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Rating: 
Summary: A most skillful book...
Review:
The Buddha's fourth truth is to be cultivated. It is called the nobel eight-fold path. The eight steps are memorized by every person who hears of them and takes up meditation. But memorization is not enough. These steps must be cultivated. How? That is precisely the question Bhante Gunaratana takes up in his book, Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness.
I recommend this book to experienced meditators, not to beginners. Why? Because it may be too subtle for the neophyte. That's presumptuous I know, but that is how I feel about the work. Bhante G is a very skillful writer. Given the subject could I have chosen a different adjective? His writing is in no way obscure or mysterious, but it is very subtle and a reader may too easily dismiss it.
That said, this is a wonderful book describing the Buddha's eight-fold path and what the practitioner should consider with each step along it. I highly recommend it for novice to experienced meditators.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Instruction For A Beginner
Review: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana gave some pretty easy advice here for the practitioners on how to make The Noble 8 Fold Path as part of their daily life. The book has some very good instruction, however tends to drag with some worthless knowledge here and there. It's very good for the basic practitioner who needs some understanding on how to make the path part of their lives.
Rating:
Summary: Eight Step Program for Living
Review: Bhante Henepola Gunaratana has summarized all of the Buddha's path to happiness, everything we know about affecting change in our lives, and everything that psychology teaches us about healthy living into a single, easy to read, easy to apply manual for happiness. This book is a gem! It can be used for inspiration, or instruction. It can be read countless times for added insight. If you are inclined toward Buddhism, or at least are taken with the Buddhist perspective, you will appreciate the straightforward approach he takes to describing the eight steps. If you are not Buddhist or so inclined, you might be put off with some of what you read (the Author clearly believes that the Buddha's way is THE way, and you might be inclined to think of Jesus as the way, or someone else), but I think any rational person would recognize the power and potential for creating change that is captured in this book. The eight steps are: 1. Skillful Understanding - recognizing the roles of cause and effect, and truly understanding the Four Noble Truths as taught by the Buddha 2. Skillful Thinking - Emphasis on understanding how our attachment to things is the source of our suffering (letting go), the practice of loving-friendliness, and practicing compassion. 3. Skillful Speach - Special emphasis on truth-telling, gentle speach, and avoiding useless chatter. 4. Sillful Action - Particular attention to the Five Precepts, namely abstaining from killing, stealing, speaking falsely, sexual misconduct and misuse of intoxicants. 5. Skillful Livelihood - Understanding that how we make a living can have negative or positive impacts (skillful or unskillful) on our path to happiness. 6. Skillful Effort - Recognizing and dealing with the hindrances and fetters that keep us tied to our unhappiness. 7. Skillful Mindfulness - A study of mindfulness practice in terms of the body, feelings, the mind, and mental objects. 8. Skillful Concentration - Teaches what concentration means in the context of meditation, and how it is developed through the four stages to full Concentration. At each step, you'll recognize yourself and the things you do that hold you back from the path of happiness. You'll find solace in the knowledge that you are not alone (these are common to all us human beings), and relief in learning how to see things differently so that the world you live in works FOR you and not against you. This is a wonderful book, and anyone who feels they need to make changes in their life would benefit enormously.
Rating:
Summary: Shares the Buddha's teachings on every aspect of human life
Review: Eight Mindful Steps To Happiness offers a mentally evolved, elegant presented, beautifully simple, Buddhist approach to life. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana was born in Sri Lanka, ordained as a Buddhist monk at the age of twelve, earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from The American University, and taught courses in Buddhism in several American colleges and universities. He draws upon his immense expertise, insights, and education skills to share the Buddha's teachings on every aspect of human life. Eight Mindful Steps To Happiness is a wonderful and much appreciated contribution to the growing library of Buddhist literature available to an American readership.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I've read lots of books about buddhism, but none as practical and readily understandable as this. The author writes in plain language and gives many specific tips on enacting each step. There are no real riddles or obfuscations in the author's approach, and one feels that he's not being stingy or arrogant with his wisdom. Probably not for more advanced practitioners, but a perfect place to start!
Rating:
Summary: so so so good; so human and real and warm and motivating
Review: In this much-anticipated "sequel" to his 1993 meditation guide, MINDFULNESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH, Bhante G. recognizes that understanding the Buddha's teaching requires effort. "It is certainly much easier," he writes, "not to strive, not to change, just to take life for granted, and to continue in whatever patterns of thought and behavior have become your comfortable habits" (p. 247). Bhante G's new book may be read as a "complete guide to happiness," summed up in the eight steps (p. 1) of the Noble Eightfold Path: "skillful understanding" (pp. 25-55), "skillful thinking" (pp. 57-89), "skillful speech" (pp. 91-108), "skillful action" (pp. 109-132), "skillful livelihood" (pp. 133-148), "skillful effort" (pp. 149-192), "skillful mindfulness" (pp. 193-222), and "skillful concentration" (pp. 223-245). These eight steps are the spokes of the wheel of clarity, Bhante G tells us, and he encourages us to "set the wheel spinning" through our daily practice (p. 51) with the goal of finding "inner light, inner brightness, inner warmth" (p. 251). Bhante G. is a good teacher, and he illuminates his discussion with interesting anecdotes. "The present moment is your teacher," he writes in the same straightforward style as his previous book. "Turn it into your personal laboratory. Pay attention. Investigate. You alone can generate wisdom in yourself" (p. 253). "Walk the path for yourself," he tells us. "The path is spread across all the experiences of your life as you cultivate increasing skillfulness in thought, word, and deed" (p. 256). This is a "sequel" that stands on its own, and like MINDFULNESS IN PLAIN ENGLISH, this book is sure to become a trusted dharma resource on my bookshelf reserved for life-changing books. G. Merritt
Rating:
Summary: Concise and Lucid
Review: Unfortunately, a prior reviewer's comments were somewhat unintelligible and punctuated by non sequiturs. It is in stark contrast to the substantive and coherent work by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana.
