Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4241 in Books
• Published on: 1998-06-04
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Synopsis
Demystifies Buddhism by explaining, without jargon or obscure terminology, what awakening is and how to practise it.

Customer Reviews

Great as a second beginners-guide book
Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening Stephen
Am getting alot out of this great book. Following the amazing Buddhism Plain and Simple (Arkana) by Steve Hagen this works as a great companion book, easy to dip into at any point, for a little nugget of clarity. Recommended, though if you want a first intro to 'the middle way' go for Plain and Simple, first.

buddhism without beliefs
I loved this book - it describes meditation, awareness and all aspects of Buddhism in such a staightforward, easy to understand way and yet at the same time is not academic or dry. it is poetic and inspiring.

i think this book could be read even if you know nothing about Buddhism and you would find it interesting but as someone already said i think it has more value if you do know something about Buddhism already. i don't think you need to know much though - just having read a few other books would be enough to get a lot out of this book.

it presents the ideas and processes of Buddhism in a way that i've not read before and it was fantastic for me as Stephen Batchelor actually explains all the things that other books seem to skim over in a confusing way. a whole chapter is devoted to the idea of 'emptiness' and i found it very useful.

as the title suggests this is Buddhism without beliefs so if you've found yourself stuggling with ideas such as reincarnation then this is definitely the book for you.

Quo Vadis
Quite a lot of the amazon.com reviewers have eschewed this a a good introduction to Buddhism. I would say not.

It is however a great tool for Buddhists to look at, improve and alter their practice. A Dharma scalpel if you will.

Stephen Bachelor is steeped in both the Vajryana & Zen traditions. Though it is from the latter that, I believe, he draws the true inspiration for this book. At any rate he is a long way from being a beginner himself and, I conjecture, wouldn't approach Buddhism in that light.

Simply, he argues that there are strands of Buddhism that have calcified into religions, and this is very far from the teachings of Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha. Buddhism requires only two leaps of faith, belief in kharma and reincarnation.

What, Stephen Bachelor agues, if these didn't exist?

The Japanese Rinzai, Zen Order, has a practice of studying koans, riddles designed to trigger sarturi (instant enlightenment). "What is the sound of one hand clapping, etc ect."

I consider this book to be a koan as it gave me a gestalt moment that altered my practice profoundly. Stephen has a stark, realistic and ultimately honest approach to this great religion or should I say existential philosophy. He is a 21st Century Rishi.