Former monk and author of "Alone with Others" and "The Awakening of the West" Stephen Batchelor now offers a straightforward, solid introduction to Buddhism that demystifies the discipline and explains simply and plainly how its practice can enrich our lives. "Filled with compassion, lucidly written".--Oscar Hijuelos. A national bestseller and acclaimed guide to Buddhism for beginners and practitioners alike In this simple but important volume, Stephen Batchelor reminds us that the Buddha was not a mystic who claimed privileged, esoteric knowledge of the universe, but a man who challenged…mehr
Former monk and author of "Alone with Others" and "The Awakening of the West" Stephen Batchelor now offers a straightforward, solid introduction to Buddhism that demystifies the discipline and explains simply and plainly how its practice can enrich our lives. "Filled with compassion, lucidly written".--Oscar Hijuelos.A national bestseller and acclaimed guide to Buddhism for beginners and practitioners alike In this simple but important volume, Stephen Batchelor reminds us that the Buddha was not a mystic who claimed privileged, esoteric knowledge of the universe, but a man who challenged us to understand the nature of anguish, let go of its origins, and bring into being a way of life that is available to us all. The concepts and practices of Buddhism, says Batchelor, are not something to believe in but something to do—and as he explains clearly and compellingly, it is a practice that we can engage in, regardless of our background or beliefs, as we live every day on the path to spiritual enlightenment.
Stephen Batchelor is a writer and teacher known for his secular approach to Buddhism. Born in 1953, he was ordained as a Buddhist monk at the age of twenty and spent ten years training in the Tibetan Geluk and Korean S¿n orders. Since disrobing he has been engaged in a critical exploration of Buddhism's role in the modern world, which has earned him both condemnation as a heretic and praise as a reformer. In particular, he regards Buddhism as an evolving culture of awakening, not a system of unchanging doctrines, and considers some traditional Buddhist concepts such as rebirth and karma to be relics of ancient Indian civilisation rather than essential teachings. Since 1986, he has taught at Gaia House meditation centre in Devon, England.¿ In 2015 he co-founded Bodhi College, a European educational project dedicated to the understanding and application of early Buddhism. He travels worldwide to lecture and lead retreats.
Inhaltsangabe
Buddhism Without Beliefs - Stephen Batchelor Preface Ground Awakening Agnosticism Anguish Death Rebirth Resolve Integrity Friendship Path Awareness Becoming Emptiness Compassion Fruition Freedom Imagination Culture Sources and Notes