Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition

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.

We hear news reports and studies about how meditation and mindfulness improve health, reduce stress, build focus, and increase longevity, all for free. But how does one go about incorporating these activities in our lives? H. Gunaratana provides the information we need in simple, understandable English. This is not a step-by-step "Meditation for Dummies" book that simply tells us to sit and stare. Rather, the book provides a gentle introduction into the entire mindset involved. You can see that from the very first chapter - "Meditation: Why Bother?" The book takes a down to earth approach. It's like sitting down with a good friend over tea and having a relaxed talk about everything. Meditation isn't just staring at a wall. It's not necessarily easy! It takes some perseverance - but the rewards are well worth it. He explains that it's not about one particular pose. The poses are simply ones many people find can help them - but if your body doesn't allow one, that's fine! Use a pose that works well for you. We are all different. Be patient, observe, and relax. Your mind is going to swirl - that's ok. Gently release those swirls and let your mind settle again. When those normal distractions come up, use them to help you build your skills. The book provides great advice on dealing with these and with the tiny aches that might come along. These practices help you immensely in daily life, too! And that's one of the benefits of meditation - learning to handle all those ups and downs that life is all about. I enjoy this book immensely and actively recommend it to friends. Yes, it provides great information on "how" to meditate. But it goes so much deeper into why meditation and mindfulness can be helpful in each life. It helps us take stock of this life we're in, realize how impermanent our life is, and to appreciate what we have each day. Everything is always changing. Nothing stays the same. To cling to the way things are is an exercise in futility. The more we can breathe in what we have, and look forward to what comes next, the better our health, well being, and life. Well recommended.

