Buddhism Plain And Simple
Steve Hagen
Read October-November 2008
Copy borrowed from Ramsey County Public Library, White Bear Lake branch
Essay written February 21st, 2009
I really need to get up to date with these book essays. It's been three or four months now since I read Buddhism Plain And Simple, and I hardly remember anything about it. I guess the only thing I remember about it is the same thing I take away from all books on Buddhism, which is that books on Buddhism tend to be wordy. Lots of circular sentences that contradict themselves on purpose in order to "prove" some supposedly profound concept. This was the same. Which isn't to say it wasn't good. Or that I didn't enjoy it. I just didn't come away from it with anything concrete or useful for my life. And I know, I know: the Buddhist will say "exactly" or something in response to my confusion. It never ends.
I like Buddhism. I am a Buddhist, somewhat. But the literature almost seems proud of the fact that it's incomprehensible. "That's the point," they say. Nobody wins.
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