Rating: 
Summary: A book of possibilities
Review: The author says you should learn meditation only at a Vipassana Center so why buy this book?If we take swimming as an analogy, learning swimming by reading a book might not be a great idea for one who is not familiar with it; and this I understand is what the author means by emphasizing that its not a Learn To Do It Yourself book. However the book does give an idea that swimming is a very real possiblity. That it is possible for a man to learn to stay afloat in water, even in a deep sea with waves throwing him up and pushing him down all the time (as it is with life). And after taking the course, it also helped me as a good reference guide. Cheers,
Sanjay
Rating:
Summary: Clear and concise description of a meditation practice
Review: The book describes a very precise method of quieting the mind. After reading this book I practiced the breath observation meditation technique and achieved very good results, clearer thinking, better sleep, ability to cope with very stressfull situations. A must for anyone interested in meditation and the core teachings of Buddha.
Rating: 
Summary: A bit light
Review: The book is a bit light, intended for as an introductory text with a few of the basic ideas. The idea is to get you to go to your first ten day retreat, as the next step. After you learn a lot about meditation, you go back and read this book again and find out, "Oh, it was there all along." But now you understand it with your heart and your experience, not with just your head and your concepts. I practiced this method faithfully for ten years, attending one retreat each year. Extraordinarily beneficial. Change your life. Come out of your suffering.
Rating:
Summary: A bit light
Review: The book is a bit light, intended for as an introductory text with a few of the basic ideas. The idea is to get you to go to your first ten day retreat, as the next step. After you learn a lot about meditation, you go back and read this book again and find out, "Oh, it was there all along." But now you understand it with your heart and your experience, not with just your head and your concepts. I practiced this method faithfully for ten years, attending one retreat each year. Extraordinarily beneficial. Change your life. Come out of your suffering.
Rating:
Summary: A great beginner's guide to meditation.
Review: The book outlines a simple but profound program for meditation. What is refreshing about Mr. Goenka is the fact that he is not interested in converts or donations or forming a cult of personality around himself as a guru but in helping people establish a meditation practice of their own.
Rating:
Summary: Read just this short book then just sit.
Review: There is a tendency to read too much and sit (practice) too little. This clear and concise book provides all you need to get on the path. Read it then practice daily; after a year, read it again-- it will seem like a whole new book to you.
Rating:
Summary: A very critical book to understand oneself and society!
Review: This book changed my view of life in a totally positive manner. It contains a very important masseges that I have never read in other
similar books. It is simple, accurate, and nothing but the truth
Rating: 
Summary: Buy Only If You Dont Know Anything About Vipassana..........
Review: this Book Contains Only Information About Vipassana & Other Things.....Nothing Else.I Bought This Book For Some Meditations & Exercises But I Am Highly Dissapointed.Author Says You Should Learn Those Meditations Only At Vipassana Center.Then Why The HELL Author wrote The Book.We Can Get This Information Too There.
Piece Of Junk.........
Rating:
Summary: Must Buy Book
Review: This is one of the best introductions to Buddhist philosophy that I have come across. Everything from the need for compassion to the vipassana technique of meditation is explained in adequate detail. Yet, unlike some other books, this is really interesting and easy to understand. I recommend this book to everyone, irrespective of their age and religion.
Rating:
Summary: a modern classic exposition of an ancient technique
Review: This meditation can free you from migraine, as the teacher S.N. Goenka's own experience proves the happiness one may benefit from the meditation practise. It encourages you to attend a practical 10 day course which is well organised and charges no amount from the student. A spirit motivated by conviction in dhamma and an international academy in bombay establishes itself to be a professional body in offering courses in vipassana and dhamma. If one visits the main centre in bombay, one can meet the principal teacher S.N. Goenka and see that his work is really commentable. One can sense his compassion and sincerity in his efforts to help people, and you can feel immeasurable happiness in seeing how he helps immates , prisoners who suffers so much mental agony by introducing meditation and how they are transformed after the noble dhamma is taught and practised. They return to society to become good people The art of living mindfully, by focusing on one's breathing and comtemplation of feeling are just some of the foundation of mindfulness so much exphasized in ancient buddhist texts. It is not a book written to just impress the general reader of any of its organised theory, but one of direct experience and aim at to encourage practical aspects of meditation. This book has no sectarism and it brings you to realise the nature of your own physical and mental structure, by observing ones bodily sensations. It is said that one can understand the emotional aspects of human and attain wisdom and compassion when one penetrates the true nature of ones aggregates, through mindful introspection . For example, a meditator contemplating of the sensations of his body experiences pain, happy and neutral sensations. In understanding this, he realises all beings by nature experience this and would not cause pain to any beings, such as pouring hot water to a rat or beating animals, hurting people etc. Finally, in the world of today, this book introduces one to its courses which teaches the practise of loving kindness meditation, such more in need of demand in midst of the samsaric conditionings of the world such as war, poverity and disaster, may all beings practise insight meditation and reach to true happiness, true liberation. May you read this book and attend a 10 days course taught by s.n. goenka or his assistants and derive benefit. Your in the truth Asoka lai hoe peng singapore feb 1998
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