Customer Reviews

Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition

5 star:		(50)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One third of what you will learn about meditation will come from your teachers and your fellow class and retreat meditators; one third from yourself on your own patient journey - and one third from a good book. That book will sometimes seem the least important third, sometimes the most important part. Having read a shelf full, I find, Mindfulness in Plain English, to be the best available how to meditate guide - it is well written, clear, graceful and it covers all the issues tackled elsewhere.

But it leaves out much advice that would have made it much better. 90% of those starting a meditation class drop out - meditation teachers such as Gunaratana rarely seek to find out why and so the small things that get in the way of even the most determined intentions. A good meditation book must tackle them - and Gunaratana like every writer does so only partially.

Here is a list of a few of things that could be added.

A beginner requires equipment to handle the 20, 30 or 40 minute duration of their meditation -- for example, a timer used in cooking (under something to dim its unpleasant alarm sound), or a CD burnt with silent tracks that end with one of bells. After a few months, time can be estimated by looking at a watch but in the initial days such checking just adds an additional and an unnecessary burden.

Ear plugs (motor cyclist shops and internet sites are a good source), or ear muffs (internet sites again check for Bilsom or Peltor brands) might be an idea. Again after a few months, distracting sounds of kids, power tools, TVs in other rooms etc are not a problem, and can even add to the practice, but in the initial stages they add that extra difficulty.

I guess that half of those that drop out would not if they were better prepared about these and other small practical issues.

Also forget ideas about lotus positions, sitting Buddhas and Nirvana. Instead it is as if you have an old fashioned radio in your head. What is called 'meditation' is simply slowly and patiently learning how to shift its dial off its noisy stations. As you sit, you will find the radio dial keeps drifting back on to news or entertainment broadcasters. But carefully - the radio is delicate and needs a loving touch - you move using a focus upon your breath the dial back to silence. Slowly as you learn to move off the main stations your awareness becomes more sensitive. What was once emptiness is now discovered to be filled with the noise of distant stations and even static. Patiently with increasing tenderness and gentleness you keep moving the dial until you find yourself in awareness not of a silent radio but where you are.

This kind of nonBuddhist practical advice is not in this book - or any other. Meditation books do not get written ground up from the problems that cause people to drop out. Nor do they give the practical tips that are soon forgotten by experienced meditators but that beginners need to stay the initial course. Sorry about being so negative about Gunaratana - you will not find a better book. Buy it, retake that mediation class that was dropped or never continued. But do not think meditation has yet to be written about in the way it should.

Based mainly on the strength of the many 5-star reviews at Amazon.com, I purchased this book. While the price was not too bad, the author says he intends to write a simple "how-to" guide to meditation. While it is in many aspects simple, it is over-written. The structure is simple, while his choice of vocabulary is not. He chooses $5 words, when a $.25 word would be fine. The information could have been presented in a more concise manner, and the book could have been written in one-half to one-third as much space without losing any salient content.

While the "how-to" content was sufficient, the author's rambling was distracting. After a while, I found myself ultimately having to skim for the morcels of good stuff.

To the author: Please, next time, spare the editorialising and overuse of adjectives. I also purchased, but have yet to read, "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness : Walking the Buddha's Path" (by this author). I hope it does not contain as many words serving only to fill space. I shall review that book after I read it.

I've been doing meditation for several years. In China the same method is called "zhi-guan" (stop and watch).

Looking back, I found what I experienced very much like what's described in the book. Some may be waiting ahead. I hope I had this book earlier thus I didn't need to waste so much time correcting lots of problems in the practicing/searching process.

Finally a few comments:
0. Zen is all about exploring by yourself. If you listen to somebody, put him at the same level as you thus you'll scrutinize his oponion using your own ideas and experiences.

1. Meditation is about release, not about constraint. You can't supress your desire (unless with some surgery). Instead you should understand that desire is totally valid if not good. Watching the necessity of the body, just don't be moved by it. Try to get rid of your desire may bring mental problems.

2. There's an analogy from Miyamoto Musashi about the heart of Zen, "a mirror in deep water".

As stated on page 1 of this book, this is a "how to" manual. It does not expound on the philosophy and theoretical aspects of Buddhism (as is also stated on the first page), but instead explains how one can start the practice of meditation. The concept of mindfulness as the practice of "living in the moment" is presented in an engaging, conversational manner.

The first chapter, "Meditation: Why Bother?" establishes the tone that meditation is an effective means to profoundly change the way one approaches life. I happen to follow a faith other than Buddhism, and the principles put forth in this book have a universal appeal that should alienate no one. Additionally, the writing has a contemporary style and the subject is presented as a practice that anyone can cultivate and apply to their daily lives. This is impressive when one considers the author was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1939 at the age of twelve.

Chapters two and three describe what meditation is and what it isn't, giving beginners a clear idea of what they can expect from the rest of the book (and from insight meditation in general). The remainder of the text lays out the specifics of the practice such as how to sit, how to focus on the breath and how to deal with problems and distractions. The final sixty-or-so pages discuss the concept of mindfulness and its application in everyday life, both as a means of self-regard and for the development of relations with others.

