Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation

Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation
by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation
List Price: $15.95
Our Price: $9.47
You Save: $6.48 (41%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.00 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-08
ISBN: 0861715292
Number of pages: 200
Publisher: Wisdom Publications

Book Reviews of Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation

Book Review: The last part of a "trilogy", the final piece of the puzzle
Summary: 5 Stars

I consider this book to be the last part of a "trilogy":
1. Mindfulness in Plain English, Updated and Expanded Edition
2. Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path
3. Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation

The first book was a no nonsense nuts and bolts for me (I "needed" some kind of rationale context, not fairy tales). The only difficult part was the extended part about universal loving friendliness (why should I unconditionally trust the author).

The third book answered my question from the first book. Everything clicked together. Of course a few years of meditation and reflective thinking between reading these two books was a good help. The first four Jhanas make sense for me. The last eight is kind of in the fog (I don't even see any point in going into the last eight Jhanas). This is perfectly ok. I will still give the book five stars, because I was inspired to go for the eightfold path. I could write a whole book about this decision (what is free will, how are decisions made, levels of decisions, ...). Now I was ready to read the second book.

The second book contains to many fairy tales for me (stories of "irrational" monks). But because of the first and third book, I could just skip the stories, read between the lines, and make sense of the rest. Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't be without this second book. Other people might find these stories about monks to be wonderful stories, and I should't be so rough in my description when I say "fairy tales". I'm just describing what I felt when I read the book!

It's difficult to write a review about these books. Different people will get different messages from the same text. Even the same person will get different messages from the same text during different parts of the life. That is why I have included how the books was read by me, not only what I read. Reading them is not enough, what you end up doing (how you live your life) is what counts.

Summary of Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation

Every meditation tradition explains that there are two aspects to any effective meditation practice: insight and concentration. In Mindfulness in Plain English, author Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, a monk from Sri Lanka and venerated teacher of Buddhism, offered basic instruction on the meaning of insight (or vipassana) meditation through concepts that could be applied to any tradition. In Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English, he presents the levels of concentration with the same simplicity and humor that made the previous book so successful. The focus here is on the Jhanas, those meditative states of profound stillness and concentration in which the mind becomes fully immersed and absorbed in the chosen object of attention. Using the Jhanas to guide readers along the path to joy, happiness, equanimity, and one-pointedness, the author provides all of the instruction necessary to utilize meditation as a tool for building a more fulfilling life.

Buddhism Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Buddhism Books
Zen Buddhism: A History;  Vol. 2: Japan  (Nanzan Studies in Religion and Culture) ImageZen Buddhism: A History; Vol. 2: Japan (Nanzan Studies in Religion and Culture)
by Heinrich Dumoulin
Macmillan Pub Co; Published: 1989-12; Hardcover; Book
Price in other shops: $35.00
History Zen Buddhism 2 Volume ImageHistory Zen Buddhism 2 Volume
by Dumoulin
Macmillan Library Reference; Published: 1990-06-18; Paperback; Book
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living ImageThe Complete Idiot's Guide to Zen Living
by Gary McClain, Eve Adamson
Alpha; Published: 2000-11-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.15
Price in other shops: $16.95
365 Dalai Lama: Daily Advice from the Heart Image365 Dalai Lama: Daily Advice from the Heart
by Dalai Lama
Element Books Ltd.; Published: 2003-05-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $46.95
The Power of Compassion ImageThe Power of Compassion
by Tenzin Gyatso
Thorsons; Published: 2002-03; Audio Cassette; Book
Price in other shops: $15.95
No Beginning, No End: The Intimate Heart of Zen ImageNo Beginning, No End: The Intimate Heart of Zen
by Jakusho Kwong, Peter Levitt
Harmony; Published: 2003-03-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $53.80
An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World ImageAn End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World
by Pankaj Mishra
Picador; Published: 2005-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.39
Price in other shops: $18.00
Zen 24/7: All Zen, All the Time ImageZen 24/ 7: All Zen, All the Time
by Philip T. Sudo
HarperSanFrancisco; Published: 2001-04-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.94
Price in other shops: $14.00
Zen 24/7: All Zen, All the Time ImageZen 24/ 7: All Zen, All the Time
by Philip T. Sudo
HarperOne; Published: 2005-01-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.89
Price in other shops: $14.00
Buddha Is as Buddha Does: The Ten Original Practices for Enlightened Living ImageBuddha Is as Buddha Does: The Ten Original Practices for Enlightened Living
by Lama Surya Das
HarperSanFrancisco; Published: 2007-04-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.70
Price in other shops: $23.95
Similar Books and other products
What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada ImageWhat the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada
by Walpola Rahula
Grove Press; Published: 1974; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.94
Price in other shops: $14.95
The Heart of Buddhist Meditation: Satipatthna: A Handbook of Mental Training Based on the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness ImageThe Heart of Buddhist Meditation: Satipatthna: A Handbook of Mental Training Based on the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness
by Thera Nyanaponika
Red Wheel/Weiser; Published: 1973-06-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.54
Price in other shops: $16.95
Journey to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante G. ImageJourney to Mindfulness: The Autobiography of Bhante G.
by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Jeanne Malmgren
Wisdom Publications; Published: 1998-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.43
Price in other shops: $18.95
Wisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana ImageWisdom Wide and Deep: A Practical Handbook for Mastering Jhana and Vipassana
by Shaila Catherine
Wisdom Publications; Published: 2011-11-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.30
Price in other shops: $22.95
Practicing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw ImagePracticing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw
by Stephen Snyder, Tina Rasmussen
Shambhala; Published: 2009-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.84
Price in other shops: $18.95
Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook ImageMindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook
by Ajahn Brahm
Wisdom Publications; Published: 2006-08-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.25
Price in other shops: $16.95
Mindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition ImageMindfulness in Plain English: Revised and Expanded Edition
by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications; Published: 1996-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.60
Price in other shops: $14.95
Focused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity ImageFocused and Fearless: A Meditator's Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity
by Shaila Catherine
Wisdom Publications; Published: 2008-04-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.84
Price in other shops: $17.95
Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path ImageEight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha's Path
by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications; Published: 2001-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops: $16.95
Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition ImageMindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition
by Bhante Gunaratana
Wisdom Publications; Published: 2011-09-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.90
Price in other shops: $14.95
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories