This is a new release of the original 1931 edition.

“Like a shadow that does not depart” is the exciting biography of Ananda, Buddha’s attendant during the last 25 years of his life. In an age before writing, Ananda heard and memorized all of Buddha’s estimated 84,000 sermons and 15,000 stanzas without omitting a syllable. He also strongly advocated a Buddhist order of nuns, which Buddha approved. Although Ananda did not become enlightened until Buddha’s parinirvanization, he was de facto Chief-of-Staff for Buddha. Ananda scheduled Buddha’s appointments, so he exerted enormous power over who could see Buddha, even the senior enlightened arhats, who technically out-ranked Ananda. Ananda implemented important organizational changes in the sangha as it grew; thereby giving Buddha a planned, structured system for his travels and sermons. He was Buddha’s constant shadow. He ministered to Buddha’s needs. He set up Buddha’s camp when the sangha was traveling. He guarded Buddha with his ever-present staff. Ananda was one of Buddha’s pivotal disciples. Without his incredible photographic memory and methodical approach, it is questionable whether Buddhism would have grown into a major religion.

Brian takes us on a journey into the paradox of the human condition, to the depths of human suffering, where there exists the transformational healing opportunity of waking up to the essence of who we are. This is described in many contemplative wisdom traditions that point to a reality that exists beyond the identification with the separate self - the sense of me; to a reality that is unconditioned and considered the ultimate medicine to pain and suffering. With the phases of the Moon serving as a metaphor for waking up out of the darkness of the separate self, this book opens our eyes to the healing power of awakening to our true nature in the midst of some of our most terrifying experiences. The states of confusion, fear, and shame; the experiences of trauma, addictions, grief and loss, and the suffering of spiritual seeking itself, can be met with the restorative power of awakening. When we embody surrender, grace, attention and openness in our darkest moments, we can begin to see that in the evening of despair, lies the moonlight of our own awakening.