EFFORTLESS BELONGING

Mitchell relates his study and interpretation of the Lankavatara Sutra, a complex text of early Buddhist teachings that he characterizes as his life’s enduring passion.

That author considers the sutra “a user manual for being human” and aims with this book to bring its insights to a wider audience. His understanding is based on his yearslong examination of two English translations: D.T. Suzuki’s renowned version in 1932 and the essential work of Red Pine from 2013. At the start of Part I, Mitchell attempts to orient the reader with a brief history of the Lanka, a summary of Buddhism’s development for newcomers, and an overview of the evolution of Zen. He believes the Lanka is a pivotal, if challenging, text and does no less than “address cultural confusion and the modern world’s lack of purpose.” Mitchell sees true presence as recognizing not only our interdependence with other living things, but also microorganisms’ “interdependence inside our bodies.” Dysfunction in the world, he asserts, is a result of humans being unaware of their interconnectedness with all creation. The title refers to the idea of becoming aware of mutuality. Mitchell’s work is an ambitious undertaking. However, if he’d provided more clarity regarding terms, concepts, and history in the book’s first part, it would help lay readers to better understand the more challenging material in later sections, which delve into interdependence and transcribe the Lanka. However, when the principles connect to well-known scientific and psychological concepts, they’re relatively easy to grasp, and more abstract material comes with useful context and is supported by accounts from Mitchell’s decades of meditation practice. That said, a background in Buddhist history will help readers to navigate the book’s philosophical and spiritual interpretations. The chapters are brief, but even so, some premises feel circuitous or amorphous. At its best, Mitchell’s work weaves its elements together well, thus modeling what the Lanka promises: “awakening into interdependent relationships.”

An ambitious but sometimes-dense Buddhist treatise.