimes in depth, are the illusory nature of phenomena, the guiding intelligence of nature, and the search for the mechanisms that drive planets and humans alike. Both authors, each conversant in the other's medium, argue against reductionist views of nature. And both provide plenty of data that support Albert Einstein's declaration that "if there is any religion that could correspond to the needs of modern science, it would be Buddhism."

Hard-nosed skeptics will perhaps find Ricard and Trinh's reconciliation arguable. Still, the record of their conversation makes fascinating reading and provides a useful overview of scientific reasoning and spiritual inquiry. --Gregory McNamee.
Price: $8.44 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Regarded by many as the greatest yogi after Milarepa to gain enlightenment in one lifetime ..a source of inspiration to Buddhist practitioners and general readers alike.--The Dalai Lama.
Price: $7.45 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The Monk and the Philosopher is a collection of father-son dialogues between Jean-François Revel, a French philosopher and journalist famous for his leadership in protests of both Christianity and Communism, and Matthieu Ricard, his son, who gave up a promising career as a scientist to become a Buddhist monk in the Himalayas. The conversations recorded in this book took place during 10 days at an inn in Katmandu. The range of their subjects is immense: What is Buddhism? Why does it have such appeal to many in the West? Why do Buddhists believe in reincarnation? What are the differences between Buddhist and Christian monastic life? How do science and individualism make authentic Buddhist practice difficult for Westerners to achieve? Despite the simplicity of many of these questions, Revel and Ricard never give simplistic answers. Their discussions are rich without being dense, and, even more notably, they take every question very personally. The result is a book perfectly suited as an introduction to the elements of Buddhist religion (with a good bit of Tibetan history thrown in) that is also an excellent description of what it has been like for one man (Ricard) to practice Buddhist faith. However, as Ricard wisely notes at the end of this book, "No dialogue, however enlightening it might be, could ever be a substitute for the silence of personal experience, so indispensable for an understanding of how things really are." The greatest strength of The Monk and the Philosopher may be its power to return readers to careful attention to the way we pass our days. --Michael Joseph Gross.
Price: $8.18 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A moving journey into the heart of Buddhist spirituality and into the daily life and festivals of people in the Tibetan interior.

"Matthieu's spiritual life and his camera are one and the same, and it is from this unity that these fleeting yet eternal images spring."—Henri Cartier-Bresson

Matthieu Ricard has lived in Nepal for over thirty years. During this time he has forged close ties with some of Buddhism's greatest spiritual masters, from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for whom he is the official French interpreter.

Ricard's status as a monk and his knowledge of the Tibetan people and culture have opened many doors to him: he has been able to follow pilgrimages made by the great lamas of eastern Tibet; to bear witness to the artistry of wood-engravers at the gigantic, mysterious Dege printing press; and to meet hermit monks in extremely remote regions of Kham. These experiences and many others are recorded here in 191 sublime color photographs..
Price: $27.78 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A sublime photographic record of Ricard's yearlong retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas

A photographer and Buddhist monk, Matthieu Ricard recently spent one year in retreat at the hermitage of Pema Osel near Kathmandu. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, nestled between lush valleys and the towering Himalayas, Ricard meditated daily, waiting for the light that illuminates the path to awakening.

Each day from his sublime viewpoint, he contemplated the different subtleties of light: at dawn, before dusk, and in the evening. At the rhythm of one image per week, he captured the magnificent landscapes that surrounded him. These photographs, taken from the hermitage's terrace and nearby, reflect the elation of bearing witness to nature's harmony. 80 color photographs..
Price: $25.72 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The Jewel Ornament of Liberation is regarded by all Tibetan Buddhist schools as one of the most inspiring and comprehensive works of the tradition. Written by Gampopa (born 1079 CE), the main spiritual son of the great hermit Milarepa, this important text lays out the stages of the Buddhist path and explains how an enlightened attitude is strengthened by practicing the six perfections of generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and knowledge. For the first time, this sometimes difficult text is made accessible to Western readers in a clear and engaging commentary. Tibetan teacher Ringu Tulku explores this classic work of Buddhist practice and philosophy with the playful and fresh style that has made him so popular among students of Buddhism. Using folksy examples and anecdotes, he brings this text to life, discussing topics such as: seeing through the illusions that cause us to suffer advice on acting with kindness, generosity, and patience instructions on how to put others first guidance for attaining peace and lasting compassion.
Price: $10.10 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Oscar Niemeyer, one of the most prolific architects of the 20th century, has long been considered a pioneer of modern architecture This book is an intimate exploration of one man's unique vision, and his commitment to it even as he faced exile from his home country, Brazil. Niemeyer's crowning achievement was the creation of a new capital for Brazil. Named chief architect for Brasilia, Niemeyer used his signature style - a play on the contrast between curves and concrete - to design its major buildings and left his mark on an entire nation. Now 92 years old, Niemeyer remains one of the greatest living architects of our time. With an in-depth interview and photographs by Matthieu Salvaing - who traveled with Niemeyer from Rio to Brasilia, from Sao Paulo to Belo Horizonte, this book is the candid testimony of a living legend..
Price: $14.78 [Notify me when price goes down.]