I have long sought a practical and comprehensive manual that could clearly explain and outline, in both detail and simple language, the fine points of the Buddha's Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path. Not only has Bhante accomplished this with beautiful clarity, he has done so in a manner that lends itself to easy application within one's daily life. This is not to say that applying the Buddha's doctrine is necessarily a simple process, but merely that (for those interested in Buddhism) reading this book should eliminate any procrastination in commencing the Path because of any possible lack of understanding.
While the present work was published subsequent to Mindfulness in Plain English - by the same author - it can stand alone quite well. In fact, I would recommend that Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness be read first, before proceeding to Mindfulness in Plain English - as it seems a more natural progression. But, really, this is just a matter of personal preference.
Anyone purchasing this book with the expectation of gaining a greater understanding of Buddhist doctrine in layman's terms is, in my humble opinion, unlikely to be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: After the Fact...
Review: Unless you are a child, animal or stupid; you are miserable.
Ah! If only we could all be stupid. This book is about becoming happy even if you are not stupid. The author
guides us along the mythical "yellow brick road" with eight
steps. Skillful understanding, skillful thinking, skillful
speech, skillful action, skillful livelihood, skillful effort,
skillful mindfulness, and skillful concentration. These can
be played sequentially, and then, at random. Each one increasing the intensity of the others like music. One eventually
becomes a "happy being." One of those rare and frightening
apparitions. You know the kind. People who are happy listening
to Barry Manilow. The "show stopper" is on page 16. "Observe
a potential teacher carefully. Deeds are more important than
words. Daily contact with who has followed the Buddha's path
for at least ten years is a good way to see for yourself whether the teachings work." Take it from a veteren, the teachings work.
But there are a lot of "teacher-morons" out there. Believe me!
They only became teachers because they are in more pain than you and me. The author is off point here. And we have to face
another issue. The teachings in this book are distincively
Sri Lankan Buddhist. They will not interface with a good Zen
teacher. I've mentally thrown this book out. I bought
"Mindfulness with Breathing" by Buddhadasa Bhikku. This is
a Thai Buddhist guide to meditation. And I'm turning myself
into the Wai Thai Temple. The only Buddhist Thai monestery
in the United States. They all have orange robes and shaven heads. I make up these reviews as I go along. Don't buy this
book unless you have some experience in vipassana. Buy the author's famed first book, "Minfulness in Plain English."
Here you will get the basic nuts and bolts of meditation.
Thank you. And watch where you are driving. Before buying
any book, always ask, "What is the author demanding of me?
What will I have to do?" Thank you. And be careful out there.
I wonder what my religion will be next Wednesday?
Rating:
Summary: After the Fact...
Review: Unless you are a child, animal or stupid; you are miserable.
Ah! If only we could all be stupid. This book is about becoming happy even if you are not stupid. The author
guides us along the mythical "yellow brick road" with eight
steps. Skillful understanding, skillful thinking, skillful
speech, skillful action, skillful livelihood, skillful effort,
skillful mindfulness, and skillful concentration. These can
be played sequentially, and then, at random. Each one increasing the intensity of the others like music. One eventually
becomes a "happy being." One of those rare and frightening
apparitions. You know the kind. People who are happy listening
to Barry Manilow. The "show stopper" is on page 16. "Observe
a potential teacher carefully. Deeds are more important than
words. Daily contact with who has followed the Buddha's path
for at least ten years is a good way to see for yourself whether the teachings work." Take it from a veteren, the teachings work.
But there are a lot of "teacher-morons" out there. Believe me!
They only became teachers because they are in more pain than you and me. The author is off point here. And we have to face
another issue. The teachings in this book are distincively
Sri Lankan Buddhist. They will not interface with a good Zen
teacher. I've mentally thrown this book out. I bought
"Mindfulness with Breathing" by Buddhadasa Bhikku. This is
a Thai Buddhist guide to meditation. And I'm turning myself
into the Wai Thai Temple. The only Buddhist Thai monestery
in the United States. They all have orange robes and shaven heads. I make up these reviews as I go along. Don't buy this
book unless you have some experience in vipassana. Buy the author's famed first book, "Minfulness in Plain English."
Here you will get the basic nuts and bolts of meditation.
Thank you. And watch where you are driving. Before buying
any book, always ask, "What is the author demanding of me?
What will I have to do?" Thank you. And be careful out there.
I wonder what my religion will be next Wednesday?
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