Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond: A Meditator's Handbook
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Synopsis
"Better than sex!" That's how Ajahn Brahm describes meditation, and his enthusiasm is contagious. A self-described meditation junkie, Brahm shares his recipe for bliss in this practical, energising new book. "Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond" is a complete, stem-to-stern guide to the subject, with precise step-by-step instructions for traversing the stages of practice and overcoming obstacles. Drawing on his working-class roots, Brahm explains difficult concepts clearly and easily, so that beginners understand them, while those who already meditate gain new insight. Full of surprises, delightfully goofy humour and entertaining stories that inspire, instruct and illuminate, this meditator's handbook encourages novices and gives a shot in the arm to more experienced practitioners.
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
By E. Husk
Format:Paperback
The delight of this book comes from the freshness, humour and obvious experience of the author. He inspires us to meditate and have confidence in a process that he describes with wonderful clarity.
You often read reviews which begin 'If you buy only one book this year...'
Well, this is the one! And expect to be referring to it all year and the next year. It is meant to be used as a guide - and it works. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to Ajahn Brahm. This really is the 'Handbook' I've been waiting for.
You often read reviews which begin 'If you buy only one book this year...'
Well, this is the one! And expect to be referring to it all year and the next year. It is meant to be used as a guide - and it works. I cannot adequately express my gratitude to Ajahn Brahm. This really is the 'Handbook' I've been waiting for.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent,practical, simple guide to meditation - for non-buddhists too!
30 Oct 2009
Format:Paperback
Still reading the first half of this book, but so far - it has certainly been a very useful book written in a clear simple style. Especially suited to those with some basic meditation experience, but this is the most lucid modern-english text i have seen on the subject of meditation so far!
I don't full consider myself a 'buddhist', however I still highly recommend this book for all those intersted in what meditation actually is & how to do it. Happy meditiating! :)
I don't full consider myself a 'buddhist', however I still highly recommend this book for all those intersted in what meditation actually is & how to do it. Happy meditiating! :)
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having heard Ajahn Brahm talk on YouTube and dhammaloka.org.au, I ordered this book to help me develop my meditation techniques. It does a good job of explaining how to meditate, using seven steps that naturally flow into each other. Much recommended for the meditation beginner or for adding to your repetoir of meditation techniques.
12 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ajahn Brahm relates how inordinately difficult it is to become enlightened. It can only be done in a monastery which follows all eight steps of the Buddhist path. The carrot for this nigh impossible task is the ecstatic pleasure to be found in meditation, particularly the advanced meditation called the jhanas. Its rather like a millionaire telling the poor how to become rich - luck and many years hard work - but does the enormity of the task make us give up ? Yes jhanas are better than sex, but we can have sex today. For all that he is surely telling it how it is and not sugaring the pill, and for that he gets five stars. And when we reach the jhanas and dwell in ecstacy, what then ? We must give them up for Nibbana, nothingness. Funny old religion, this Buddhism.
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By S. Chander
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Certainly a good book on meditation technique and Jhana attainment, with some great chapters early on describing holding present moment awareness before moving to the breath, and the beautiful breath.
Elsewhere I see some flaws in the book :
- Negative view of 'worldly' life : he describes life as "the whole unredeemable lot", and often refers to a table-top device he saw once like a candle that mechanically puts itself out, a device he reveres in what he sees is its portrayal of the banality of life. Beneath the text is a contempt for 'worldly' life and a reverence for suicide through meditation. This for me contradicts his other assertions that in existence there is essentially no meaning, and certainly holding such negative views will be a barrier to meditation.
- Light-heartedness : the book is lauded for being awash with witty anecdotes, the author says proudly "he is a meditation junkie" for instance. I can only assume he has missed the point when he also describes the modern trend of "banana nibbana" (watered down buddhism) ... which he seems to be a purveyor of. It does increase the books accessibility initially, but by the end, and with the weight of what is being discussed, it seems inappropriate. And "junkie" ... ???
- Justifications : the author uses phrases like "Buddha said (some quote) in some sutra and thus we can glean from this that Buddhism is (some conclusion)". This seems illogical to me. Buddha gave many descriptions of the teachings to fit whatever audience was in front of him, and so to take one of his statements and generalise the whole teaching from it ... is obviously incorrect. 'He who justifies does not convince'.... Read more ›
Elsewhere I see some flaws in the book :
- Negative view of 'worldly' life : he describes life as "the whole unredeemable lot", and often refers to a table-top device he saw once like a candle that mechanically puts itself out, a device he reveres in what he sees is its portrayal of the banality of life. Beneath the text is a contempt for 'worldly' life and a reverence for suicide through meditation. This for me contradicts his other assertions that in existence there is essentially no meaning, and certainly holding such negative views will be a barrier to meditation.
- Light-heartedness : the book is lauded for being awash with witty anecdotes, the author says proudly "he is a meditation junkie" for instance. I can only assume he has missed the point when he also describes the modern trend of "banana nibbana" (watered down buddhism) ... which he seems to be a purveyor of. It does increase the books accessibility initially, but by the end, and with the weight of what is being discussed, it seems inappropriate. And "junkie" ... ???
- Justifications : the author uses phrases like "Buddha said (some quote) in some sutra and thus we can glean from this that Buddhism is (some conclusion)". This seems illogical to me. Buddha gave many descriptions of the teachings to fit whatever audience was in front of him, and so to take one of his statements and generalise the whole teaching from it ... is obviously incorrect. 'He who justifies does not convince'.... Read more ›
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By TC
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The jhanas are a central part of the practice taught by the Buddha, mentioned repeatedly throughout the Pali Canon and it is refreshing to see many contemporary teachers returning to the teaching of them as an alternative to the "dry insight" vipassana meditation which was only recently developed in the 20th century. In this book Ajahn Brahm says he teaches the jhanas, which he characterises as a kind of anaesthetic coma where the senses are turned off and all sense of the body and the outside world is lost. As an example of how literally he means this, he even tells the story of one of his students who fell into the state that he espouses and was rushed to hospital by his wife because she thought he had died. According to his definition, if you can sense anything, you're not in a jhana.
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) these kinds of states are not what the Buddha taught as jhana. If they were, then the Pali Canon, which is full of descriptions of jhana, would be full of descriptions of monks in death-like comas. It isn't. In fact, the Buddha taught eight successive jhanas, the first four of which are states of heightened whole body awareness. Note the important difference - heightened awareness of the body, not unawareness of the body. Thought and feeling also play important parts in the first four jhanas, called the form jhanas. It is only the latter four jhanas which are called formless, where the awareness of form fades away, and these last four are not necessary for awakening.
Brahm also states that to get into jhana it is essential to have to have a "nimitta". He says that for most people this will be an imaginary bright light accompanied by a feeling of bliss. The trick is to develop this light and the feeling of bliss then get sucked into them.... Read more ›
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) these kinds of states are not what the Buddha taught as jhana. If they were, then the Pali Canon, which is full of descriptions of jhana, would be full of descriptions of monks in death-like comas. It isn't. In fact, the Buddha taught eight successive jhanas, the first four of which are states of heightened whole body awareness. Note the important difference - heightened awareness of the body, not unawareness of the body. Thought and feeling also play important parts in the first four jhanas, called the form jhanas. It is only the latter four jhanas which are called formless, where the awareness of form fades away, and these last four are not necessary for awakening.
Brahm also states that to get into jhana it is essential to have to have a "nimitta". He says that for most people this will be an imaginary bright light accompanied by a feeling of bliss. The trick is to develop this light and the feeling of bliss then get sucked into them.... Read more ›
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