Four Foundations of Mindfulness

by Venerable U Silananda, U. Silanada

A clear explanation of the Buddha's fundamental teaching on meditation, helpful to meditators from all traditions.

Genres: Buddhism

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 25, 1996

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of THE books for me. I've moved so much that I've had to purge and re-purge belongings down to the bare essentials, and this is one of the items that makes the cut. I don't think this is the kind of book that can really be 'reviewed' - it's a text canonical to all schools of Buddhism, and was originally transmitted through oral tradition. So yes, the form is striking in its repetitiveness - not only to aid in its original memorization but also to help create a fertile ground for mindfulness. The beauty and efficiency of form and content working together like this is part of why I love it so much and keep going back.
The introduction and commentary by the Venerable U Silananda quite simply kicks ass. There's a reason this is pretty much the definitive version among academics and practitioners. No, it's not an exhaustive analysis, but it's simple enough to be accessible and useful to people unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Buddhist tradition who are interested in meditation practice, and at the same time thorough and insightful for those who already have some kind of experiential or theoretical experience with the tradition.

[Jerry Segers, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive treatment of the satipatthana sutra. I found the section on the creation of energy especially helpful.