This beautiful book is an introduction to Vipassana (or Insight) meditation. As such, it may be the best book of this genre available today. The language is clear, simple, and precise. The first chapter is certainly a superb overview of meditation and mindfulness; chapter 14 on the interrelated roles of concentration and mindfulness in meditation was extremely helpful; and the Afterward on Loving Kindness was a timely addition to the original text. There are phrases and passages within this book that stand as some of the most compelling statements of fundamental principles of Buddhism that I have ever read. Bhante G has made an enormous contribution to the western literature on Buddhism, particularly that literature directed toward those new to the practice of meditation. This volume has become a classic and will remain as such for many decades, if not centuries, to come. So, why four stars? Why not five? Why not six? The reservations I have about this book are highly personal and I doubt that many others would even notice, let alone share, these concerns. So, buy the book. Download it to your Kindle or iPad. And consider the following rantings as those of a cranky old man. First, I found Chapter 2, describing what meditation is not, to be a little disconcerting. It is sad that Bhante G (or his editors) felt it necessary to explain that the purpose of meditation is not to become a psychic, that it is not dangerous, that it is practiced by ordinary people and not just ascetics, that it is not a great way to get high, and that it will not solve all of your problems in a few short weeks. There must be people somewhere who think of meditation in these ways. That is a very scary thought. If you are not one of those people do yourself a favor and skip this chapter. Throughout the book Bhante G uses language like "see things as they really are". When he, or other Buddhist authors, use this kind of language it makes me want to scream! First, it is not necessary; he uses more descriptive and less provocative language to describe similar phenomena in other parts of his book. This promotes clarity and credibility while wild eyed claims about Reality and Truth do just the opposite. Secondly, anyone who has spent any time at all studying philosophy and science know that claims about Reality must be taken with a grain of salt. At one point in chapter 5 Bhante G does clarify what he means when he uses this language and his explanation makes sense. Unfortunately, this explanation is little more than a brief footnote and most readers, I fear, will continue to attribute the common, ordinary meaning to this language and thus misunderstand what he is saying. At another point Bhante G discusses the goal of meditation as "The perfection of all noble and wholesome qualities latent in the subconscious mind". At other points he describes the task confronting the novice practitioner in such arduous terms that one wonders why anyone would begin the journey. All of this is true, I just wish Bhante G would tone down his language a little. Also, striving for goals is antithetical to the fundamental process of meditation which is focused on the present moment and surrendering to one's immediate experiences. If there is a goal, it would be much more modest, something like gently returning your attention to your breath when you notice that it has wandered away. Bhante G devotes considerable space to meditation posture, as he should in a manual such as this. He also indicates that it is fine to sit in a chair if that works for you. At a latter point he discusses subtle mental techniques to deal with the pain that most who are new to meditation will experience with traditional postures. I used a traditional posture (Burmese) for some time, and it worked well for normal meditation session of 45 minutes or less. However, during retreats and longer periods of meditation I experienced the pain that is so common with traditional positions. At one point I realized that this pain was unnecessary and did not help my practice. So, I switched to a chair. For those who experience little or no pain during prolonged sitting and those who find the pain tolerable, or even helpful, then they should opt for a traditional position. Everyone else should opt for a chair. During his discussion of pain caused by the traditional postures Bhante G does not even mention the obvious solution, i.e. sit in a chair. This is like describing in detail how to deal with the pain in your head and neglecting to mention that you could just stop banging your head against the wall. It is assumed that if you are serious about meditation you will adopt a traditional posture, which is nonsense, particularly for beginners. Being more explicit about your options regarding posture would improve this section significantly. In Chapter 9 Bhante G provides advice regarding "set up" exercises prior to beginning a meditation session. The first (I am about to tread the very same path that has been walked by the Buddha and his great and holy disciples...) should be enough to intimidate any novice. It is a wonderful set for serious meditation, I just am not sure that it belongs in a manual for beginners. Secondly, the recitation on Loving Kindness is particularly beautiful, as anyone who has experienced it can attest. The problem is its length, almost five (admittedly short) pages on my iPad. This recitation can constitute an entire meditation session in itself. Lay practitioners must schedule meditation session(s) into their very busy days and adding this recitation may require them to substantially shorten the time for meditation proper. It would have been helpful if Bhante G had offered an alternate form of this recitation that was shorter and less time consuming. Finally, and this is a purely philosophical note, Bhate G repeatedly reminds us that Buddhism sees an extremely close, even intimate relationship between our mind and our body. At one point I believe he goes further and refers to this relationship as one of unity. This second statement is more consistent with our current understanding based on recent develments neuroscience and philosophy of mind. These disciplines are converging and a concensus (though certainly not unanimous agreement) is developing regarding the basic model of materialistic monism. Our mind and our brain are not two distinct entities, they are one. Our experience and our consciousness are not caused by or intimately related to our brain. Our experiences and our consciousness are brain states. This is a difficult concept to get your head around, but so are quantum mechanics and the general theory of relativity. As Buddhism grows in the west it is important that it has intellectual credibility. To achieve this, its language be adapted to that of modern science and philosophy. This will entail an emphasis on the unity of mind and body and the abandonment of language that suggests that the are different entities. In this respect, some of Bhante G's language could use a tune-up. All of these criticisms should be placed in the basic context that I established at the beginning of this review, i.e. this is a really great book, a classic, that will be treasured for decades. As an introduction to mindfulness and insight meditation this may be the best book ever written.

“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."

This is truly a classic, a nuts-and-bolts guide to meditation, and probably the most comprehensive one ever written in terms of advice for dealing with distractions. I have meditated and taught meditation for many years, and realized as I was reading this 20th anniversary edition that I had read it before, about 15 years ago, and found it tremendously helpful at the time, but couldn't fully appreciate everything it had to offer. Reading it now, after more years meditating and teaching, I was truly awe struck at points. He characterizes so many distractions, and methods for dealing with them, in amazing detail. I especially appreciated his descriptions of 'thinking' vs. 'sinking' mind, and his concrete suggestions for dealing with both. I also appreciated his descriptions of the difference between mindfulness and concentration, and the balance that needs to be struck between both, and what happens when they are out of balance. He covers more basic distractions as well, in terms of physical pain, and feeling bored, etc. The brilliance of this book is that it could only have been written by someone like himself that has taught meditation for so many years, and to so many different people, because it seems virtually every possible hurdle is addressed. I think it's worth noting that this is written within the context of the Vipassana Buddhist tradition, so the type of meditation taught is rooted in focus on the breath, and on mindfulness or 'insight' meditation. He does frame this instruction within a Buddhist context, and outlines the Vipassana path to awakening. However, because so much of this book is general advice on meditating, and suggestions for dealing with distractions, this book will be of value even to people who practice or teach other forms of meditation, or are coming to meditation with stress-reduction or other aims besides spiritual. I myself teach chakra/kundalini based meditation, but didn't find this diminished my appreciation for the book - most of the meditation advice would apply to almost any path. Many of the additions/edits to this 20th anniversary edition are meant to clarify the Vipassana context, so that helps with this as well.

