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"Buddhism Without Beliefs is the kind of finely written primer about the concepts of Buddhism that even a heathen like me can appreciate and understand. For the non-Buddhist, or the aspiring Buddhist, it will be of much assistance. Filled with compassion, lucidly written, this is a book that explains much about an ancient, ever-living philosophy that has much to offer the stunned searchers of truth in our chaotic age of modernity."—Oscar Hijuelos, author of Mr. Ives' Christmas and The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love
"Radiant in its clarity, Buddhism Without Beliefs reminds us not just of Buddhism's true nature, but of our own as well. Freeing us from the notion of Buddhism as a religion, Stephen Batchelor shows us how necessary the Buddha's teachings are in today's world. It may not be what he intended, but he has made a believer out of me."—Mark Epstein, M.D., author of Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective
"Though he is a former monk in both the Zen and Tibetan traditions, Batchelor is now associated with a nondenominational Buddhist community in England. He deliberately eschews elitist, monastic Buddhist traditions, which often make enlightenment appear all but impossible to attain. Throughout, simple meditation exercises acquaint readers with Buddhist principles that illuminate 'the nature of the human dilemma and a way to its resolution.'"—Publishers Weekly
LET'S GO BACK to the beginning: to the awakening of Siddhartha Gautama, aka the Tathagata, Shakyamuni, the World Honored One-the Buddha himself. Read the first page
Concordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow. This is an excellent book!,
By
This review is from: Buddhism without Beliefs (Paperback)
This book is the most practical and cerebral book on Buddhism I have ever read. I have an urge to purchase a case of them and hand them to anyone I think can handle it, although I'll probably just end up loaning out my own copy and hoping it will find its way back to me.I own many books on Buddhism by several authors (Thich Nhat Hanh, Steve Hagen, Geshe Kelsang, the Dhali Lama, one of the Suzukis, and more...) This is the first that has presented Buddhism as a philosophy and lifestyle that can be devoid of several of the stumbling blocks that agnostics in particular find troublesome, such as reincarnation. Beyond the subject matter of the book, the author describes real life situations that are believable illustrations of the concepts he is presenting. His style is intellectual but not overbearing or highbrow. I truly regret having to put it down each evening, but not only do I need to sleep, I need to let his words churn around in my mind for a while and take root. I have already recommended this book to several friends, and will continue to.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible,
By
This review is from: Buddhism without Beliefs (Paperback)
I read other reviews before submitting mine and would like to say: This book is not an introduction to Buddhism, and I felt that Batchelor was clear that his own Western cultural influence was unavoidable.My impression: I thought it was perhaps the best Buddhist book I have read in my meager 15+ years of practice. For such a small book, it was clear, complete, and provocative. Somehow Batchelor managed to distill his thoughts into a little over 100 pages. Each sentence builds on the last, and he was able to bring me face-to-face with some very real and deep-seated fears. From my experience as a Zen Buddhist, I found him walking side by side with me through familiar territory, and then he quickens the pace, leading me to brand-new and terrifying self-examination. Had I followed my usual reading practice, I would have dog-eared this entire book. Every page invoked something fresh. But I did dog-ear one page, and went back to read it numerous times. He recommends this meditative question: "Since death alone is certain and the time of death uncertain, what should I do?" Hugs and bows.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
start on the path, then read this book,
By Argonaut (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Buddhism without Beliefs (Paperback)
I perhaps made the mistake of reading this book on Buddhism first, before any others. It resonated with me but I had difficuty grasping the complexity of the arguments without a more basic grounding in Buddhism. (For that I recommend any of the Tricyle's introductory books, John Snelling's 'Elements of Buddhism', and Jack Kornfield'd 'A Path with Heart'). I returned to book again with a more seasoned and educated mind and found it to be provocative and relevant to thinking afresh for oneself on the Buddhist Path. Batchelor reduces Buddhist principles to their essentials, sweeps away the accretions of 2,000 years of cultural dogma that have muddied the path, and shows a way for the contemporary Westernized Buddhist to proceed. An incdientally, whether on not you agree, if you appreciate good writing, this it is beautifully written book.
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