Mindfulness in Plain English
by Bhante H. Gunaratana · first published 2002
81% recommend17% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
Practical, easy-to-read manual for Vipassana-style meditation that explains why and how to practice. Free online, and secular readers say they can skim past the religious parts. Suits beginners.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2011–2024Mastering the core teachings of the Buddha
Daniel M. Ingram
Recommended by 21 · mentioned by 2821 recommend · 28 mention21 recommend · 2821 recommend
2009–2025Buddhism Without Beliefs
Stephen Batchelor
Recommended by 13 · mentioned by 1513 recommend · 15 mention13 recommend · 1513 recommend
2008–2022What the Buddha taught
Walpola Rahula
Recommended by 11 · mentioned by 1311 recommend · 13 mention11 recommend · 1311 recommend
2015–2026The mind illuminated
Culadasa John Yates, Matthew Immergut PhD, Sean Runnette, Jeremy Graves
Recommended by 79 · mentioned by 11179 recommend · 111 mention79 recommend · 11179 recommend
2010–2015Being nobody, going nowhere
Ayya Khema
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
2009–2014How to meditate
Lawrence L. LeShan, Lawrence Leshan
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2011–2018The relaxation response
Herbert Benson
Recommended by 4 · mentioned by 44 recommend · 4 mention4 recommend · 44 recommend
2013–2016Real Happiness
Sharon Salzberg
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
I can recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Plain-English-Updated-Expa... "Mindfulness in Plain English" It's a great book that is easy to read and explains why and how.
on “An Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation” ↗I found the app "Headspace" to be a good introduction to the process and concept. After completing the first 10 guided sessions, I read most of "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Henepola Gunaratana. It was good for a deeper dive into Vipassana meditation in particular and did a good job of keeping the more religious overtones to a minimum. I definitely recommend it.
on “Author of ‘Sapiens’ on how meditation made him a better historian” ↗…dozen books on vipassana meditation (the type usually posted to HN), zen, and mindfulness. The two best practical books on meditation I've read are: 1. The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh 2. Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Gunaratana. This one is free online, though the paid copy is a bit more edited for clarity. My primary guide is 1. It's concise and provides just the right amount of breathing exercises to help…
on “If You're Too Busy to Meditate, Read This” ↗Either join a course or pick up a good book. I found this book immensely useful and simple to follow: "Mindfulness in Plain English" [1] [1] http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Plain-English-Anniversary-...
on “Meditation study shows changes associated with awareness, stress (2011)” ↗…Anxiety. Observe, and let it go. The mind is a crazy machine. More precisely, our chattering monkey mind. Please read this book if you haven't already. I can't recommend it enough. It has changed my life. Mindfulness in Plain English - Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
on “What a Sensory Isolation Tank Taught Me About My Brain” ↗…"automatically" outside of meditation, I was amazed that I was able to cultivate such a skill. If you are interested in a good primer on mindfulness and how to actually go about meditation, I recommend Mindfulness in Plain English.[3] I recommend it whenever the subject comes up and I'm sure very few people read it, but it had enough of an effect on me that I would not want others to miss out. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_of_breathing…
on “We're creating a culture of distraction” ↗If you're reading books like that, might I also suggest Mindfulness in Plain English: http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Plain-English-Anniversary-... I found it incredibly useful.
on “Ask HN: What are you learning right now?” ↗…Westerners seeking to "change their brains" do so at their peril without proper guidance. Peeling away the layers of delusion can be a destabilizing process for some[3]. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana's book "Mindfulness in Plain English" is a very accessible (and worthwhile) introduction to the subject[4]. [1] - [pdf] http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPu... [2] - [pdf] http://urbandharma.org/pdf1/Path_of_Freedom_Vimuttimagga.pdf…
on “How Meditation Changes the Brain and Body” ↗…is a classic Samadhi+Vipassana meditation wrapped into casual language. I used it a bit for a couple of years and it's a great intro into the practice before going guideless. I also highly recommend "Mindfulness in plain English"[0], I wish I found it sooner. [0]: https://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-English-Bhante-Henepola-G...
on “Show HN: I made a Chrome extension that helps battle impulsive procrastination” ↗…more progress than I ever had before. The Science of Enlightenment by Shinzen Young is also quite good, with more of an emphasis on insight rather than concentration meditation. There's also the classic Mindfulness in Plain English. I do use one app. It lets me set a countdown timer, and plays a quiet gong when time is up. That's it.
on “Headspace vs. Calm: A Meditation-App Battle That’s Anything but Zen” ↗…someone, and spend maybe 10 minutes per month on it. I also started meditating. That also helped big time. I will highly recommend it. Books that helped- - What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula - Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana - Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright - Mastery by Gordon Leonard - Learning How to Learn (Coursera) - Mind Illuminated by Culadasa - Atomic Habits by James Clear…
on “My lizard brain is no match for infinite scroll” ↗…much- before you begin doing something. Write it down. This pushes you towards doing that. Aside from this techniques, as a general change-agent in your life, you should start meditating. Just read "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Bhante Gunaratana and/or "The Mind Illuminated" by Culadasa. This has immensely benefited my life- much beyond alleviating my focus problem. I have personally seen minimizing social media usage to…
on “Ask HN: How do I develop focus?” ↗…cutting-edge. Two books that immensely helped- 1. Deep Work by Cal Newport 2. Pragmatic Thinking and Learning by Andy Hunt Two books for meditation- 1. -The Mind Illuminated* by Culadasa et. al. 2. Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Learning about Buddhism and Buddha's teachings have also made me an overall better human. I would recommend What The Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula. Remember that reaching…
on “Ask HN: What methods do you use to focus and stay relaxed?” ↗Please read two books, in this order. After reading these, you will know: 1. Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Gunaratna [0] 2. The Mind Illuminated by Yates et al. [1] And plese steer away from awful sources. People, the modern day "influencers" are piggybacking on Meditation to sell their own stuff.…
on “Ask HN: What exactly is a mindfulness meditation?” ↗…as field of self-study. All schools of Buddhism necessarily rely on teacher feedback, but the dependence in Zen is particularly acute. The book I learned from is Wake Up To Your Life, by Ken McLeod. Mindfulness in Plain English is also excellent, and available for free online.
on “Ask HN: Are you happy, well-rounded? (dealing w/ depression/lack of motivation)” ↗