Buddhism without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening

Stephen Batchelor

Mar 1998 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

A national bestseller and acclaimed guide to Buddhism for beginners and practitioners alike

In this simple but important volume, Stephen Batchelor reminds us that the Buddha was not a mystic who claimed privileged, esoteric knowledge of the universe, but a man who challenged us to understand the nature of anguish, let go of its origins, and bring into being a way of life that is available to us all. The concepts and practices of Buddhism, says Batchelor, are not something to believe in but something to do—and as he explains clearly and compellingly, it is a practice that we can engage in, regardless of our background or beliefs, as we live every day on the path to spiritual enlightenment.

Ratings and reviews

Reading this book was like having my own philosophy read back to me more clearly than I could have ever described it myself. But paradoxically, without having discovered it through my own experience, I wouldn't have truly understood the explanation. Having discovered it, a couple things became clear: that things are not too complicated to understand, and that most religions agree more than not at their roots.

A piercing clear and highly relatable case for agnostic Buddhism. Highly recommended.

This book cleared up secular vs nonsecular for me.

About the author

Stephen Batchelor is a former monk in the Tibetan and Zen traditions and the author of the national bestseller Buddhism Without Beliefs. He lectures and conducts meditation retreats worldwide, and is a contributing editor for Tricycle.