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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
Two Types of People Write books as this one.
1. Are the one , who really wants the benefits of meditation to reach the lowest level of world.
2. Second are the one who wants to display their flair of language to some section of world.
The Author seemed to me of the second kind. A valuable text on a very popular meditation could have been explained using simple , lucid language. And I am very much sure Goenkajee would've agreed on this one, as all his speeches were in simple language.
William Hart, made this a disappointing read, except for some snippets by Goenka, which were really good to read.
Overall, This book is not right one for mere mortals like us, who would need another book in simple language to understand this book.
1. Are the one , who really wants the benefits of meditation to reach the lowest level of world.
2. Second are the one who wants to display their flair of language to some section of world.
The Author seemed to me of the second kind. A valuable text on a very popular meditation could have been explained using simple , lucid language. And I am very much sure Goenkajee would've agreed on this one, as all his speeches were in simple language.
William Hart, made this a disappointing read, except for some snippets by Goenka, which were really good to read.
Overall, This book is not right one for mere mortals like us, who would need another book in simple language to understand this book.
Rating changed from 4* -> 5*
Took the 10 day course after reading
The book hits different after lol
Took the 10 day course after reading
The book hits different after lol
Great introduction to the practice and philosophy of Vipassana.
(Now I just have to do it
(Now I just have to do it
Super accessible explanation of vipassana as understood by Goenka/Sayagyi U Ba Khin, mostly in Goenkaji’s words. My only problems with this book are my same problems/questions/complications with this style of meditation overall, namely:
—> Anything outside heterosexual monogamy is classed as “sexual misconduct” under Precept 3
—> Under Precept 5 you’re supposed to abstain from all intoxicants...except those prescribed by a doctor. This doesn’t mesh well with my understanding of criminalization within a white supremacist and capitalist context (i.e. what doctors prescribe is a poor judge of which substances are appropriate & likely more based in legal liability than dhamma)
—> My training in trauma & the nervous system increasingly makes me question the wisdom of, or need more nuance around, holding still and not responding to pain
—> Anything outside heterosexual monogamy is classed as “sexual misconduct” under Precept 3
—> Under Precept 5 you’re supposed to abstain from all intoxicants...except those prescribed by a doctor. This doesn’t mesh well with my understanding of criminalization within a white supremacist and capitalist context (i.e. what doctors prescribe is a poor judge of which substances are appropriate & likely more based in legal liability than dhamma)
—> My training in trauma & the nervous system increasingly makes me question the wisdom of, or need more nuance around, holding still and not responding to pain
Perfect and pretty much essential for the Vipassana meditator ("oh, *that's* what he was saying!"). Probably of quite a bit of value to the non-Vipassanite as well.
It is a clearly written explanation of the ideas behind Vipassana meditation and some of the elements of practice. It is much easier to understand than most books I have read, or tried to read, on Buddhist topics.
Sometimes this feels like a lot of guff to work through just to say: 'try and stay balanced through it all, mate' but there's a few gems towards the end.
Solid survey of fundamental Buddhist teachings in the context of Vipassana practice.
This book covers more ground regarding the theory and practical application of meditation proper than most primers on Buddhism. It covers proportionally less ground in top-down philosophy and metaphysics.
+ Sutra citations are in endnotes and translations are very clear, helping the text flow.
+ Sequence of ideas is logical for those without a background in dharma study.
+ Alternating philosophical prose with short allegories keeps things fresh.
+ Q&A at the end of each chapter is very helpful.
+ Vipassana hits a sweet spot for many westerners like myself who find the tangible moral and meditation practices deeply fruitful while requiring minimal "beliefs." Absent are discussions of other realms, demigods and bodhisattvas, supernatural powers, and colorful afterlives which decorate most later branches of Buddhism. If Thai forest tradition / Theravada texts tend to resonate with you, this will also.
= There's a dearth of specifics in implementing a daily practice ("how much and when and where?"). For example, it's mentioned that body scanning is done in order but no particular order is every described. This is by design - you're supposed to attend a course in person, which is available free of cost thanks to the donations of old students. That said, this is 2017 and daring readers are liable to try to use this book as a teach-along for solitary practice, which is a Bad Idea.
- Some of the allegories are a little bit eye rolley
- This is more a personal niggle I might have with Vipassana at large rather than the book but the idea of perceiving the individual subatomic particles comprising your body crosses the "Woo" line for me. As does the notion that these particles are manifested from mental forces. This is not astral-projection Woo or chakra-alignment Woo or any Woo like that but still more than I can swallow. The rest of the book passed my smell test as a western skeptical-minded independent Buddhist atheist kind of person, so fear not overmuch if you are like me.
I would recommend this to anyone who has been to a course and would like a refresher in the future, or who has an established dharma practice of their own already and is curious about Vipassana in particular.
This book covers more ground regarding the theory and practical application of meditation proper than most primers on Buddhism. It covers proportionally less ground in top-down philosophy and metaphysics.
+ Sutra citations are in endnotes and translations are very clear, helping the text flow.
+ Sequence of ideas is logical for those without a background in dharma study.
+ Alternating philosophical prose with short allegories keeps things fresh.
+ Q&A at the end of each chapter is very helpful.
+ Vipassana hits a sweet spot for many westerners like myself who find the tangible moral and meditation practices deeply fruitful while requiring minimal "beliefs." Absent are discussions of other realms, demigods and bodhisattvas, supernatural powers, and colorful afterlives which decorate most later branches of Buddhism. If Thai forest tradition / Theravada texts tend to resonate with you, this will also.
= There's a dearth of specifics in implementing a daily practice ("how much and when and where?"). For example, it's mentioned that body scanning is done in order but no particular order is every described. This is by design - you're supposed to attend a course in person, which is available free of cost thanks to the donations of old students. That said, this is 2017 and daring readers are liable to try to use this book as a teach-along for solitary practice, which is a Bad Idea.
- Some of the allegories are a little bit eye rolley
- This is more a personal niggle I might have with Vipassana at large rather than the book but the idea of perceiving the individual subatomic particles comprising your body crosses the "Woo" line for me. As does the notion that these particles are manifested from mental forces. This is not astral-projection Woo or chakra-alignment Woo or any Woo like that but still more than I can swallow. The rest of the book passed my smell test as a western skeptical-minded independent Buddhist atheist kind of person, so fear not overmuch if you are like me.
I would recommend this to anyone who has been to a course and would like a refresher in the future, or who has an established dharma practice of their own already and is curious about Vipassana in particular.
"Whatever has the nature of arising also has the nature of cessation"
Lite erfaring med Vipasanna-teknikken foreløpig, men boken er en av de bedre om ikke den aller beste introduksjonen til hva meditasjon er og hvorfor det er viktig jeg har kommet over!