Customer Reviews

Simple Buddhism: A Guide to Enlightened Living (Simple Series)

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This accessible introduction to Buddhist thought and practices shows readers both how the mindful life is lived and how they can use these revered principles to promote harmony in their own lives. In addition to cornerstones such as the Four Noble Truths, the authors include meditation exercises for filling and clearing the mind, transcending negative experience, resolving conflict, and achieving inner balance.

"Simple Buddhism" starts with a brief history of Buddhism and gives readers a perspective of the various philosophies that have evolved from the roots of Buddhism. More importantly it a useful guide to getting enjoyment out of every day life. It provides a framework for thinking, feeling, and coping with our world as well as a "how-to" primer on meditation.

This book offers a great introduction to Buddhism. It puts it in context with a clear history and interesting review of sutras. The themes give you a good sense of what Buddhism deals with. The third section is a very easy to follow guide to get you started. Buddhism can get you in touch with yourself and your life, to wake up! This book beautifully introduces the reader to these important ideas and methods as it also guides in applying them to life. I have read all the other books by the Simpkins in this series and found each one useful. I am looking forward to their new release, Buddhism in Ten: Easy Lessons for Spiritual Growth.

I had learned before that the path of happiness wasnt exactly the same as the path of a specific goal, and that attachment to goals can cause trouble when multiple goals contradict, and arent seen clearly. From here, I was in a unique position to see how the mind sets up dualities, gets caught up in specifics, and suffers, as this book taught. Two weeks after starting this book, reading the phrase "no-mind" i realised that we naturally, when mindful, gravitate to wisdoms' way, and that there is no need for suffering, only to acknowledge pains purpose. This book is systematic, non-mystical in its communication, using scientific and psychological frameworks to show why the mind feels pain, and why when clung to suffers. Since this book shows the key principles in the different methods of enlightment, i believe this book to be a better starting point then say a zen book, or a tantric or faith based book, though all these are good when the general notions of buddhism are understood.

This is a clear and effective guide to Buddhism 101 but much less wordy or unserious as a "Dummies"-type guide. The first part is about the history of Buddhism, which isn't the most interesting thing I ever read, but was informative. Part 2 is about basic Buddhist themes, such as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Part 3 is about putting Buddhism into practice in one's daily life and is very practical and patient.

If you're already at the intermediate level with Buddhism, this will be too simple for you. But if you've only learned meditation or had a general idea about Buddhism, this is very enlightening and concise.