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Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

Mindfulness in Plain English Paperback – September 6, 2011

by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (Author)

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“A masterpiece.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness in Plain English was first published in 1994, is one of the bestselling — and most influential — books in the field of mindfulness. It’s easy to see why.

Author Bhante Gunaratana, a renowned meditation master, takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. The book showcases Bhante’s trademark clarity and wit as he explores the tool of meditation, what it does, and how to make it work.

This book is:

A best-selling introduction to mindfulness
Full of practical advice on developing a meditation practice
Written in approachable, clear language
Containing chapters on loving-kindness and concentration

The reader can gain deeper understanding, inner peace, and clarity through meditation practice with the thoughtful guidance of this classic book. Written for those without any meditation background, but also an essential handbook for established students, Mindfulness in Plain English is a must-have for anyone exploring the benefits of Buddhist meditation.

This expanded edition includes the complete text of its predecessor along with a new chapter on cultivating loving kindness, an especially important topic in today’s world. For anyone who is new to meditation, this is a great resource for learning how to live a more productive and peaceful life.

“The ‘you’ that goes in one side of the meditation experience is not the same ‘you’ that comes out the other side.” —Bhante Gunaratana in Mindfulness in Plain English

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A masterpiece." (Jon Kabat-Zinn)

"A classic--one of the very best English sources for authoritative explanations of mindfulness." (Daniel Goleman)

"Of great value to newcomers... especially people without access to a teacher." (Larry Rosenberg, author of Breath by Breath)

"This book is the bible of mindfulness." (Barry Boyce, editor of Mindful magazine and The Mindfulness Revolution)

"Wonderfully clear and straightforward." (Joseph Goldstein, author of A Heart Full of Peace)

"Pithy and practical." (Shambhala Sun)

"Jargon-free." (USA Today)

"Among the very best." (Tricycle)

"A classic." (Inquiring Mind)

"Profound...a classic interpretation of Vipassana meditation practice." (The Middle Way)

About the Author

Bhante Gunaratana was ordained at the age of twelve as a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, earned his PhD in philosophy from The American University, and has led meditation retreats, taught Buddhism, and lectured widely throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana is the president of the Bhavana Society in High View, West Virginia, where he lives.

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Wisdom Publications; Anniversary edition (September 6, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0861719069
ISBN-13: 978-0861719068
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 471 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3 in Theravada Buddhism (Books)
- #13 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Books)
- #106 in Meditation (Books)

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J. GrayTop Contributor: Makeup

The tools for mindfulness meditation

July 27, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a very Zen approach to mindfulness meditation. I t is easy to read and understand...but it can't make a busy mind slow down for meditation. That's up to me, and this book has given me the tools.

5 people found this helpful

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Saeah

Both a great orientation and refresher on mindfulness and meditation

May 2, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

“We are simply not paying enough attention to notice that we are not paying attention.”

I have a meticulous system for taking notes when I read, but it didn’t work with Mindfulness in Plain English. Underlining 90% of the book doesn’t help highlight the most important lessons. This is the best book on mindfulness and meditation that I’ve read to date.

I read this book as a meditation refresher several years after I started meditating. I expected to take away a few tips on how to breathe better, how to deal with feeling sleepy and how to cope with pain and numb legs. I didn’t expect all the profound insight on the true meaning of mindfulness.

This book tells you what meditation is and what it isn’t. If you have an allergy to the word meditation, this is probably the book to start with because as the title indicates, it’s in plain English. There’s very little of the type of lingo that tends to turn a lot of people away from meditation. The book discusses things like loving kindness in a way that is approachable and understandable. It gives concrete tips on how to deal with some of the challenges you face not only during meditation, but in life. I had so many ah-ha moments that I actually started saying “ah-ha” while reading it.

Even though this book is centered on a Buddhist meditation practice called Vipassana, or insight, meditation, the book felt secular to me. You can get a lot out of it regardless of your religious or non-religious affiliation.

Even if you never plan to meditate, this book is still worth reading. If you’ve ever had anxiety or depression, if you ever get nervous or antsy, if you have difficulties concentrating, if you get distracted easily, read this book. If you’ve ever felt jealous, resentful, or just a little out of control, read this book. If you have regrets about the past or feel uncertain about the future, read this book. If you think you’re too busy to read, read this book.

