[Spiritual Practice] Vipassana "Mindfulness" Meditation — The Contemplative Life.

Vipassana "Mindfulness" Meditation — The Contemplative Life.



Vipassana “Mindfulness” Meditation


Vipassana, also often referred to as mindfulness or insight meditation, is a form of Buddhist meditation in which one strives to non-judgmentally observe their present moment experience. This type of meditation is derived in large part from the Satipatthana Sutta, which is a discourse attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha. Right Mindfulness is the seventh branch of the traditional Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path.


Method





To begin vipassana, the meditator takes a traditional posture, usually either the Burmese lotus, half lotus, or full lotus pose. If these positions cause significant discomfort, the meditator can simply sit in a firm chair. The most important part of any pose is to have a straight back and put the body in a "relaxed but attentive" position. Body position affects the mind, and a position that is too relaxed or too stiff can cause difficulty.

Once seated and settled, typical instructions are to begin by following the sensations relating to the breath. One point of focus for the attention is the sensation of the air passing through your nostrils and on your lip as you breathe in and breathe out through the nose. Another potential point of focus is the sensation of the abdomen expanding and contracting with the breath. Spend some time with the sensations associated with the breath as the meditation begins.

After spending some time following the breath, the goal is to open the awareness to all physical and mental phenomena that arise. This includes the physical sensations of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell, and the mental sensations of thought and emotion. Thoughts and emotions are treated in the exact same way as any physical sensation. For all phenomena that arise, simply be aware of it, note it, and then be open to what arises next. The state reached using this technique is sometimes called "bare awareness."

Some teachers use the practice of "labeling" phenomena as they arise. For instance, when the meditator feels a tingle in their knee, they label the sensation "tingling" and move on. When the sensation of the foot pressing against the floor presents itself, the meditator labels the sensation "pressure" and moves on. The practice of labeling during vipassana is dependent on the teacher. Some teachers will also use guided meditations (see this example from Joseph Goldstein) in which they lead students through a "body scan," or even a "sensation scan" (i.e. in addition to physical "touch" sensations, this will include sounds, smells, tastes, visual phenomena, mental phenomena, etc.). These guided meditations help the meditator realize how much they are actually experiencing at any given moment by having them focus on each sensation separately.

Like almost all meditation practices, the instructions for vipassana often differ based on the teacher. It might be best to think of vipassana not as a single technique, but as a variety of similar techniques. The goal that is generally trying to be reached is "bare awareness of the present moment."


Analogies


It is sometimes helpful to use analogies to compare meditation techniques as not all techniques are alike. The following are two popular illustrations of vipassana.


Standing Behind the Waterfall: One analogy that is often used to describe vipasanna is that of a waterfall. In the analogy, the waterfall represents all the mental and physical phenomena that are experienced. The sensations of sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, thought, emotion, etc. are constantly streaming, constantly changing. Normally we are "in the stream" (i.e. we don't notice the sensations; we, in a sense, "are" the sensations). The goal of vipassana is to stand underneath and behind the waterfall, watching the stream of phenomena from a detached viewpoint. This "detachment" or "distance" from the phenomena that arise is characteristic of vipassana mediation.


Boats on a River: Another analogy that has been used to describe vipassana in comparison to other meditation practices is the picture of "boats on a river." In this analogy, the boats represent thoughts and sensations. In some types of meditation (Centering Prayer, TM, etc.), the goal is to become a scuba diver and dive deep, to the bottom of the water. In these types of meditation, when one realizes that they get caught up in a boat (i.e. thought or sensation), they swim back down to the depths. In vipassana, the goal of the scuba diver is to get just beneath the surface of the water, and then turn back up, watching the boats as they pass. Thus, in this form of meditation, you are not going "deep within yourself," but simply watching your experiences on a moment by moment basis as they pass.


The Marks of Existence


Vipassana meditation is sometimes called Insight meditation, and one of the traditional aims of the practice is to gain "insight" into the fundamental nature of reality – sometimes referred to as the Three Marks of Existence. The Three Fundamental Marks of Existence, according to Buddhist thought (found in the Dhammapada and elsewhere), are dukkha, anicca, and anatta.


Dukkha: Dukkha is usually translated as suffering or unsatisfactoriness, and refers to the idea that life is not inherently satisfactory. From Buddhist perspective, there is an element of dukkha in everything. Dukkha is clearly seen in "bad events" – illness, death, etc. – but unsatisfactoriness is also seen as marking positive events, for they will soon pass. More generally, it seems that we are constantly desiring things to make us happy, but when we get what we want, we aren't fully satisfied. We go on wanting and craving. Dukkha is also the First Noble Truth of Buddhism.


