Status
Available
Call number
Description
Buddhism Plain and Simple offers a clear, straightforward treatise on Buddhism in general and on awareness in particular. When Buddha was asked to sum up his teaching in a single world, he said, "Awareness." The Buddha taught how to see directly into the nature of experience. His observations and insights are plain, practical, and down-to-earth, and they deal exclusively with the present. Longtime teacher of Buddhism Steve Hagan presents the Buddha's uncluttered, original teachings in everyday, accessible language unencumbered by religious ritual, tradition, or belief.
Publication
Tuttle Publishing (2011), Edition: 1st, 194 pages
User reviews
LibraryThing member ireed110
As I read this book on the beach, a woman asked me if it was good. "Is it understandable?" she asked. I told her that yes, it was - it was the best book I'd read on the subject so far.
The closer I got to the end of the book, though, the harder I had to work at understanding - and the harder you
I do recommend this book for anyone interested in Zen Buddhism. The subject may be plain and simple, but human nature makes it slippery.
The closer I got to the end of the book, though, the harder I had to work at understanding - and the harder you
Show More
try to understand, the further you are from Seeing. So I am not yet enlightened.I do recommend this book for anyone interested in Zen Buddhism. The subject may be plain and simple, but human nature makes it slippery.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mrskarmadillo
A wonderful starter book for anyone interested in buddhism. Hagen does his best at explaining that which cannot be explained and succeeds sufficiently to get the curious beginner on the right path without scaring them away with romantic mysticism.
LibraryThing member kitber
I will always hold this book dear, & near to me.WOW, worth readin.
LibraryThing member tsias
An excellent resource for those interested in exploring Buddhism at its most basic level.
As the title suggests, this book attempts to introduce the reader to the basic ideas and principles of Buddhism in as plain and straightforward a manner as possible. Hagen strips away the cultural and
As the title suggests, this book attempts to introduce the reader to the basic ideas and principles of Buddhism in as plain and straightforward a manner as possible. Hagen strips away the cultural and
Show More
historical frameworks that normally obscure Buddhist studies and addresses the simple core of his subject in a truly remarkable way. This book does a superb job of laying out a basic foundation of Buddhist philosophy that is accessable to a western audience. Show Less
LibraryThing member PaulBaldowski
There is no book. No review. No self. Only thus.
LibraryThing member capetowncanada
I am not a believer in any God, Goddess or Deity of any kind. But I heard a description of Buddhism as simply a philosophy of how to live your life, so when I watched a few YouTube videos of the four noble truths and the eightfold path I was very interested in learning more. I picked up this book
Show More
on one of the videos recommendations and could not have been more disappointed. The book felt very negative to me with the authors viewpoint that most of humans dukkha comes from a constant fear and terror of death. I found many times in the book to be in complete disagreement with the author. I think Buddhism has many offshoots and variations so maybe this book was just not the right one for me. After taking a look at others library's who rated this book low I noticed that they have given other Buddhism books a four and five star rating. Show Less
LibraryThing member parvita
It is pleasant to read at first but got difficult towards the end. Somehow the explanation became too “up in the air” and hard to grasp. I struggled to finish the book.
LibraryThing member ASKelmore
Best for:
Those interested in Buddhism.
In a nutshell:
Zen priest Hagen offers his take on Buddha’s observations.
Worth quoting:
“First, you must truly realize that life is fleeting. Next, you must understand that you are already complete, worthy, whole. Finally, you must see that you are your own
Why I chose it:
Continuing my spiritual journey. (I’ve always assumed I’m way too sarcastic for that level of sincerity, but here we are.)
What it left me feeling:
Content
Review:
This book is both extremely straightforward and also challenging. Not because of the writing, but because of the concepts. And even that isn’t the best way for me to describe it.
Hagen breaks the book into three parts. In the first, he looks at what he calls ‘The Perennial Problem’, basically the human condition as most people experience it. In the second, called ‘The Way to Wake Up,’ he explores different concepts: wisdom, morality, practice, and freedom. In the final section, ‘Free Mind,’ he looks deeper into Truth and Reality.
This is the kind of book that I’m still processing, and that I’ll read again. I think that’s kind of the case with books of this type - it’s not something that one just reads and sets up on the shelf, or put in the donation bin. The way the information is presented generally worked for me - the chapters were fairly short, and there are some good examples to help solidify the ideas. But it requires a lot of thinking from me. I think that’s the point, though. Not that it requires a lot of thinking (one might even argue that goes against the main points of the book!), but that it’s got me thinking in the right direction.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Keep
Those interested in Buddhism.
In a nutshell:
Zen priest Hagen offers his take on Buddha’s observations.
Worth quoting:
“First, you must truly realize that life is fleeting. Next, you must understand that you are already complete, worthy, whole. Finally, you must see that you are your own
Show More
refuge, your own sanctuary, your own salvation.”Why I chose it:
Continuing my spiritual journey. (I’ve always assumed I’m way too sarcastic for that level of sincerity, but here we are.)
What it left me feeling:
Content
Review:
This book is both extremely straightforward and also challenging. Not because of the writing, but because of the concepts. And even that isn’t the best way for me to describe it.
Hagen breaks the book into three parts. In the first, he looks at what he calls ‘The Perennial Problem’, basically the human condition as most people experience it. In the second, called ‘The Way to Wake Up,’ he explores different concepts: wisdom, morality, practice, and freedom. In the final section, ‘Free Mind,’ he looks deeper into Truth and Reality.
This is the kind of book that I’m still processing, and that I’ll read again. I think that’s kind of the case with books of this type - it’s not something that one just reads and sets up on the shelf, or put in the donation bin. The way the information is presented generally worked for me - the chapters were fairly short, and there are some good examples to help solidify the ideas. But it requires a lot of thinking from me. I think that’s the point, though. Not that it requires a lot of thinking (one might even argue that goes against the main points of the book!), but that it’s got me thinking in the right direction.
Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Keep
Show Less
Call number
B > Buddhism