I've read my fair share of meditation books and this one is in its own world. The author conveys everything with such clarity. No doubt that many great meditators have walked this earth and written books, but this author's ability to convey information in a way that enables the reader is just so effective. The title couldn't be more perfect. It's straightforward and direct. You can tell the author has helped thousands of meditation students because he brings up common pitfalls throughout the book that hit home, and then shows the reader how to deal with them, all the while without knowing the reader personally. Just pure experience at play. Somewhere in the beginning of the book, the author breaks down different schools of Buddhism, explains their unique properties and differences, and then talks about which one he'll be teaching. Small things like this bring so much clarity to what the reader is learning. If I could choose only one book to learn meditation or to pass on to a loved one who wants to learn, this would be it for sure. Much gratitude to the author for this gift to the world.

An amazing life-changing and wise book about watching your breath and Insight Meditation. No jargon. Simple English. Solid gold and kind advice. Even though I've been "involved with" different kinds of yoga for decades this book had so many brand new insights and ideas that sometimes I'd read a single sentence and then close the book and think about it the whole day. Thanks to this book (and also Larry Rosenberg's "Breath by Breath" which is another must read) I started to meditate regularly again. There are passages in this book that you cannot just keep on reading. You have to stop, chew it for a while and digest it before moving on. Has tons of practical tips for meditators like what to do when your legs start to hurt or go asleep. I must mention that I also loved the way the author introduced a bird's eye view of different concentration techniques that other traditions practice all over the world, from Christian prayers to Zen sitting. The author's authoritative summary in a nutshell made many disparate facts that I carried for all these years in my head settle down to a single coherent picture for which I'm grateful. After all is said and done, it's all about concentration and the state of mindfulness that is made possible by such intense concentration. This volume must be in every meditator's bookshelf. Also recommended: Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation (Shambhala Classics)

