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

by Noah Rasheta

Liberation is the moment you don’t react to being cut off in traffic—because you don’t know what actually happened, so there’s nothing to react to. Liberation is experiencing reality as it is.

nirvana

which is the state of awakened understanding of existence that is the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice.

a way to live that maximizes our chances for peace and contentment in the present moment—which is, after all, the only moment we’ll ever have.

Buddhist teachings are not something you’re meant to believe; they’re something you do—you put them into practice.

Theravada is the main form of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos, while Mahayana dominates in China, Japan, Taiwan, Nepal, Mongolia, Korea, and Vietnam. Vajrayana is the main form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and the form that the Dalai Lama practices and teaches.

To be enlightened is to be liberated from our habitual reactivity, freed from our perceptions and ideas in order to see reality as it is without wanting it to be different.

enlightenment isn’t something you get or find; it’s something you rediscover—a state of being that has always been in you but that has been covered with made-up stories and false concepts.

The Buddha taught that there are three universal characteristics of life, also known as the three marks of existence: dukkha (suffering), anicca (impermanence), and anattā (nonself). These three concepts form the core of what could be considered the truth in Buddhism.

The Buddhist teaching of nonself says that there is no permanent or fixed you—there’s only a complex web of inseparable, impermanent causes and effects.

It’s the understanding that as life unfolds, it doesn’t mean anything. It is neither positive nor negative. All things simply are as they are.

One of my favorite mantras to recite is “May I be happy, may I be at peace, and may I be free from suffering.” Then I extend that thought out to others—friends, family, even strangers. “May you be happy, may you be at peace, and may you be free from suffering.”

Buddha by Karen Armstrong This book is a philosophical biography of the historical figure Siddhartha Gautama (also known as the Buddha). It addresses not just the life of the Buddha but also the world in which he lived and what he did to spawn one of the major world religions. Buddhism without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening by Stephen Batchelor This has been one of my longtime go-to books for understanding Buddhist concepts and ideas. The author does a great job of explaining core Buddhist teachings in a pragmatic way. In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discource from the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Bodhi This is my favorite English-language version of the Buddha’s sayings, selected from the Pali Canon and translated by an American Buddhist monk. Beyond Religion and Ethics for the New Millennium by the Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama has written numerous books, but these are two of my favorites. Any reader, Buddhist or not, can gain something valuable from them.

Rebel Buddha: A Guide to a Revolution of Mind by the Dzogchen Ponlop This book does a good job of explaining the revolutionary process of awakening your own mind, exploring concepts and teachings in a way that is easy to understand. Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love & Wisdom by Rick Hanson This book explains the neuroscience that makes our minds work. It does a great job of synthesizing what Buddhism teaches with what we know from neuroscience. The Center Within by Gyomay Kubose This book was written by Rev. Gyomay Kubose, whose son, Koyo Kubose, was my teacher. A lot of my understanding of Buddhist concepts and ideas was influenced by the teachings of these two wonderful guides. Old Path, White Clouds and The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh Like the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh has written many excellent books. I think these two are great, accessible starting points for those interested in learning more about Buddhism. Why Buddhism Is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright I like this book because it does a wonderful job of explaining the science behind Buddhism and concrete reasons why Buddhist practices can indeed lead to a more peaceful and joy-filled life.