Anicca: Anicca is usually translated as impermanence. Nothing in life lasts indefinitely and phenomena are always in flux. Life itself is impermanent.


Anatta: Anatta is usually translated as "no-self" or egolessness. This is perhaps one of the most controversial of Buddhist doctrines – the idea that there is no "self" – there simply is phenomena. When phenomena become "bundled" we come under the illusion that we are a separate entity. In vipassana, the high degree of focus on actual physical and mental phenomena supposedly leads one to this experience of "no-self."


Through vipassana, the meditator is supposed to realize these Three Marks of Existence in their own experience.


Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)


Vipassana, probably more than any other meditative practice, has become unbundled from its religious structure (see this Buddhist Geeks podcast for an interesting perspective on this) and is often marketed as a therapeutic technique (helping with depression, anxiety, etc.) or as a way to reduce stress. Psychological benefits of mindfulness practice are reported to include:



Reduced rumination


Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety


Stress reduction


Increase in working memory


Increased focus


Less emotional reactivity


Improved social relationships


See the American Mindfulness Research Association for more on MBCT and MBSR.





Resources


Print
Bhante Gunaratana, Mindfulness in Plain English. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2011.
Joseph Goldstein, Mindfulness. Boulder: Sounds True, 2013.
Bhikkhu Bodhi, The Noble Eightfold Path. Onalaska: Pariyatti, 1984.
Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness. Boston: Beacon Press, 1975.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
Dan Harris, 10% Happier. New York: HarperCollins, 2014.

Audio/Video
Mindfulness: What it Is and What it Isn’t – Joseph Goldstein
The Three Marks of Existence
60 Minutes on Mindfulness
Mindfulness Meditation and the Brain
Mindfulness is a Superpower

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With over 520 million followers, Buddhism is now the world's fourth largest religion. Over the last seventy years or so there has been a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West, who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs.



For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West. In this Very Short Introduction, Damien Keown explores how Buddhism approaches a range of moral issues of our age, including our relationship with our environment, our treatment of animals, and our stance on abortion, on sexuality and gender, on violence and war. This new edition also includes a discussion of the ethical challenges posed by cutting-edge developments in science and biomedical technologies, including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and gene editing.

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Damien Keown


Damien Keown is Emeritus Professor of Buddhist Ethics at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His research interests centre on the study of contemporary moral problems from a Buddhist perspective. He is co-founder of The Journal of Buddhist Ethics and the author of the best-selling 'Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction' and 'Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction', both from Oxford University Press.

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The latter half of the twentieth century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West, and publications on the subject are few and far between. Here, Damien Keown, author of Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction, illustrates how Buddhism might approach a range of fascinating moral issues ranging from abortion and suicide to cloning.
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From the Publisher
Damien Keown is Reader in Buddhism at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His entire academic career has been devoted to research in Buddhist ethics, and he has been teaching the subject for over 20 years. He is also Editor of The Journal of Buddhist Ethics and Coeditor of The Curzon Critical Studies in Buddhism series.
About the Author
Damien Keown is Reader in Buddhism at Goldsmiths College, University of London. His entire academic career has been devoted to research in Buddhist ethics, and he has been teaching the subject for over 20 years. He is also Editor of The Journal of Buddhist Ethics and Coeditor of The Curzon Critical Studies in Buddhism series.


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ASIN ‏ : ‎ 019280457X
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press UK; 1st edition (1 October 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 168 pages
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4.2 out of 5 stars 31 ratings


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Rev Gherkin
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on subject by authoritative scholarReviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 October 2008
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Keown is without doubt a leading scholar in this area and makes the topic accessible to his readers. He makes very difficult subject matter understandable and interesting. I highly recommend this book and this author.

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Michael Schröder
4.0 out of 5 stars Gelungene EinführungReviewed in Germany on 10 October 2018
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Das Buch ist meiner Ansicht nach eine sehr gelungene Einführung in das Thema "Buddhistische Ethik". In einem so kleinen Buch sind naturgemäß nicht alle Themen umfassend darstellbar. Die zentralen Grundannahmen, von denen eine buddhistische Ethik ausgehen kann sowie einige aktuelle Anwendungsthemen werden gut beschrieben und analysiert.
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Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction

by Damien Keown

 3.59  ·   Rating details ·  264 ratings  ·  33 reviews

The latter half of the twentieth century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. Numerous introductory books have appeared in recent years to cater for this growing interest, but almost none devotes attention to the specifically ethical dimension of the tradition. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West, and publications on the subject are few and far between. Here, Damien Keown, author of Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction , illustrates how Buddhism might approach a range of fascinating moral issues ranging from abortion and suicide to cloning. Readership: Students and general readers with an interest in Buddhism, ethics, or comparative religion. Anyone seeking a clear and straightforward answer to the question 'What is the Buddhist view on X?', or who read and enjoyed Keown's VSI to Buddhism. (less)

