If You're Curious About These Questions...
You should listen to this audiobook
- Have you ever wondered why we spend most of our lives distracted from the only moment that actually exists—and what that's costing us?
- Did you know that much of our daily suffering stems from a specific type of 'blindness' that has nothing to do with our eyesight?
- What if you could find profound peace right in the middle of your busiest day by simply changing how you perceive the present?
Listen to Buddhism – Plain and Simple — Free Audiobook
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Key Takeaways from Buddhism – Plain and Simple
- Discover why our everyday suffering stems from fighting the inevitable reality of change and comparing the present moment to our expectations.
- Learn how adopting the 'right view' helps you eliminate conflict by stopping the habit of freezing a constantly changing world into fixed, arbitrary concepts.
- Understand the principle of 'right effort,' which teaches you to navigate life naturally without straining or trying to control what is ultimately out of your hands.
- Master the practice of 'right mindfulness' by observing your internal, bodily reactions to annoyances without judgment in order to naturally calm your mind.
- Explore the Buddhist perspective on the self and find out why traditional beliefs in either an immortal soul or pure materialism fail to define our true individuality.
Learning Tools
Reinforce what you learned from Buddhism – Plain and Simple
Mind Map
Buddhism – Plain and Simple
The Root of Suffering
Comparing reality to our wishes and expectations causes misery
Desires, fears, and opinions veil the actual world
Suffering persists as long as we fight inevitable change
We must acknowledge we never had control over life
The Illusion of Self
Buddhism rejects both an immortal soul and pure materialism
Personality is not a frozen, immutable concept
We are not corks floating in a stream of time
We are the stream itself, in constant flow
The Nature of Truth
Relative Truth
Absolute Truth
Key Buddhist Practices
Right View
Right Intention
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Actionable Advice
Stop judging yourself, others, and situations
Focus on your breath to calm the mind
Discover the power of awareness in the present moment
Quiz — Test Your Understanding
Question 1 of 6
According to the text, what is the primary reason human beings experience misery and dissatisfaction?
Buddhism – Plain and Simple — Full Chapter Overview
Chapter 1: Recommendation
Chapter 2: Our misery arises from our inability to see and accept things as they really are.
Chapter 3: Buddhism proposes eight ways to find peace of mind – and two concern the manner in which we think.
Chapter 4: Two additional key practices are the right mindfulness and the right effort.
Chapter 5: The concept of the self is not the true essence of our individuality.
Chapter 6: The reality is that all things are part of a single whole.
Buddhism – Plain and Simple Summary & Overview
Buddhism Plain and Simple (2013) is your no-nonsense guide to essential Buddhist practices. From building awareness to living in the present moment, Buddhism’s most important teachings are explained in a clear and accessible way, and are linked to aspects of everyday life where we need them the most.
Who Should Listen to Buddhism – Plain and Simple?
- Spirituality enthusiasts seeking a deeper understanding of human existence
- Professionals who feel too busy to live in the moment
- Anyone who wants to stop living in ignorance of basic Buddhist truths
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