Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

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bodom
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Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by bodom »

Great news! A new book from Bhante G. coming this August:
In simple and straightforward language, Bhante Gunaratana shares what the Buddha said about mindfulness in his instructional talks and how we can use these principles to improve our daily lives, deepen our mindfulness, and move closer to our spiritual goals. While this book is based on a classic text, the Satipatthana Sutta, its presentation is thoroughly modern in Bhante’s trademark “Plain English” style.

Based around one of the Buddha's most succinct yet rich explanations of meditation, The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English can be read as a stand-alone volume either before or after the bestselling Mindfulness in Plain English. Newcomers will find it lays strong groundwork for mindfulness practice and gives them all they need to get started right away, and old hands will find rich subtleties and insights that will help consolidate and clarify what they may have started to see for themselves.
http://www.wisdompubs.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by DNS »

:thumbsup:

Glad to hear that; Bhante does an excellent job of explaining important things like mindfulness, jhanas, and other important teachings in plain English.
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marc108
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by marc108 »

Wow, I'm excited for this. Bhante G is the best! How lucky we are to have someone so deeply practiced, with a genius level intellect AND can explain things so simply and effectively! :)
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
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Polar Bear
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by Polar Bear »

How funny, I've had that book on my amazon account waiting to ship list for a month now and I just cancelled it off my list yesterday because I already have Analayo's book The Direct Path to Realization and The Heart of Buddhist Meditation by Nyanaponika.

Any of you guys think I should still get Gunaratana's book to hear another interpretation or do you think it would be excessive?
"I don't envision a single thing that, when developed & cultivated, leads to such great benefit as the mind. The mind, when developed & cultivated, leads to great benefit."

"I don't envision a single thing that, when undeveloped & uncultivated, brings about such suffering & stress as the mind. The mind, when undeveloped & uncultivated, brings about suffering & stress."
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tiltbillings
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by tiltbillings »

polarbuddha101 wrote:How funny, I've had that book on my amazon account waiting to ship list for a month now and I just cancelled it off my list yesterday because I already have Analayo's book The Direct Path to Realization and The Heart of Buddhist Meditation by Nyanaponika.

Any of you guys think I should still get Gunaratana's book to hear another interpretation or do you think it would be excessive?
It is likely worth reading, and it is always of value to hear differing takes on the same thing from experienced and good teachers.


Also, Joseph Goldstein, an excellent long time practitioner, well grounded in the suttas, has done an extensive series of talks on the Satipatthana Sutta from standpoint of actual practice. The talks can be found here.

http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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cooran
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by cooran »

Tilt said: The talks can be found here.
Where?

with metta
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by tiltbillings »

cooran wrote:
Tilt said: The talks can be found here.
Where?

with metta
Chris
Oooops.

Here

http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/96/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by Polar Bear »

Thanks for the input Tilt. I actually found another thread you posted on with a link to Goldstein's lectures a few weeks ago and have been listening to them almost everyday since, so thanks for that as well

:namaste:
"I don't envision a single thing that, when developed & cultivated, leads to such great benefit as the mind. The mind, when developed & cultivated, leads to great benefit."

"I don't envision a single thing that, when undeveloped & uncultivated, brings about such suffering & stress as the mind. The mind, when undeveloped & uncultivated, brings about suffering & stress."
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Ben
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by Ben »

Great news, indeed!
Thank you for sharing, Bodom!
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Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
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tiltbillings
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by tiltbillings »

polarbuddha101 wrote:Thanks for the input Tilt. I actually found another thread you posted on with a link to Goldstein's lectures a few weeks ago and have been listening to them almost everyday since, so thanks for that as well

:namaste:
Good on you and you are welcome.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
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piotr
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by piotr »

Hi,

You can find fairly new recordings of Bhante Guṇaratana talks on satipaṭṭhānas here. I suppose that content of upcoming book might be quite similar.
Bhagavaṃmūlakā no, bhante, dhammā...
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marc108
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by marc108 »

as a triple fyi... Bhavana Society offers, on a Dana basis, a CD with 25's worth of discourse by Bhante G on Satipatthana. http://www.bhavanasociety.org/resource/ ... _sutta_cd/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
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bodom
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by bodom »

I ordered and downloaded my ebook copy to my Nook today and I am so glad I did! What an amazing and excellent teacher Bhante G. is. This book is my new go to guide for anything meditation related. I cannot recommended it highly enough!

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by Cittasanto »

bodom wrote:I ordered and downloaded my ebook copy to my Nook today and I am so glad I did! What an amazing and excellent teacher Bhante G. is. This book is my new go to guide for anything meditation related. I cannot recommended it highly enough!

:anjali:
I have gone through his PHd thesis which was turned into a book and goes by a couple of names (although both escape me now). it is a fascinating read although not a practice manual like Mindfulness in plain English, but well worth the read also. I have a feeling Mindfulness in Plain English is a scaled down version in many respects.

Have a look in the Biblography for it!

and just realised this is off topic to the book being refered to :juggling:
anyway, do with as you see fit :p
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DNS
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Re: Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English

Post by DNS »

bodom wrote:I ordered and downloaded my ebook copy to my Nook today and I am so glad I did! What an amazing and excellent teacher Bhante G. is. This book is my new go to guide for anything meditation related. I cannot recommended it highly enough!
Thanks for that report. I just ordered a copy. I think I have all of his books now (or will have when this arrives) and yes, he is a great writer / teacher.
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