What This Book Does Best
The Book of Dharma by Simon Haas is one of those rare books I know I’ll return to again and again for insight and inspiration. This book’s main objective is to break down the four principles of Dharma while showing you how to apply them in your everyday life. Simon draws from his 16 years of study under his Bhakti master, as well as the lives of great spiritual teachers and other philosophical works. His calm and grounded tone reflects not only his deep knowledge but also his genuine understanding of the subject matter.
The Short:
An excellently written book breaking down the 4 principles of dharma, to help you live more in alignment with your life’s purpose.
The Long:
Dharma is a concept that can be difficult to define. Some words I would use to describe dharma are purpose, life’s calling, higher self, or vocation. This book takes the ancient wisdom of dharma and presents it in a way that is digestible to contemporary readers. It then spells out the four principles of dharma, not just as ideas, but as a code to live by in order to align with your true path. The four principles are Truth, Purity, Non-Violence, and Discipline, and they serve as a guide for making life choices that honor your dharma. Life is a series of choices, both small and large, and where you are today is the result of the choices you’ve made. By following the dharma code, you can start making decisions that align with your purpose and unlock the unlimited potential within each of us as human beings.
Dharma is a Sanskrit word that directly translates to uphold, support or sustain.
This book is divided into three main sections. The first section sets the stage by introducing us to dharma and explaining why it is so important. In a chapter he calls “Unintelligent Design,” Haas explores the idea that while we all carry a kind of “gold” within us, we are often held back by a “poor design”—learning and believing things that aren’t true. I really resonated with the section. Here he provides six examples of poor design that most people fall into. I wouldn’t normally list them in a review, but I think just the titles of these concepts capture the power of his ideas. These examples also do an excellent job of challenging us while also encouraging us to reach for more.
6 Examples of Poor Design
- Losing ourselves in the endless search for worldly worth
- Taking ourselves far too seriously
- Blindly pursuing an idea of success that is not our own
- Continually waiting for our lives to begin
- Living in constant opposition to time
- Believing we can get away with what no one sees
About 100 pages into the book, we finally arrive at the four dharma principles, which make up the second section of this book. Each principle is given its own chapter, beginning with a beautiful story that illustrates its meaning before diving into a clear definition. I really appreciated the “show, don’t tell” approach throughout this section, as it helps you truly feel and understand what Haas is conveying.
The third and final section of the book is the icing on the cake. Haas includes this part to emphasize that simply knowing the words doesn’t mean you truly understand them. Here, he encourages readers to “breathe life into the dharma code,” showing practical examples of how he and others have brought dharma into everyday life.
Who needs to read this now?
This book is for anyone seeking purpose, greater happiness, or a deeper sense of spirituality. It not only provides a thorough understanding of the concepts of dharma but shows why this ancient knowledge is so important. Anyone interested in living more intentionally, discovering their purpose, or simply curious about what dharma means will find this book both insightful and inspiring.