Contemporary Buddhist narratives tend to all fall into the same
category of how hard it is to live in a modern society, and here are some cheat
sheets to work your way out of that. Nichtern does not do that here, in fact he
emphasizes just how difficult it can be to bring mindfulness and meditation
into your life. As a result, it feels as though a friend is sitting you down
and talking you through Buddhism, rather than you going to a lecture on how to
be a Better Person.
Nichtern goes through the basics of Buddhism and explains
them clearly, while also addressing misconceptions that frequently pop up about
karma or other common ideas. He also links them all back to contemporary life,
and what that means for someone living in the here and now. His thoughts are
all very accessible and easy to follow.
As opposed to holding the Buddha’s teachings on this high
pedestal and expecting us to climb up there, the author brings the teachings
down to our level, meeting us where we are at. It’s a refreshing change (and
I’ve read a lot of books about Buddhism) and offers a unique perspective on it.
Nichtern also fuses together many different sects of Buddhism, and touches on
whether or not Buddhism could be considered a religion, or a philosophy of
thought. This makes the book suitable for beginners or others more familiar
with Buddhist thought, and is wonderful reading about mindfulness for anyone
interested.
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