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Ahmad Sharabiani

Jun 05, 2016Ahmad Sharabiani added it

Shelves: religion, buddhism, theology, culture, china, india, 21th-century, non-fiction

Buddhist Ethics: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions #130), Damien Keown

The latter half of the twentieth century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs.

flag10 likes · Like  · comment · see review

Lauren 

Oct 23, 2016Lauren rated it liked it

Shelves: buddhism, philosophy

What does Buddhism say about animal welfare? suicide? homosexuality?

As it turns out, it's pretty complicated - of course it is, it's ethics!- and not universal across Buddhist traditions. From some previous readings, I knew some basics of Buddhist views on sexuality, marriage, celibacy, and feminism, but this book gets a bit deeper (although one criticism - likely due to the "very short" nature in the title - is that so many examples seem cherry-picked to prove the thesis, where I am certain that there is much more to the story).

The chapter that stood out for me was the one on suicide and euthanasia. The indelible 1960s image of the Vietnamese monks on fire leads the chapter, framing this self-immolation as an ancient practice. While several modern Buddhist countries have ritual suicide or 'voluntary death' traditions, e.g. seppuku in Japan, the book argues that this practice came into regional Buddhism through indigenous culture. Euthanasia is also a complicated issue, as monks and nuns were traditionally caretakers for the dying, and there are several accounts of euthanasia using the central precept of compassion.

3/5 stars - some interesting things covered, even though it did seem "cherry-picked" to fit in as much as it could in less than 200 pages.

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Istvan Zoltan

Jun 11, 2021Istvan Zoltan rated it liked it

Shelves: philosophy, ethics-moral-philosophy, history-of-philosophy

A very handy, easy to read and clear introduction to Buddhist ethics.

My students found it helpful as an assigned reading, before delving into more complex texts on Buddhist ethics. It doesn't presuppose any knowledge of Buddhist philosophy in general. (less)

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Nick Imrie

Feb 21, 2018Nick Imrie rated it really liked it

Shelves: religion-buddhism, non-fiction, philosophy-ethics

The biggest fact I've taken away from Damien Keown is that Buddhism is a lot more conservative than we realise in the West. Because Buddhism came to us via 60s hippies, it has a reputation as being an anything-goes, left-wing religion, which isn't really the case.

For example, Buddhist attitudes about sex are pretty much the same as Christian (which gets villified for being an prudish, sex-negative religion). In both religions, celibacy is the best state of being, and if you can't stay celibate then you should marry. Sex acts that aren't reproductive are pretty much verboten, so Buddhism has similar attitudes to homosexuality as Christianity.

With regards to abortion, Buddhism is, if anything, stricter than Christianity. Christianity, at least, doesn't say much specifically about when or how the soul enters the body. But Buddhist texts are quite explicit that the soul enters the body at the moment of conception, so there can't really be any doubt that abortion is murder. The enforcement and application of that kind of rule isn't so clear though. Most monks seem to be happy to leave it as a matter for secular authorities, and there's a fierce dispute in Japan, about the appropriateness of religious services for the souls of the aborted, which is a new practise adapted from services for miscarriage.

As in his previous VSI book about Buddhism, Keown is writing for the Western audience and trying to highlight how our instictive patterns of thinking about rights, ethics, and religion don't really map onto Eastern ways of thinking. He makes some interesting speculations about whether the difference is caused by the difference in origin. Western philosophy arose in turbulent Greek democracies, while Buddhist ethics arose in strict monarchies.

The chapters focusing on individual ethical conundrums was a good way to do it in a very short introduction, I can only imagine that an attempt at a comprehensive comparison of how Buddhist ethics are reasoned out, and all the subjects they touch on, would be massive. I wasn't sure about the topic of cloning though. Most religions have very little to say about cloning, because it couldn't even be imagined by early man, and the things that people say about it are often daft. But the chapter on suicide, including the protest suicides in Vietnam, or the Japanese ritual seppuku, was very interesting and demonstrate neatly how different strands of Buddhism are influenced by local traditions and religions. Keown does a good job of making clear that there is no one Buddhism. It's a vast collect of different philosophies all springly from the same source. While at the same time he shows how there are general trends that bring all these Buddhisms together. Skillfully, he does this with constantly interrupting himself to remind you #notallbuddhists. (less)

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Teo 2050

Oct 14, 2020Teo 2050 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition

Shelves: technology, by_philosopher, rated-4, y20, _nonfiction, buddhism, _audio, pain-or-suffering, _contents, enhancement

