No-Nonsense Buddhism for Beginners: Clear Answers to Burning Questions About Core Buddhist Teachings

How do you write something new and fresh about a topic that has been analyzed down to its toenails? You have to really “get it” and Naoh Rasheta clearly does. Written in an inspired Q&A format, this book really is “No-Nonsense,” which, of course, to the Buddhist means, “It makes all the sense in the world.”I am a proud-to-be-an-American Buddhist philosopher who lived in China for almost a decade. Which means, essentially, that I study the teachings of the Buddha, including the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. I don’t, however, meditate, although I do contemplate. And there is a difference.The point is that whatever you’ve heard about Buddhism is probably both right and wrong. The teachings of the Buddha are so straightforward (notice I didn’t say simple) as to be very difficult to communicate. And, as such, they can take many forms, as evidenced by the large number of Buddhist sects in existence today.Noah Rasheta, however, does a better job than anyone else I’ve read at pulling it all together. And I perceive he is motivated to do so both because he cares and he appreciates that this lack of discrete definability is precisely what many sufferers in the West need, but which prevents them from finding relief.The language of Buddhism can be difficult, in part, because there are so many exotic terms used in its ancient teachings. But these terms are not exotic so much as they are merely unfamiliar and I suggest you largely ignore them. And Mr. Rasheta will help. He doesn’t ignore them but he does marginalize their importance for native English speakers.I like to explain how by using the example of an old tree sitting high up in a mountainous meadow. The tree is real. I can touch it. I can smell it. I can hear the rustle of its leaves. I could even cut it down if I wanted. I can’t, however, “know” the tree. The tree is a product of the things within itself but it is also the product of the climate, the altitude, the soil, the trees and vegetation around it, and an infinite variety of other variables that contribute to defining that tree, and all of which are constantly changing. I can only know that everything is interconnected; to know the tree is impossible, but the tree is real.Buddhists talk a lot about suffering. And there is plenty of suffering in the world today. But like the tree, we cannot truly know suffering unless we embrace the arrogance that would allow us to think we can truly know it. We all suffer but there is no reason to truly embrace it. And as soon as you don’t, whether it’s in meditation or reading a very good book like this one, you can hold that suffering at a distance. And in its isolation it will dissipate.Buy this book, read it through, and put it on your shelf to read it again. The writing is simple and clear and full of simple wisdom that you can reach out and touch.

Fantastic Book. As a neurologist, I have spent the past three years studying and understanding many mindfulness and acceptance techniques that have their foundation in Buddhism and have been clinically proven to have pervasive health benefits. Principles of Secular Buddhism can be applied by anyone, regardless of religious belief.

Originally, I downloaded a sample of the book. I didn't get that much out of the sample. After completing the sample there was some information about a podcast by the author. I decided to give it a listen while working around the house. The style of the podcast was very easy to listen to. I ended up listening to several. After that, I purchased his book. Many of the items in this book were covered in episodes of the podcasts. My only regret is that it was such an easy read, it over too soon. I will continue to listen to Noah Rasheta's podcasts and certainly consider purchasing other books recommended by him.

This book is a MUST read for anyone even remotely interested in learning about the core concepts of Buddhism. It is also a useful reference book for any new practioner of the Buddhist path, to help brush up on their knowledge, or even for use as an easy access source to draw upon and share with others interested in learning. The question and answer format that Noah uses, makes it extremely easy to bookmark and find any answers you are looking for expediently, without having to dig deep through various texts and complicated wording. He uses a clear cut, straight forward approach in his explanations, utilizing very easy to understand, real world examples and analogies that make learning about Buddhism an enjoyable experience. This book is truly capable of inspiring one to delve further and learn more. Excellent follow up resource or even pre-read to his first book, which we also highly recommend.

Wish I'd had this book a long time ago. I've read various books like Siddhartha, Old Path White Clouds, etc. which I enjoyed but I got bogged down in the unfamiliar words and various "schools" of Buddhism. (My Western mind asks "which is the best?") The level of detail in this book is perfect for the beginner and for the still-confused non-beginner, and it answers the questions that pop into my mind about the language as well as a bit about why there are different "schools" and some of the differences.

Great overview of Buddhism for the total beginner. Very accessible and divided into short easy chunks. Quite short in length. I’d have preferred a bit more depth to it but a good introduction to the subject nonetheless.

Really easy and enjoyable to read. An excellent choice for a first dip into Buddhism, covers everything in an engaging way that keeps you interested. The author has great warmth and humour and this shows in the writing which makes it such a joy to read

I loved this easy to understand book of Buddhism. Everything is made very clear and simple with examples of how the different aspects of Buddhism affect every day life. It is not a religion, it's a way of life. And also a great tool for self improvement. I highly reccomend this book, especially to anyone who is new to Buddhism or curious in any way as to what it's all about.

The main concepts are explained in a straightforward and accessible way.An easy read but covers a lot of ground.

Excellent. Everybody should have this book.

Does what it says

Noah Rasheta has a very clear writing style. Presented as a set of answers to frequently asked questions about Buddhism, this book clarified my understanding of various key concepts where other books had just confused me.

this book change my life, as first book to understand buddhism is amazing ,very small, but full of sense.!00% buy it if you want to get into this life philosophy, the only thing isafter the book...now??what i have to do.. you finish the book and you want to know more by this author.

I enjoyed the layout of the book which was separated into 4 main topics. I found this book thought provoking with examples to provide further clarity on the meanings of the subject.

Once again Noah Rasheta does what he does best. Written in a clever Q&A format, this book is an excellent introduction to the various concepts of Buddhism. Rasheta's ability to draw parallels between core concepts and everyday life makes it easy to understand for everybody.

Great way to learn the basics of Buddhism. Despite Noah's secular stance, the book I think provides an intro for anyone looking to learn about any tradition of Buddhism.

For anyone interested in learning more about the fundamentals of Buddhism, this is the book for you. A straight forward, easy to understand guide with excellent real world examples and applications. Very well written and actually enjoyable to read!

Simply a life changing book. Answered all of my questions and has helped me define my path. I can't imagine a better introduction to Buddhism.

Questo libro ti permette di avere una idea generale e completa del buddhismo. Ideale come primo approccio. Consigliato

The beauty of Buddhism lies in its simplicity. Similarly, the beauty of this book lies in the simplicity of its language and explaination of ideas.