I found this book to be of significant interest, but I certainly do not subscribe to all of Buddhist theology/philosophy. I will list some concerns I have about what is presented in this book, even though I greatly value meditation as a powerful aid in efforts to achieve union with the Divine. I regard it as dubious to claim that merely by focusing on one’s breath, or by merely focusing the mind, one can overcome all human inclinations toward pride, revenge, hatred, prejudice, envy, etc. I find these statements on page 8 to be misleading: “You don’t have to force anything, struggle, obey rules dictated to you by some authority. It is automatic; you just change.” Spiritual growth is NOT AUTOMATIC. EFFORT is required. I do not think that preaching a path that precludes struggle is going to get you where you need to go. Struggling will sometimes (oftentimes?) be necessary. I also have reservations about this proclamation (page 9): “An accomplished meditator has achieved a profound understanding of life, and he or she inevitably relates to the world with a deep and uncritical love.” I’m afraid that an “uncritical love” is simply not realistic. Love requires the willingness to criticize where criticism is needed – and needed it sometimes is. On page 15, I find the following claim: “Every evil deed, every example of heartlessness in the world, stems directly from this false sense of ‘me’ as distinct from everything else.” There is a Buddhist dogma that declares that there exists NO SELF that is distinct from the rest of reality. I find this dogma to be quite incoherent. The self has a responsibility for itself that is DISTINCT from any responsibility it has for any other being or any other reality. Although the Divine Self (which the Buddhists deny exists) inheres in every other reality, there are distinctions between the Divine Will and the wills that inhere in creatures. The Divine Will is not responsible for the free choices made by individual creatures – the latter can choose in OPPOSITION to the Divine Will. The no-self philosophy of Buddhism is a lost cause. It cannot stand up to logical scrutiny. Of course, the claim that there exists no UNCHANGING self is valid. The self is forever in flux – it never persists unchanged from one moment to the next. Yet, the fundamental self does exist, and it persists, potentially eternally. I have serious doubts that a Buddhist monk had achieved spiritual perfection. But on page 43 I read the following: “Venerable Sariputta was a monk who was 100 percent mindful and had no faults. Since he did not have any pride, he was able to maintain this position.” I question whether such a monk was, indeed, truly faultless. Human achievement of spiritual perfection MIGHT be possible, but I am convinced that if such perfection is to be achieved, it will be done under the direct inspiration, direction, and empowerment of the Divine – a reality to which Buddhists do not subscribe. Notwithstanding my criticisms, I emphatically affirm the following claim from pages 42-43: “Improving ourselves is the unswerving path to the perfection that is the goal in life.” That statement is so vital and highly valid as to deserve being posted on one’s living room walls. Buddhists teach some wonderful things. Do not ignore them. But here I resume my criticisms. I find the following on page 53: “As your mindfulness develops, your resentment for the change, your dislike for unpleasant experiences, your greed for the pleasant experiences, and the notion of selfhood will be replaced by the deeper awareness of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness.” While denouncing the powerful and incessant craving to elevate the egoistic self is a proper stance, declaring the nonexistence of the self is misguided. The critical factor is to UNITE the self with the Divine – via a bringing of the self into harmony with Ultimate Reality. I will quote as follows from page 71: “What you are doing is digging your way deeper and deeper through layers of illusion toward realization of the supreme truth of existence.” In the margin of my book, I wrote: “WHAT is this ‘supreme truth of existence’???” The answer was not found, to my satisfaction, in this book, nor do I know where to find it within Buddhist theology/philosophy. A very troubling recipe is provided on page 71, as follows: “Let your meditation be a complete vacation. Trust yourself, trust your own ability to deal with these issues later, using the energy and freshness of mind that you built up during your meditation. Trust yourself in this way and it will actually occur.” Trusting the self rather than trusting the Creator is a major tenant of Buddhism. It is INCOMPATIBLE with trusting the Divine, the Creator, in Whom resides all wisdom and all power. I find the following a bit astonishing: “Seasoned meditators manage three or four hours of practice a day. They live ordinary lives in the day-to-day world, and they still squeeze it all in. It comes naturally.” I do not, quite frankly, believe that a person who has achieved humble surrender to the Infinite One is in need of spending three or four hours per day in meditation or prayer. If, however, a person stubbornly insists on achieving “enlightenment” via his/her own efforts and powers and APART FROM Divine empowerment, how much meditation might be needed? Is it a futile endeavor? No dogmatism will be offered here. I quote from page 83: “It is a procedure in which the ego will be eradicated by the penetrating gaze of mindfulness.” My question is this: From where comes this mindfulness? WHAT is the mind that “gazes”? I have more criticism for comments on page 130: “You want to get rid of those things because they bother you. It is a good deal harder to apply that same process to mental states that you cherish, like patriotism, or parental protectiveness, or true love. But it is just as necessary. Positive attachments hold you in the mud just as assuredly as negative attachments.” I believe that Buddhism fails to distinguish properly between profound love for goodness and the love for egoistic values. Love does NOT need to be vanquished. Only love for IMPROPER things, things that lead to hurt and suffering, needs to be vanquished. Love for the Divine is eternally right, good, and worthy of the highest value and honor. To love honest, creative, right achievement is worthy of praise. That kind of love does NOT need to be neutralized, but needs to be sought with humble devotion. I find the following quotations, from pages 147-148 to be troubling, if not downright diabolical: “Mindfulness is the essence of patience. Therefore, whatever you see must simply be accepted, acknowledged, and dispassionately observed. This is not easy, but it is utterly necessary. We are ignorant. We are selfish and greedy and boastful. We lust, and we lie. These are facts. Mindfulness means seeing these facts and being patient with ourselves, accepting ourselves as we are. That goes against the grain. We don’t want to accept it. We want to deny it. Or change it, or justify it. But acceptance is the essence of mindfulness. If we want to grow in mindfulness, we must accept what mindfulness finds.” I strongly disagree with the idea that we should accept our faults without proper efforts to correct and eradicate them. Merely becoming aware of the faults will not necessarily correct them. The aim, even in Buddhism, is the perfection of character. How are we going to achieve it? Does uncritical acceptance of weaknesses and faults automatically alleviate the faults? I fear that it does not. I do wholeheartedly concur that honest acknowledgement of the realities we encounter is vital, but to uncritically acknowledge errors and faults is to fail to properly censure them. An interesting set of statements is found on page 165: “This is a simplified, rudimentary awareness that is stripped of all extraneous detail. It is grounded in a living flow of the present, and it is marked by a pronounced sense of reality. You know absolutely that this is real, more real than anything you have ever experienced.” My questions center on exactly WHAT this reality is that is MORE REAL than anything else ever experienced. I declare that this Reality is none other than Ultimate Reality – the Divine Realm to Whom we can choose to humbly surrender our stubborn human egos and wills. Buddhists fail to acknowledge this Divine. How serious is that omission? Is it spiritually fatal? Let the Creator Himself answer – I am unqualified to dogmatize. Now for my final quotation from this problematic book: “You find thoughts but no thinker, you find emotions and desires, but nobody doing them. The house is empty. There is nobody home.” I declare this to be a GRAVE ERROR in Buddhism. The glorious Divine is anything but “nobody”. The Divine is infinitely aware, and He gives finite awareness to many separate beings. They are separate from, but can be harmonized with, the Divine.

