religious

One nice thing about this book is that it doesn't get caught up in the whole male/female dating trap rules muck that clog the market. It asks you to be honest with yourself and others and to treat others with genuine love and compassion, which is something that is needed when it comes to male/female, straight/gay relations or any human relations. On the down side, it's mostly just a collection of common sense - there's nothing really unique in this book. Plus, as anyone who knows anything about Buddhism knows, the Buddha said nothing about romantic love. So, the book's premise itself is a little tenuous. I prefer "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life: A Little Book of Eastern Wisdom" by Taro Gold, which has taught me a great deal about the Buddhist view of life and has indirectly helped my relationships enormously.

This book is a light-hearted, whimsical look at love and spirituality and how one goes hand-in-hand with the other. Although the book is not a lengthy one, it does leave the reader contemplating the messages given in the book. The book has the potential to help the reader develop truer, more meaning and lasting relationships because it is based on the compassion and simple truths one encounters in Buddhist philosophy.

The spiritual path one follows in their personal relationships has a direct result on the happiness, peace and contentment one will find in everyday living. In following that enlightened path, we learn a great deal about our own inner self. We cannot rely on others to make us happy; we, and we alone, control our own degree of happiness. The author outlines several behaviours for readers to examine, both in their partner and in their inner self. "If the Buddha Dated" will also help the reader to determine if their relationship is truly based on love or solely based on sexual attraction and infatuation - an excellent point to ponder before entering into a sexual realtionship. This is definitely an enjoyable and insightful book for any age - love and spirituality have no age barriers. May you find eternal and unconditional love in life's journey!

Good book - most of it is common sense in the day to day dealing with folk in general. But then, common sense tends to be the kind easiest forgotten, so its a nice little reminder.