Customer Reviews

What Is Meditation?: Buddhism for Everyone

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As its subtitle suggests, this handsome little book is really an introduction to Buddhism for the general reader, and is not a discourse on the nature of meditation. Part One is "An Introduction to Buddhism" and Part Two, "An Introduction to Meditation." The question "What is Meditation?" is addressed on page 56, and the following answer given: "Meditation is the process of learning to work skillfully with the mind in a way that will lead by successive stages to tranquillity, insight, spontaneous purification and the total liberation from all negative states." As such, this very general definition will do just fine, although an understanding of what "total liberation from all negative states" might mean is something that comes only after a long practice. Additionally, as revealed in the next paragraph and on the following pages, there are "many different systems and methods of meditation," and the one "dealt with here" is called "Insight meditation." Incidentally, the last two words are the title of a book by Joseph Goldstein, who was one of author Rob Nairn's teachers.

Buddhist generally insist on adding "insight" to meditation because the process of Buddhism itself is predicated on insight into the human predicament leading to action toward liberation. What Buddhism says in a nutshell is that there is suffering, that there is a way out of the suffering, and this is what it is. So taught the Buddha nearly twenty-six hundred years ago. This book emphasizes the compassionate nature of Buddhism while giving a quick outline of the general principles of the religion, followed by an outline of the Buddha's teaching. In the section on meditation there are twenty or so pages to guide the reader into how it is done. As someone who has practiced meditation for many years, I can tell you that this method will work, but the important thing to understand about meditation is that it is a practice, an acquired skill that takes a while to learn. Once learned it can be let go of easily in the hustle and bustle of daily living, but once mastered and completely entered into, it becomes an essential part of our lives and transforms us.

While this book does not completely fulfill the promise of the title (meditation varies for every individual and indeed over time varies for each of us), nonetheless it is valuable as a clear, concise introduction to one of the great world religions.

Rob Nairn's book was first published by a small independent publisher in South Africa. This year Shambala re-published it. To have Shambala publish "another" book on meditation implies that it is a "great little book". The book simply, clearly and easily sets out the basics of Buddhism as a basis for and introduction to meditation. For people who have not met Buddhism before, it is a gentle start (for advanced or knowledgeable people it might be a disappointment). The book's main focus is Meditation and how and where to start. Rob clearly and simply lays out the basics and makes the mystery of meditation plain for all to see and practise. I use the book as reference and reminder on how to continue and improve my daily meditative practise. I highly recommend the book for first timers and for those who want to be reminded and refreshed about the basics. And from humble a perspective - we are all just beginning and this book is therefore a must buy.

Most books on meditation I've read find it necessary to include lengthy descriptions of Buddhism in all its varieties, as well as detailed and sometimes obstruse explanatinos of the Buddhist way. This short work is an exception. Nairn sticks to the bare bone basics of how to, with only the least necessary smattering of history and philosophy. The accompanying photographs - one simple one per chapter - are an appropriate and effective extra that helps set the tone for the text.

This was the first book I read on Buddhism, and while it covered the basics adequately, overall, I found it very lacking.

Nairn gives an overview of the essentials and differing schools of Buddhism, but I found little which I could bring into everyday life. Personally, I found that "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Buddhism" was a much, much better book. Don't let the "Idiot's Guide" title throw you off, as I almost did; it's a really comprehensive, well-flowing book.

Nairn's book feels more academic and a bit colder to me - if I wanted to write a term paper about Buddhism, I would get Nairn; however, if I wanted to begin living Buddhism, I would still get the "Idiot's Guide," by Gary Gach.

The Nairn is a quick read (I read it in one bathtub sitting,) so if you're looking for something short to give you the basics, this may work for you - but, if you want to go on to better understand and practice Buddhism, you'll surely want to pick up a more involved and detailed book.

This was my first book on meditation and Buddhism. "What is Meditation?" is geared toward a reader like my self. It is a great book to introduce ones self to Buddhism. If you like this book, go on to bigger books which are more in depth on the subject. The book seems to touch all the bases with the tip of its toes on the Buddha's teaching and the practice of meditation. The book will teach you to accept your self and your world to make the best use of it. It offers an ideal perspective one should try to see the world through. I haven't tried any of the three meditation exercises that the book teaches, but they are all very simply instructed and easy to follow. If you want to learn about Buddhism, but don't want to commit to a very long book, this is for you.

When I first read this several weeks ago, I was quite pleased to find a book that set forth the nature and meaning of meditation, and also of Buddhism, in a clear and simple way. However, after reading "The Feeling Buddha" by David Brazier, I see that Nairn presents a totally inadequate interpretation of the Buddha's teaching. The fact that it is the traditional, so-called "orthodox" interpretation does not help. Because this interpretation begins with a misunderstanding of dukkha (affliction) in the First Noble Truth, it is downhill from there. The gist is that suffering can be extinguished, which simply defies all experience. It is a fruitless sort of Buddhism that is presented here, one which implicitly denies the value of life. Nairn is associated with Tibetan Buddhism, which, because of its cultural proximity to India, incorporated Hindu doctrines of reincarnations into its thought. Nairn says that the first of the Four (Preliminary) reflections is "precious human birth." This incarnation is precious because it affords us the opportunity to attain enlightenment and thus end the cycle of rebirth. Birth means existence, so on this interpretation it seems that life is not desirable. Who needs that sort of thinking? And the presentation is not even complete. It does not have to be exhaustive, but it should not be sketchy either. For example, Nairn simply mentions in passing that to become a Buddhist means to take "refuge." But he does not do much to explain what this means, and does not tell us that you take refuge in three things: the Buddha (the historical Buddha and the Buddha nature in yourself and all beings), the Dharma (the historical teachings and their manifestation in the world), and the Sangha (all persons past and present who follow the Middle Way). Bottom line is that the presentation is incomplete and the interpretation of the teachings of the Buddha inadequate.