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Buddhism for Dummies, 2nd Edition cover art

Buddhism for Dummies, 2nd Edition

Written by: Jonathan Landaw, Stephan Bodian, Gudrun Buhnemann
Narrated by: Sean Runnette
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Publisher's Summary

Your hands-on guide to this widely practiced and ancient religion.

Buddhism, one of the world's most widely practiced religions, is a fascinating yet complex eastern religion that is rapidly spreading throughout western civilization. What does it mean to be a Buddhist? What are the fundamental beliefs and history behind this religion? Buddhism for Dummies explores these questions and more in this updated guide to Buddhist culture. You'll gain an understanding of the origins of this ancient practice and how they're currently applied to everyday life.

Whether you're a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what makes Buddhism such a widely practiced religion, this guide is for you. In plain English, it defines the important terms, explains the key concepts, and explores in-depth a wide range of fascinating topics.

  • New and expanded coverage on all the schools of Buddhism, including Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana.
  • The continuing relevance of the Dalai Lama.
  • Updated coverage on daily observances, celebrations, styles, practices, meditation, and more....
©2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (P)2019 Tantor

What listeners say about Buddhism for Dummies, 2nd Edition

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Excellent Book

This book explains everything you need to know about Buddhism, The Buddha, it’s history, it’s wisdom, past and present monks that made a difference, meditation techniques, acceptance wisdom and also ways to achieve Enlightenment. A very accomplished book.

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Worth the listen

This book was exactly as expected a wonderful overview of Buddhism have recommended this book to a few of my friends already

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Excellent primer, but includes some mumbo jumbo

I enjoyed it overall, though some of the superstitions and unfounded beliefs are included, however it presents them more as historical/informative than claiming they are actually true.

That said, in chapter 10 I really got a lot out of the part where it mentions the person who looked at their watch and says "it WAS a nice watch" to help them detach from it.
I was in the shower wearing my new new watch and headphones and then it just clicked.

I had a mental health episode and basically lost, more discarded, my previous new and expensive watch and headphones. I have been very annoyed at not being able to recover them, and the amount of money they were, especially the watch. My new new watch and headphones aren't quite the same, as I couldn't afford a direct replacement.
I get bitter as it is annoying having to suffer from self inflicted consequences, due to a mental health episode brought on by sleep deprivation psychosis caused by chronic insomnia. Where I am having severe delusions and other symptoms of psychosis which, arguably, aren't self inflicted as I try to manage myself/sleep carefully so that they don't happen.
Basically, it feels like I stole my watch from myself.

This part and that thought led me to the realization that, like the story The Egg by Andy Weir, what we do to others, we actually do to ourselves.

So the karma that has you having your watch stolen because you stole a watch in a previous life, the person who stole it from you IS your previous life. So by forgiving, and mentally giving the watch to them, you are actually releasing yourself now from the karma you created in that life by stealing that watch from the you who exists now and had your watch stolen, by you then... If that makes any sense.

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