Buddhism without Beliefs - Stephen Batchelor
Those with an interest in Buddhism will welcome this new book by Stephen Batchelor, former monk and author of Alone With Others and The Awakening of the West. But those who are just discovering this increasingly popular practice will have much to gain as well-for Buddhism Without Beliefs serves as a solid, straightforward introduction that demystifies Buddhism and explains simply and plainly how its practice can enrich our lives. Avoiding jargon and theory, Batchelor concentrates on the concrete, making Buddhism accessible and compelling and showing how anyone can embark on this path-regardless of their religious background.
Demonoid
Batchelor's efforts at making Buddhism more "accessible" can be lauded, but I'm not so convinced by his efforts to strip away things like ritual elements and reincarnation and/or rebirth as merely "cultural baggage." If you look at what he's been saying recently in interviews, this is a man who clearly has certain beliefs about what is and what isn't Buddhism, and even though I agree with him at times, he's very much coming from a place of using Western lenses (especially modern philosophy and science) to view a diverse spiritual tradition.
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