2020.10.14–2020.10.14

Contents

Keown D (2020) (03:46) Buddhist Ethics - A Very Short Introduction (2e)

Acknowledgements

Preface

List of illustrations

• 1. Map of Buddhism in Asia

• 2. The Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, the embodiment of compassion

• 3. Buddha head in tree roots, Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya, Thailand

• 4. The wheel of life

• 5. Mipham

• 6. Jizō Bosatsu

• 7. Mizuko Jizō memorial at Raikoji (Kamakura, Japan)

• 8. Suicide of Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc in Saigon, 1963

• 9. A robot modelled after the bodhisattva Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) gives its first teachings at the Kodaiji temple in Kyoto on 23 February 2019

• 10. Ray Kurzweil believes the Singularity is close at hand

Note on citations and pronunciation

Language and pronunciation

1. Buddhist morality

• Dharma and karma

• Box 1 The Four Noble Truths

• Box 2 The Eightfold Path and its Three Divisions

• Precepts

• Box 3 The Five Precepts (pañcaśīla)

• Vinaya

• Virtues

• Mahāyāna morality

• Box 4 The Six Perfections (pāramitā)

2. Ethics East and West

• Three ethical theories

• Particularism

• Perfectionism

• The absence of ‘ethics’

• Box 5 Stoicism

• Engaged Buddhism

• Rights

3. Animals and the environment

• The moral status of animals

• Plant life and wilderness

• Equality or hierarchy?

• Vegetarianism

• Towards a Buddhist ecology

• Box 6 Climate change

4. Sexuality and gender

• The dangers of sexual desire

• Marriage

• The third precept

• Box 7 Ways in which the third precept can be broken, according to the ancient commentators

• Box 8 Sex abuse scandals

• Homosexuality

• Box 9 Transgenderism

5. War, violence, and terrorism

• Classical sources on war

• Buddhism at war

• Box 10 From the Dhammapada (trans. Norman)

• The just war

• Terrorism

6. Abortion

• Buddhist embryology

• Abortion and the precepts

• Box 11 The third pārājika, the monastic precept against taking human life

• Personhood

• Box 12 The five aggregates (skandhas)

• Abortion in Buddhist countries

• Table 1. Legality of abortion in selected Asian countries (2017)

• Thailand

• Japan

• Box 13 A hymn to Jizō often used in the mizuko kuyō liturgy

• Box 14 Verse from a popular song about the mizuko kuyō ceremony

7. Suicide and euthanasia

• Box 15 Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnam: The Lotus in a Sea of Fire (1967)

• Self-immolation

• Box 16 The Brahmajāla Sūtra (Fan Wang Ching)

• Suicide in Indian Buddhism

• Box 17 The third pārājika, the monastic rule prohibiting taking human life

• Euthanasia

• Must life be preserved at all costs?

8. Clones, cyborgs, and singularities

• Cloning and genetics

• Gene editing

• Cryonics

• Transhumanism

• Neurodharma

• Concerns

Glossary

References

Further reading

Index (less)

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Xinefan Phy

Nov 16, 2021Xinefan Phy rated it really liked it

The author's understanding of Buddhism is at times incomplete and his access to sources seems deficient. For example, there are many instances in ancient texts about the Buddha's past lives where he sacrificed his life for the sake of other beings (even animal beings), which the author should've taken as reference for arguments in the "Suicide" or "Animal" chapters.

There're also many stories in which Buddhist followers and even the Buddha himself used their compassionate power to tame and calm ...more

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John Eliade

Aug 22, 2015John Eliade rated it liked it

Shelves: buddhism

Read most of Damien Keown's second VSI Buddhist book while I was in Bhutan researching "Buddhist Social Theory" at the Royal Thimphu College. Keown's work is very interesting and enlightening. Like the VSI series as a whole, it presents great launching points to begin to seek out answers for other parts of an incredibly complicated subject. This book loses two stars primarily because Keown, though he does an awesome job presenting eastern textual sources, still tries to fit an eastern peg into a western hole, which is an incredibly hard thing to do (and it should at least be commended that he did so in a balanced, interesting, and fair way).

