Product Description

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23640 in Books
• Published on: 1998-06-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Customer Reviews

Challenging read for buddhists and non-buddhists
This book is profound on so many levels that even an experienced and committed buddhist finds it challenging and thought-provoking. It is also an excellent beginners' book. What it does so uniquely well is separate buddhism from "religion" by showing that doubt is a necessary part of faith rather than a hindrance to it. It completely eschews jargon - which is a very effective technique - focussing instead on the human experience of life. Interestingly, this style is closer to the Lord Buddha's message because personal experience is so much more important than dogma. Like many great buddhist books, it is divided into small readable chunks, making it ideal for contemplation. It basically provokes us to ask many questions about life and see how we can integrate meditation and a gentle approach to others into it. The topics covered are typical buddhist ones - suffering, anxiety, aggression and so on. It also deeply personal - at times we feel the author letting us into his own mind.

Well-timed re-appraisal
This book is as radical as the Buddha's own teachings. I'm reminded of the 1997 film of Romeo and Juliet, which for me managed to capture the essence of the orignal play and communicate it to an audience in a very different society to the one in which Shakespeare lived (though you may not appreciate that comparison if you didn't like the film!).

Batchelor exercises the best form of skillful means in this book - an incisive, calmly put re-appraisal of the message of Buddhism that gets right to the point and says exactly the right things. Quietly revolutionary, I'd say.

As far as the audience is concerned, I'd say it is an excellent starter for westerners new to Buddhism, alongside Guy Claxton's recent book; "The Heart of Buddhism". But also for westerners who've been around the block of Buddhist practice, so to speak, this is an excellent catalyst for a critical re-appraisal of their practice and attitude towards Buddhism, alongside "Land of No Buddha", by Richard Hayes. (The companion books I suggest, though, are complimentary and *very * different from Batchelor's work).

It put my ego in its place and made me examine my firmly held attitudes - and the Buddha did that too. Brilliant.

By far the best introduction I've read
As a newcomer to the field I bought several introductions to Buddhism. This was the best for me, helping me to understand how the teachings can underpin the way we live our modern lives. The book takes an agnostic stance therefore preaches nothing, helping the reader to absorb the main tenets without demanding blind acceptance of ancient doctrines. It clearly separates belief (as required in religions and "isms") from action - which is helpful if you want something practical and logical. Though the book is quite short (127 pages) it's a very stimulating, if intense, read, and gave me lots of ideas about how becoming a Buddhist could affect my life. Go for it!