I highly recommend this book with its clear, engaging instruction and straightforward presentation of mindfulness meditation. It would be a worthy addition to the collection of anyone interested in this topic.

This is a good book but IMO some of the language is anything but plain English. For example, Mr. Gunaratana writes:

1. Mindfulness sees the true nature of all phenomena.
2. It is mindfulness that notices the change.
3. Mindfulness is non-superficial awareness. It sees things deeply down below the level of concepts and opinions.
4. Mindfulness is not trying to achieve anything. It is just looking. Mindfulness simply accepts whatever is there.

In plain English we clarify the subject and predicate. How can mindfulness see, notice or accept anything? Surely the meditator is the one doing the seeing, noticing, and accepting. I would prefer it if the author had written:

1. When we are mindful we see the true nature of all phenomena.
2. When mindful, we notice the changes.
3. Mindfulness is non-superficial awareness. It helps us see things deeply down below the level of concepts and opinions.
4. We are not trying to achieve anything. We are just looking. When practising mindfulness we simply accept whatever is there.

Personification is definitely not plain English as it obscures the actor--in this case the individual practicing mindfulness.

Another problem I had was with the affirmations Mr. Gunaratana asks the reader to repeat at the beginning of each meditation session. For example: "May I be well, happy, and peaceful. May no harm come to me. May no DIFFICULTIES come to me. May no PROBLEMS come to me. May I always meet with success. May I also have patience, courage, understanding, and determination to meet and overcome inevitable DIFFICULTIES, PROBLEMS and failures of life."

Is the author pulling his punches here? May no difficulties come to me AND may I be able to meet and overcome the difficulties of life? Is there some serious cognitive dissonance going on here or is it just me? Instead, how about this variation of a Tony Robbins affirmation: "Everything happens for a reason and a purpose, and it serves me. May I have the patience, courage, understanding, and determination to skillfully deal with what happens."

Having said the above, I did get one huge insight from the book. The author claims that, "Seated meditation itself is not the game. It's the practice. The game in which these basic skills are to be applied is the rest of one's experiential existence." This was quite an important realization for me. Somehow or other I had mistakenly seen the practice of meditation as the game and my day-to-day life as the practice.

According to the author, "The most important moment in meditation is the instant you leave the cushion." As someone who practices vipassana this was advice I definitely needed. Daily living is surely far more important than time on the cushion. How could I have mixed those wires up!

There were also other interesting insights such as, "We are simply not paying enough attention to notice that we are not paying attention." All in all this is a good book, IMO though, it just needs a little more plain English.

I was so impressed that someone who has English as their second language could be so clear about such deep topics. I loved this book and am giving it to many of my friends. There are other books on Buddhism that I have read and liked, but which got bogged down in stuff that made me want to go to sleep. I never felt that way here, although I'm sure Gunraratana could be very esoteric if he wanted to be. I'd highly recommend it as a guide to being more in each moment and living life to the fullest.

Mindfulness is not an easy concept to explain in words yet H. Gunaratana does a nice job of doing just that. First and foremost, this book is a beginner's guide to the practice of Vipassana (or Insight) meditation. Having it's roots in the Gutama Buddha's life over 2500 years ago, Vipassana meditation is a skill that takes only a short while to learn but a lifetime of dedication to master.

The introduction gives a brief look at the roots of the practice and tells the reader that meditation is intrinsically experiential so the best way to get started is to just sit and try it. In the following chapters, Gunaratana helps the reader to understand exactly what meditation is and what it isn't. From there he goes into more detailed instructions as to what your mind and body should be doing while you meditate. This is accompanied with useful tips on dealing with problems that may arise in your practice, including the 5 major hindrances that nearly all meditators face. The book wraps up with a more in depth look at exactly what "mindfulness" is and how to "take it from the cushion" and integrate it into our daily lives.

I found this book very easy to read and understand and feel it would be an excellent guide for people just getting into Buddhism and meditation. Already being the owner of a collection of books on Buddhism, this book didn't offer any new revelations but I was extrememly pleased with the sections on mindfulness and have already used some of the author's suggestions on integrating it into daily life. The main reason I did not give the book 5 stars is because it offers much more for the new reader than it does for one with more experience.

If you buy this book and still feel like you could use more detailed instructions on meditation, I recommend you also purchase "Change Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Buddhist Meditation" by Paramananda (ISBN: 0904766810).

This book is absolutly brilliant. It's written so clearly and concisely. The author speaks to his audience (you) as if you're in his living room having a cup of tea! I am not an overly spiritual person but I do suffer with a lot of anxiety and the pain that goes with that and I'm also very open minded about other ways of thinking. It just spoke to me from the very first page. If you suffer with any kind of stress or tension (who doesnt?!) then get this book. Even if you don't want to try the meditation, it will open your mind to another way of thinking.

This is the clearest, most useful explanination of how and why to meditate I have ever read. Read this book, put it into practice, and improve your life beyond your wildest imaginations! Highly recommended.

Well written, easy to read and practical. Provided volumes of helpful tools to assist with anyone's practice. With this resource the new and experienced will save time by missing the experience of many pitfalls and detours that usually arise in one's practice. A must read for anyone interested in the topic!