It's mostly his discussion on metaethics that can get confusing, hence the problem. Metaethics is a purely western subject which can confuse eastern-based readers. In Buddhist Social Theory, this chapter was extremely difficult for my Bhutanese classmates to wrap their heads around, and even for me it was difficult to truly understand the point of a discussion on metaethics and how it applies to Buddhism which has little to no distinction or history of a difference between "morality" and "ethics." (Indeed, here in Korea they teach a class that students have interpreted as both "Morals" and "Ethics" when I consult the dictionary. I gather this is a similar thing across Asia, and Keown makes this known in his short book). My suggestion would have been for Keown to put that chapter at the end and discuss the difficulty of applying western conceptions of ethics onto a complex philosophical network of systems like Buddhism. That said, good read. Make sure you read his first VSI on Buddhism, or perhaps Walpola Rahula's "What the Buddha Taught" first. (less)

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Nick

Dec 27, 2013Nick rated it it was ok

Shelves: india, philosophy, 2000s, language, china, buddhism, korea

Its a weirdly specific book to have a very short introduction. Ethics in the western conception didn't really exist in premodern Buddhism. A lot of this book is the product of Buddhists taking influence from Western ethics, or of Westerners interpreting Buddhism through the lens of enlightenment values, and Christian/humanist altruism. The whole notion that altruism, compassion, detachment, etc. are good because they lead to enlightenment is absent from much of this. Also tantra is mentioned, but not examined. Since classical Buddhism doesn't comment on very many specific moral issues, abstract and somewhat empty signifiers like "compassion" have to be interpreted, and then applied to moral problems.

Anyway, here is a funny quote from the chapter on cloning:

"...The belief in karma introduces many conundrums and complexities of this kind, since both karma and DNA may be thought to account for how people come to be born with specific physical and mental characteristics. Which is correct: Buddhism or science? Other puzzling questions also arise, such as ‘Is it possible to clone a Buddha?’, and ‘Is there a Buddha gene?’. For the remainder of the chapter, I will explore some of these intriguing questions.

When considering the possibility of cloning a Buddha, the starting point of our speculations must be whether or not the Buddha had a normal physical human body or whether in some way he transcended the conventional laws of nature, including those of genetics..." (less)

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Bojan Tunguz

Apr 07, 2011Bojan Tunguz rated it it was amazing

This is a very useful introductory book for anyone who is interested in Buddhist ethics, its principles and sources, and the answers it gives to some of the most pressing ethical questions of today. The first couple of chapters are dedicated to the historical origins and basic principles of Buddhist ethics. The bulk of the book, however, is aimed at someone who is already familiar with Western ethical traditions, and tries to show how the Buddhist teachings relate to those. In particular, the questions of animal and environmental rights, sexuality, war and terrorism, suicide and euthanasia, and cloning each get a separate chapter. In these chapters the naive impression of Buddhism as a very laid-back and permissive ethical tradition is challenged, and the author shows that the basic answers to those ethical dilemmas in Buddhism are not that far away from similar answers given in theJudeo-Christian ethics.

Overall, this is a very enlightening and informative reading. I highly recommend it. (less)

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Frank Spencer

Aug 09, 2011Frank Spencer rated it really liked it

Shelves: ethics, very-short-introductions

Worth reading, as all very short introductions are. Tells as much about general ethics as it does about Buddhist ethics. chapters about animals/environment, cloning, sexuality, war/terrorism, suicide/euthanasia, and abortion

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Michael

May 03, 2018Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfiction, life-lessons, buddhism

I enjoy the A Very Short Introduction series. I've read a bunch of them. I got this one for free somehow on line and read it today. I admit that I skimmed a little bit in parts that didn't interest me.

Buddhism is both simple and profound. You can learn the basics in 15 minutes, then spend the rest of your life trying to apply them to your life. I would not characterize Buddhism as being a religion per se, although there are certainly Buddhists who do worship Buddha as a god. Pretty much, Buddhism is about your mind. Learn to live with your mind, understand your mind, train your mind, and everything else will be better. It's hard to argue with. No gods, no supernatural. Just you and...you.

In the overwhelming majority of examples, Buddhism is a belief system, or a philosophy, that teaches compassion, self-discipline, non-violence, and generosity. There are four Noble truths, eight paths toward reaching a higher state of being, and three ways to do it. So that's like 15 things to know. Maybe 19. You can write it on an index card, then use the next 40 years of your life trying to make it all work.

So, Buddhist ethics? Care. Pay attention. Help. Control yourself. Go do that tomorrow for 24 hours then report back to me how you did. (less)

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Scott Goddard

Apr 14, 2020Scott Goddard rated it liked it

Okay, that's done. Buddhist ethics - not something I previously knew too much about, I will concede. At first, the author gives an overview of Buddhist philosophy, focusing on the main, fundamental values and beliefs.

Next, it was time to get into the nitty gritty - the more dense subject of ethics per se, which was presented in a typology of three types.

Now, with a knowledge of Buddhist values and the basics of ethics ascertained, the author proceeds to contextualise both aspects in relation to contemporary issues. Suicide; cloning; the environment; war and terrorism - to give a few examples.

