The Path to Peace

More about the book

In May 1994, Ayya Khema led a twenty-four-day meditation retreat in Santa Cruz, CA, where she delivered dhamma talks on the fifteen wholesome conditions for cultivating peacefulness from the Metta Sutta. These teachings are paired with ten metta (loving-kindness) meditations designed to help readers integrate peacefulness into their daily lives. Having fled Nazi Germany in 1938, Khema offers a unique perspective on fostering peace, unconditional love, and compassion. She emphasizes that inner peace is not innate but rather a skill that requires daily practice. Peace consists of various qualities highlighted by the Buddha in the Metta Sutta, such as usefulness, mildness, humility, and contentment. With her characteristic humor and personal anecdotes, Khema guides readers through each quality, encouraging self-transformation. The second part of the book features an insightful discussion of metta as both a moral and concentration practice, along with ten meditation techniques that utilize visualizations instead of traditional mantra repetition. Edited by her student Leigh Brasington, this work serves as a comprehensive guide to calming and illuminating the mind.