Every Day, Right Now, The Practice of Being Aware

This book expanded my knowledge of Buddhism and I will definitely use it frequently. This is not a book that you can read and capture all the meanings of the vocabulary used in the book. I would also recommend it to others who are interested in expanding their knowledge of other religions and beliefs.

Great book. Easy to the point read and somewhat life changing. I wouldn't call it a self help book per-say, but it will open your eyes more than you can imagine. A whole new perspective if you will. Highly recommended for over and under achievers. You'll understand if you read.

Yes! This is a refreshingly deep, and to the point book. I have studied Buddhism for a number of years, and heve read 20 - 30 books on it. Buddhism Plain and Simple, is very deep, and at the same time simple.
Thank you Steve Hagen!

Steve Hagen presents Buddhism, not as a Religion but as an enriching approach to living life in the present tanse. Hagen in no way suggests one should give up long-term strategic planning or ignore the lessons of history, but he makes a good case for the very real value of focusing our attention on the present. This book is quite short and easy to read in one sitting.

I found this book intensely helpful in clarifying the basic principles of Buddhism. I have referenced this book in several situations. I recently picked it up again after not having looked at it for over a year and had that "wow, this is really good! I forgot how helpful this is!" reaction.

Hagen lays out in plain language the spirit and philosophy of Buddhism. He plainly explains the basic principle that desire leads to suffering. He gets at the simple definition of nirvana.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in mindfulness, Buddhism or living well.

Please note that this review encompasses my opinion of the text and the structure of the writing, and is written by someone who is a newcomer to Buddhism.

I purchased Hagen’s Buddhism Plain and Simple on June 14, 2015, and read it over the course of a week. Being a newcomer to Buddhism, this was the first book that I decided to buy, and the second one that I read. Prior to this, I read Dzogchen Ponlop’s Rebel Buddha, and in retrospect, I’m glad that I started with that book first.

In Buddhism Plain and Simple, Hagen comes at the reader in a very direct, almost forceful manner. While the first pages of the book sucked me in, it was at the point that Hagen starts discussing dukkha, (loosely translated as suffering), that the tone took a hard shift and became almost a different book altogether. Thematically, the book is held together almost explicitly with the idea of dukkha, as well as the constant reinforcement to see, which is always presented in italics. While these ideas are important, I felt that there were other areas of exploration that could have been discussed. The title of the book would have the reader believe that this is a book geared towards an overview of Buddhism, however that is not what you will find in the pages themselves. You will not read a history of Shakyamuni Buddha, nor will you delve much into the life and experiences of the author save from a few paragraphs here and there. You will not receive any explanation regarding the different schools of Buddhism. While some may prefer a fast and straight forward approach with little basic information, I prefer that the author takes me on a journey, as what is Buddhism without the life experiences of others? I live in an area that is devoid of a Sangha or Buddhist group, so I tend to relate more through reading and text. I wasn’t able to find much relatability with Hagen, the hard shifts in sections caused me to become disoriented a number of times, and I was constantly checking to make sure I hadn’t missed a page or paragraph. The relentless reminder that the reader needs to see started to feel like a brainwashing tactic after some time. In much the same way as a sentence written in capital letters can seem like it is screaming from the page, I found the overemphasis on seeing with the use of italics to wear on me. Indeed, even the “unclear picture” presented to the reader on page 28 almost became a source of frustration, and after learning what it was I still couldn’t see it without a Google search to lay out the boundaries for me. This felt more like a cheap parlor trick or psychological test than an exercise in seeing. Perhaps Hagen planned the book to take these approaches, but even if that is the case, I feel that the information could have been presented in a more unified and passive way. The aggressive tone drives the reader away and makes the book hard to read in more than just spurts.

Aside from what I disliked about Hagen’s first book, I also found some unique and thought inspiring ideas throughout; the unfortunate part is the path which I had to take to get to these gems. I like Hagen’s explanations of the three forms of craving and I like that he discusses the eightfold path, but even in these sections I still found his writing style to be a bit harsh. Starting in Chapter 4, Hagen finally presents the reader with the first real passages that carry weight. The comparison of right action with the falling of leaves and the idea of being a part of a larger stream were both helpful notions. It is in the later parts of the book that Hagen starts to find his voice as a writer, although there is still disconnect between sections. Hagen’s instructions for practice are derived from a Zen master, and while helpful, I found a more consistent instruction from Lama Surya Das’s Awakening the Buddha Within. Had I read this book as my first introduction to Buddhism, I think I would have walked away with some new information but with additional questions and confusion as well. Questions are welcome, but confusion is part of what we are trying to learn to do away with when we decide to seek refuge.

To conclude, I feel this book is worth a read, but only after you’ve gained the basics elsewhere. This book is not the place to start if you are a newcomer to Buddhism. It is not plain, and it is far from simple. While it does hold some good information, I think that a newcomer would find the text overwhelming and disjointed. I would like to read it again at a later date, after I have had more instruction from other sources, to see if it changes my perspective. I would recommend that Hagen consider a revision of the text and release a second edition, removing the “unclear picture,” and reorganizing the sections to create a better flow. Perhaps he could further add anecdotes from his own experiences to help the reader relate. I would rate this book at 2/5 stars and encourage newcomers to start elsewhere. Dzogchen Ponlop’s Rebel Buddha and Lama Surya Das’s Awakening the Buddha Within are both highly recommended places to start. Hagen might appeal to newcomers because of the shorter length, but a true book geared toward newcomers should include some basic information that you won’t find here. Hagen presents more graduated concepts and ideas that might be better served living between the covers of a philosophy book.