Maybe it was just from my perception, but I couldn't help but feel a particular bias from the author, against Buddhism. Overall, it a semi-decent read, and one that has enabled me to learn a new thing or two! (less)

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Duncan Reed

Jul 08, 2019Duncan Reed rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2019, spirituality

A good over view of the Buddhist perspective on different ethical considerations. The topics included are: animals and the environment; sexuality; war and terrorism; abortion; suicide and euthanasia; cloning. The author compares Theravada and Mahayana perspectives, and also compares Buddhist perspectives to Western Judeo-Christian perspectives.

I read this book after the books in the series on 'Buddha', 'Buddhism' and 'Tibetan Buddhism', in that order. The 4 books gave a very good broad summary of Buddhism. I think this series of books is generally very well written, and now has hundreds of titles, covering all sorts of subjects, in 100-130 pages. (less)

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MOL

Aug 03, 2019MOL rated it really liked it

Concise and to the point. The book was perfect for its aim - to present Buddist ethics in under 150 pages. Beforehand I had only passing knowledge of Buddha’s teachings and the book presented interestinng thought experiment on how his teachings reconcile present day issues such as homosexuality, cloning and euthanasia. I was surprised to learn that while christianity and buddism approaches such issues from completely different sides, more often than not the conclusion reached is glaringly similar. (less)

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Ariyajyoti  Bhikkhu

Apr 02, 2020Ariyajyoti Bhikkhu rated it it was amazing

Buddhist Ethics: A Short Introduction has written concisely and precisely for those who wants to know Buddhism in particular and ethics in general. The Author encapsulated the Buddhist literature from various angles in relation to philosophy of Ethical theory. The writing is very provocative. I do recommend for those who wants to read for interest or even for research purpose.

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Bethany

Jan 28, 2020Bethany rated it it was ok

A good overview and gives you almost a ‘sneak peak’ into what Buddhism is really about. Slow at times, but then sometimes non-fiction is. Nevertheless, a very factual, educational and intriguing book for anyone studying Buddhism or Eastern Philosophy/ Ethics!

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Stephanie

Dec 11, 2020Stephanie rated it liked it

(Audiobook) this was an enjoyable listen! Short introduction (as the title states) to multiple topics (animal cruelty, karma, abortion, suicide, to name a few). It helps to have a basic understanding of Buddhism but not necessary. Little nuggets of information.

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Barrett Evans

Feb 27, 2021Barrett Evans rated it really liked it

An interesting primer on Buddhist ethical perspectives pertaining to such matters as animals, sexuality, abortion, war, suicide, and cloning. I found the presentation of the conservative nature of traditional Buddhist ethics particularly striking.

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Camie

Dec 29, 2018Camie rated it really liked it

This is a very good introduction.

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Amazon: Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening: Goldstein, Joseph

Amazon.com: Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening: 9781622030637: Goldstein, Joseph: Books

Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening Hardcover – November 1, 2013
by Joseph Goldstein (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 572 ratings

Kindle
from AUD 13.62
Hardcover AUD 41.90
18 Used from AUD 8.643 New from AUD 41.90

The mind contains the seeds of its own awakening—seeds that we can cultivate to bring forth the fruits of a life lived consciously. With Mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein shares the wisdom of his four decades of teaching and practice in a book that will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone committed to mindful living and the realization of inner freedom.

Goldstein's source teaching is the Satipatthana Sutta, the Buddha's legendary discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness that became the basis for the many types of Vipassana (or insight meditation) found today. Exquisite in detail yet wholly accessible and relevant for the modern student, Mindfulness takes us through a profound study of:

Ardency, clear knowing, mindfulness, and concentration—how to develop these four qualities of mind essential for walking the path wisely
The Satipatthana refrain—how deeply contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness opens us to bare knowing and continuity of mindfulness
Mindfulness of the body, including the breath, postures, activities, and physical characteristics
Mindfulness of feelings—how the experience of our sense perceptions influences our inner and outer worlds
Mindfulness of mind—learning to recognize skillful and unskillful states of mind and thought
Mindfulness of dhammas (or categories of experience), including the Five Hindrances, the Six Sense Spheres, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and much more


"There is a wealth of meaning and nuance in the experience of mindfulness that can enrich our lives in unimagined ways," writes Goldstein. In Mindfulness you have the tools to mine these riches for yourself.