Both a great orientation for those who are new to meditation and mindfulness and a refresher for seasoned meditators. It's a book I'll read again and again. Highly recommended. 10/10.

"We view impermanent things as permanent, though everything is changing all around us. The process of change is constant and eternal."

64 people found this helpful

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M. Smith

One of the best "How-to" books ever written explaining mindfulness and Buddhist meditation, written in an engaging style

October 7, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Mindfulness in Plain English is one the very best books written as an introduction to mindfulness and Buddhist meditation. It is far more than simply in introduction to meditation. It is a masterfully explained “how to” handbook, a nuts and bolts kind of map, that walks you through how to meditate and deal with the many typical obstacles which virtually all people deal with as they begin and progress. What sets this book apart from other leading books in this category, is that Bhante Gunaratana is from the Theravada Buddhist tradition, classicly trained and ordained in the form of practice he calls Vipassana, which places great emphasis on mindfulness. He explains, “Vipassana is the oldest of Buddhist meditation practices. The method comes directly from the Satipatthana Sutta, a discouorse attributed to the Buddha himself.”

Bhante Gunaratana writes with a very engaging and relaxed style, which makes the book easy to follow and even humorous at times. He speaks with candor and right from the beginning he emphasizes that, “Meditation is not easy. It takes time and energy. It also takes grit, determination and discipline.” But, then he goes on to emphasize that meditation should be rejuvenating and liberating, and in fact, that most seasoned practitioners have a good sense of humor, because the practice creates a calmness and relaxed perspective about life. The author’s explanations about key concepts is stated in a fresh manner, for instance explaining that the word “suffering” in Buddhism needs to be thoroughly understood to realize that in the original Pali language it does not just mean agony of the body, but that it also means a sense of dissatisfaction that is typical of what all people deal with on a daily basis. He also emphasizes that Vipassana, unlike some other Buddhist traditions, ranks mindfulness and awareness right up beside concentration as a means to liberation. Thus a great part of the focus of meditation is a combination of concentration and mindfulness.

The author takes the time to explain differences in approach between Vipassana Buddhism and other forms, such as classic Mahayana sects like Zen Buddhism and Tibetan traditions. The other key element to this book is the great detail he goes into to explain precisely how to meditate, breaking it down regarding not using any mental recitations at all to help your focus, (which is something some other forms suggest you do). He explains multiple ways to help you focus through counting your breaths in different manners, emphasizing that different ways work for different people. And always, he emphasizes to be gentle with yourself and stay calm and patient as you experiment and practice. This last point is something he emphasizes again and again, making sure we understand that if our practice is causing suffering then we are clearly not practicing correctly. He addresses how to plan your practices and how to deal with common things such as your legs falling asleep, boredom, distractions, discouragement, drowsiness and inability to concentrate.

43 people found this helpful

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Nancy Pace

Beautifully readable, down-to-earth

February 13, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Beautifully readable, down-to-earth, and full of wisdom without being esoteric and all mysterious. Tells mindfulness like it is, in all the ways it can work for you. The guy is legit (he sounds like a lovely American writer--no awkward English) and he's definitely an open-minded, non-sectarian Buddhist. Very useful, very helpful, very wise. - from a longtime explorer of Buddhist wisdom and many other spiritualities too, over 40 years.) This is the one you want (I've heard it recommended many times!)

11 people found this helpful

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FitFan

Don't be fooled - this book can be simple for beginner but if you look beyond own self - it's deeper than you could hope for

June 12, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I know we all hear this all the time and it's very subjective but.... this book has moved me so much deeper into the levels of my meditation. One reviewer said it's way to simple - meant for beginners only. This is a disservice. It CAN be for a beginner but if there is a seasoned meditator like myself - there is so much to get out of this book, you're just not open to it. Prejudging or thinking you're beyond. This book is excellent. I also hear he is repetitive... uuhhmm yes, that is the way we get it drummed into our busy non-paying attention minds. This book in no way is a quick read through. I have read it through several times now, and by one page a day and really think and apply what he is trying to teach us. Please, if your even thinking about it, try this book. Remember - you can get as much and so very much as you want or you can prejudge what it may appear to be and lose out big time..

21 people found this helpful

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