Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Path of the Buddha

I have read well over a dozen books regarding forms and aspects of Buddhist thought before reading this one, including Bhante G's other book, Mindfulness in Plain English (also an excellent book). This book explores and clarifies the Noble Eightfold Path in great detail, dedicating a chapter to each step of the path. Bhante G explains how we can allow true happiness and peace to permeate every aspect of our lives while drawing firm reasoning and logic for his points from the Buddha's teachings. He does this in a comprehensive and down-to-earth style, which helps the reader genuinely understand that the path to lasting happiness is both feasible and available to us here and now. The wisdom and encouragement provided in this book never fails to inspire me. I bring it with me anywhere I travel, and consult it regularly. It's helped me change my life, and I feel certain that it will do the same for anyone else with an open mind and a desire to find lasting happiness. One thing I feel I should note are some errors in another review. The author of the review complains that equating enlightenment with being "free from any speculative views or theories about reality, about the past, present, and future, about the existence of the self, and about the universe" is being unscientific. However, if someone is fully enlightened, how can he/she still be bound by mere theories and speculation regarding the nature of reality? The enlightened person must have seen the truth himself/herself directly, and must thus be free from speculation and confusion. Also, the author of that review states that Gunarutana places too much emphasis on the quelling of doubts about the Buddha's teachings. It's true that we must follow our intellect and logic to lead us to the path we think is correct. However, what Bhante G tries to "quell" is not the use of intelligence in the pursuit of happiness, but rather the nagging voices in the back of one's head when, despite one's prior conviction, still arise during meditation on occassion. I have experienced this first-hand from well over a year of meditation experience, and I know that such doubt is simply unproductive and unhelpful. Bhante G's advice has actually helped me overcome that and progress in my meditation. With all that said, regardless of what you've read in the past or how much prior knowledge you have with Buddhism, I feel this book provides a great and vast source of advice to directly experience the true nature of Buddha's teachings throughout our lives and bring us ever closer to true happiness.

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!

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 disappointed.

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 Buddha2. 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.

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