Print length

480 pages
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Editorial Reviews

Review
"Mindfulness seems to be everywhere these days. It's clear the ideas associated with it provide helpful direction for dealing with things like addiction, emotional imbalance, and recovery from abuse. Joseph Goldstein, a leading meditation teacher and retreat leader, has put together a discussion of mindfulness in the context of its Buddhist origins, bringing it back to its relevance as a tool for spiritual awakening. Goldstein offers clearly-written discussions of things like awareness of motivation, sustainable application of effort, wholesome recollection, continuity of mindfulness, contemplating impermanence, personalizing difficulties, doubt disguised as wisdom, and mindful listening. The language of the book is down-to-earth and compassionately supportive. Non-English terms are carefully explained and used sparingly. This is a serious, yet very readable text, rooted in traditional, scholarly Buddhist philosophy without distancing itself from lay readers. Let your customers know that the welcoming tone of the writing creates the experience of opening a window and breathing in fresh air."--Anna Jedrziewski, Retailing Insight

"A major contribution to the clarifying and deepening of our understanding of mindfulness and its traditional Dharma roots."
--Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Full Catastrophe Living and Mindfulness for Beginners

"Author Joseph Goldstein, one of the most wise, lucid, and experienced teachers of our times, has written a book on mindfulness that calls forth the depth and power of classical Buddhist teachings. If you are drawn to meditation out of a longing to realize spiritual freedom, this book will be a cherished resource on your path."
--Tara Brach, PhD , author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge

"Joseph Goldstein has written an immensely clear, practical, and accessible guide to living a mindful life. From examining its roots to exploring its manifold expressions, this deeply significant work shows the path for mindfulness to become our closest friend. I feel like I've waited a long time for a book just like this, and here it is!"
--Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation

"In eloquent and compelling detail by a master of the art, Goldstein's new book shows how mindfulness leads to calm, well-being, and the joy of self-realization. The most complete and understandable book on mindfulness in print."
--Reggie Ray, author of Touching Enlightenment and Mahamudra for the Modern World
"Useful advice that can help any meditator, no matter where they are on the path. Mindfulness should become an instant classic."
--Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

"Lucid, clear, enormously helpful, a wise and mature vision of Buddhism."
--Jack Kornfield, author of A Path With Heart

"America is damn lucky there is a Joseph. He has shepherded Western Buddhism in his ever-expanding teachings . . ."
--Stephen Levine, author of Turning Toward the Mystery
About the Author
Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge. Since 1967, he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet. His books include A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma, Insight Meditation, and The Experience of Insight.


Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sounds True; First Edition (November 1, 2013)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 162203063X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1622030637
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.7 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #422,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
#418 in Buddhist Rituals & Practice (Books)
#4,336 in Meditation (Books)
Customer Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars 572 ratings

Joseph Goldstein

Customer reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
572 global ratings


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Read reviews that mention
joseph goldstein satipatthana sutta practical guide guide to awakening insight meditation jack kornfield easy to read highly recommend direct path mindfulness practical dan harris well worth sounds true well written buddha teachings teachings of the buddha meditation society satipatthana sutra abiding in mindfulness everyday life

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Top reviews from the United States


AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars a comprehensive guide for any meditatorReviewed in the United States on March 8, 2018
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This is THE comprehensive book on mindfulness. I would suggest it to someone who is of intermediate level ( a couple of months) of mindfulness practice to try it out. The reason being that after a couple of months of practice without a teacher you may end up on a plateau and not know what or why you're trying out something.

To give my own example: i started with Headspace app and after finishing all the basic and intermediate levels i knew that mindfulness meditation helps but the app is limited enough and will not help you make the connection between concentration on breathing or bodyscan or visualization and its bearing on meditation and in short you'll be left with insufficient information. Then i looked into books by Dan Harris and even his second book on meditation is comprehensive it may not give you the full gist of why some types of meditation practice helps under certain circumstances e.g. metta and noticing. There always felt a question of 'why am i doing this now?'

Joseph's book is comprehensive enough to cover almost all questions that an intermediate meditator might face; note that this is not a book about religion or buddhism but a book strictly on mindfulness. Things like metta and noticing finally cleared up and i finally got to know the answer on why a meditator should do them and under what circumstances. The source of this book is through his talks on 'Satipatthana sutta' and available on dharmaseed.org I would suggest hearing those talks because he gives examples (some of which have not been sourced into the book) and Joseph makes even hearing about meditation fun. And use this book as a reference when you're done with almost 46 hours of talk on Mindfulness.

Happy meditating!

72 people found this helpful

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Reader in Seattle
3.0 out of 5 stars Possibly Not "Practical" for EveryoneReviewed in the United States on May 6, 2019
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As an advanced novice at meditation, I looked forward to learning from Joseph Goldstein, and the term "practical" suggested a step-by-step introduction to mindfulness. The book is, in many ways, step-by-step, but now 100 pages in, i find myself overwhelmed by the detail and nomenclature. If I were to characterize the book, I would use the work "comprehensive" rather than practical. I haven't given up on the book, but will put it aside for now and possibly come back to it when I'm further along the path. And BTW, my 3-star rating is for me at this point. I'm sure more advanced practitioners would rate it higher.