Great book

The book deal with a very complex subject in an extremely simple way. I regret that I did not buy it before. But....never is too late!

Life altering book!!! if you are one of those who says/thinks - meditation is 'bakwas' and is only for 'babaji log', just try it! Must read for anyone contemplating on trying meditation OR looking for sharper focus and better memory. peacefulness and happiness are some of the side benefits! However, the real benefit is beyond the reach of words/expressions... can't be explained, can only be perceived directly! (to understand the challenge of describing, consider explaining what vision is, to a blind person who is blind by birth!) creates a crystal clear view in reader's mind about what meditation is and what it is not! and how to do it- step by step guide. no 'baba ji like preaching'. it's like a scientist explaining to make us understand what, how, why of meditation. it teaches the technique for doing meditation very beautifully, in a convincing manner. It removes the doubts even before they arise in your mind (while you attempt to do meditation). It presents a very simplistic view about meditation- takes away confusing/religious part. It answers questions that may come to a beginners mind. It prepares so well that person can face the hurdles (in practice of meditation) with confidence and overcomes that. I learnt meditation from it around 2-3 years back and practicing the same since then. i greatly benefitted from it. and now i am trying to spread this technique to as many people as i can.. by verbally sharing, and by gifting/sharing this book. only caution/tip i would like to share, about meditation, is: you have to be consistent and persistent (at least for few weeks)! It may appear futile in the beginning.. but you would be able to perceive the effect/benefits after a month or so. just keep at it.. benefits will surely come! I began with just 5 minutes a day... and that's perhaps why i could continue for several weeks..after which positive effects, kicked in and provided the necessary motivation. Most people give up just too early... and deprive themselves of the great benefits it brings at near zero cost!

Der Autor beschreibt in einfacher Sprache die Vipassana Meditation. Keine Vorkenntnisse erforderlich. Sehr praktisches Buch, du kannst sofort loslegen, sehr viele anregende Impulse, leicht zu lesen und auch sehr interessant, ja fesselnd geschrieben. Bin sehr angetan davon.

I bought this book after realising I have some unhealthy thought patterns which I'd like to address. This book has taught me a lot so far, from reading alone there are ideas in there which stick with you, they may not have a dramatic effect on your life but they still make you think. This is where the practice of meditation comes in, the book clearly expresses the steps required to achieve mindfulness and how to apply it to everyday life. Since practicing this I have noticed subtle changes in the way I think, for the better of course! It is recommended you meditate at least once a day and only the amount of time you feel comfortable with, it is very easy to skip a day however but don't worry! This book is about learning to live in the now without the regrets of the past and the worries of the future and to look at situations without bias but with wisdom. This is a life long practice but it is an enjoyable one, I would certainly recommend!