Please note that this review encompasses my opinion of the text and the structure of the writing, and is written by someone who is a newcomer to Buddhism.

I purchased Hagen’s Buddhism Plain and Simple on June 14, 2015, and read it over the course of a week. Being a newcomer to Buddhism, this was the first book that I decided to buy, and the second one that I read. Prior to this, I read Dzogchen Ponlop’s Rebel Buddha, and in retrospect, I’m glad that I started with that book first.

In Buddhism Plain and Simple, Hagen comes at the reader in a very direct, almost forceful manner. While the first pages of the book sucked me in, it was at the point that Hagen starts discussing dukkha, (loosely translated as suffering), that the tone took a hard shift and became almost a different book altogether. Thematically, the book is held together almost explicitly with the idea of dukkha, as well as the constant reinforcement to see, which is always presented in italics. While these ideas are important, I felt that there were other areas of exploration that could have been discussed. The title of the book would have the reader believe that this is a book geared towards an overview of Buddhism, however that is not what you will find in the pages themselves. You will not read a history of Shakyamuni Buddha, nor will you delve much into the life and experiences of the author save from a few paragraphs here and there. You will not receive any explanation regarding the different schools of Buddhism. While some may prefer a fast and straight forward approach with little basic information, I prefer that the author takes me on a journey, as what is Buddhism without the life experiences of others? I live in an area that is devoid of a Sangha or Buddhist group, so I tend to relate more through reading and text. I wasn’t able to find much relatability with Hagen, the hard shifts in sections caused me to become disoriented a number of times, and I was constantly checking to make sure I hadn’t missed a page or paragraph. The relentless reminder that the reader needs to see started to feel like a brainwashing tactic after some time. In much the same way as a sentence written in capital letters can seem like it is screaming from the page, I found the overemphasis on seeing with the use of italics to wear on me. Indeed, even the “unclear picture” presented to the reader on page 28 almost became a source of frustration, and after learning what it was I still couldn’t see it without a Google search to lay out the boundaries for me. This felt more like a cheap parlor trick or psychological test than an exercise in seeing. Perhaps Hagen planned the book to take these approaches, but even if that is the case, I feel that the information could have been presented in a more unified and passive way. The aggressive tone drives the reader away and makes the book hard to read in more than just spurts.

Aside from what I disliked about Hagen’s first book, I also found some unique and thought inspiring ideas throughout; the unfortunate part is the path which I had to take to get to these gems. I like Hagen’s explanations of the three forms of craving and I like that he discusses the eightfold path, but even in these sections I still found his writing style to be a bit harsh. Starting in Chapter 4, Hagen finally presents the reader with the first real passages that carry weight. The comparison of right action with the falling of leaves and the idea of being a part of a larger stream were both helpful notions. It is in the later parts of the book that Hagen starts to find his voice as a writer, although there is still disconnect between sections. Hagen’s instructions for practice are derived from a Zen master, and while helpful, I found a more consistent instruction from Lama Surya Das’s Awakening the Buddha Within. Had I read this book as my first introduction to Buddhism, I think I would have walked away with some new information but with additional questions and confusion as well. Questions are welcome, but confusion is part of what we are trying to learn to do away with when we decide to seek refuge.

To conclude, I feel this book is worth a read, but only after you’ve gained the basics elsewhere. This book is not the place to start if you are a newcomer to Buddhism. It is not plain, and it is far from simple. While it does hold some good information, I think that a newcomer would find the text overwhelming and disjointed. I would like to read it again at a later date, after I have had more instruction from other sources, to see if it changes my perspective. I would recommend that Hagen consider a revision of the text and release a second edition, removing the “unclear picture,” and reorganizing the sections to create a better flow. Perhaps he could further add anecdotes from his own experiences to help the reader relate. I would rate this book at 2/5 stars and encourage newcomers to start elsewhere. Dzogchen Ponlop’s Rebel Buddha and Lama Surya Das’s Awakening the Buddha Within are both highly recommended places to start. Hagen might appeal to newcomers because of the shorter length, but a true book geared toward newcomers should include some basic information that you won’t find here. Hagen presents more graduated concepts and ideas that might be better served living between the covers of a philosophy book.

I've read this many times. A great introduction to the basic of Buddhism. It offers a zen slant, but is a great read for all traditions because it breaks Buddhism down to it's most basic, simple teachings. Excellent book.

easy to read, easy to follow and great, easy points to keep in mind after reading the book.

this was a perfect book to read to get the feel for buddhism and to feel confident to read something more advanced.

This book is exactly what I have been looking for in an intro style text. It was simple to follow, and it stuck to the basic concepts and ideas behind Buddhism. Hagen does a quick touch upon meditation, but the bulk of this work is focused on learning to see and mindfulness. He goes into details about The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path. There is not a whole lot more I can say here, but I will say for most people looking for an intro on Buddhism, there is no better place to start than right here. Five out of Five stars.

This is a really clean exposition about Buddhism. Finally. I found this book both very easy to read and deeply instructive. This book is highly recommended and would get five stars were it not for some repetition of content that slowed down the narrative.

This is the best introductory book I have found. An excellent follow-up book is "Buddha and His Teachings" by Narada.
There are several books by this title so make sure it is written by Narada, Jaico Publishing House.

Steve Hagen's book keeps things simple, especially for people like me who are looking into Buddhism out of curiosity. The subject matter is much more complex than I ever imagined and at first I thought I'd bail out, but the more you read the more intriguing Buddhism becomes. Trying to keep the "I" to a minimum.