26 people found this helpful

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E. Collangelo
5.0 out of 5 stars Some suggestions on how to approach this bookReviewed in the United States on November 22, 2019
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It took me two years and several tries to get into this one. Now I’m deeply grateful for it, it’s become a constant companion for months. (I totally agree with the positive reviews)

Here are some suggestions on how to approach it:
-The book follows the Sattipathana Sutta which is included in the book and can be easily found online for free, too. The author sometimes seems to assume you know it already (at least I sometimes felt as though I had missed some reference). Since it's a very brief text it helps to read it in parallel or before the respective chapters in the book. The structure and context will then be very clear.
-The book is also very dense and actually full of instructions. Just stay with a practice for a while and see what happens. For instance wtith the first instructions on mindful breathing.
-There's an accompanying audiobook which condenses the book to 2.5h of short guided meditations, which can help as a” backbone” to the book.
Mindfulness: Six Guided Practices for Awakening
-It would definitely help having a regular meditation practice. The audiobook or an app like 10 percent happier can help. And then of course some intensive retreat(s).

It may well be that this is not the best beginners book. However once you get into it its endlessly rewarding.

9 people found this helpful

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SadieLove
5.0 out of 5 stars SO GOOD. (Even for novices like me!)Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2018
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I’m a fairly novice Buddhist and (while only one section into the book thus far) am completely in love with this book. CONSICE. Fast paced, broken down into smaller segments so it reads quickly and doesn’t feel like he goes on about anything in particular, well written, thought provoking, introspective, uses lots of source material and quotes. Fairly unbiased thus far between different Buddhist denominations (which is what I wanted). Aspects I haven’t completely agreed with were still relevant when viewed through my own ideas (not very Buddhist but whatever 😝). Excellent book! This is my first real book on Buddhism, so if I can understand and learn from it odds are so can you (;

6 people found this helpful

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Zen Elder
4.0 out of 5 stars Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, by Joseph GoldsteinReviewed in the United States on October 21, 2017
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Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening, by Joseph Goldstein: Our sangha is studying the Satipatthana Sutta, and I was looking for a book to augment another translation and commentary. Goldstein's commentary is practical and breaks down the various aspects of mindfulness practice into short sections, which I find easier to study and absorb. This one's a keeper and a book I'll recommend to others.

9 people found this helpful

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Frits Hoen
5.0 out of 5 stars When you want to go deeper than just being mindfulReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2019
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This is a serious book, written by someome who knows his stuff. If you want to go all the way and really attempt enlightenment then this book will be your trusty companion. I would recommend reading something a little lighter about Mindfullness first if you are new to this. If you want to dive in and explore then this is a lovely book to read and also use as a reference. Mr. Goldstein's wisdom and experience will help save you a lot of time in your quest. It is a pragmatic approach and, in my view, a successful one

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Reviewer1000
5.0 out of 5 stars Cannot recommend highly enough if you want to understand the Satipatthana ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2018
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Cannot recommend highly enough if you want to understand the Satipatthana Sutta. However I still struggle with the belief that there is no self, but you do not have to agree with everything and he does encourage you to investigate it all and to try it - for me it all rings true, apart from giving up the 'self', I am still struggling to let go of it and am still hanging onto mine, but then I am a layman after all!

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Jotter
5.0 out of 5 stars Purchased this together with Meditation Kit by Goldstein. Both ...Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 21, 2015
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Purchased this together with Meditation Kit by Goldstein. Both books are very clear and helpful will keep as a reference book to dip into as and when. Each reading brings up different aspects and I shall return to this again. The theme is in vogue now, but before the market was swamped I wanted some information to compliment the unabridged Dhammapada and I have found it beneficial.

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SB
5.0 out of 5 stars my ultimate guide to the practice of secular Buddhism and Joseph the ultimate teacherReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2021
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I came upon Joseph Goldstein in my First Lockdown meditation project! He and his fellow meditator Sharon Salzburg ran their first online retreat - we were all doing something new together. I have ranged far and wide in the year or so since then and I find myself again back at the feet of Jospeh. I can hear the Buddha speak through Joseph as his catalyst.
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Patrick Cahill
4.0 out of 5 stars Clear and cogent.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2018
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Goldstein goes that step further than Analayo in describing the Satipatthana Sutta. Filled with anecdotes and quotes from other sources. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to explore Mindfulness and Buddhism in more detail.

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