Best for:
Those interested in Buddhism.

In a nutshell:
Zen priest Hagen offers his take on Buddha’s observations.

Worth quoting:
“First, you must truly realize that life is fleeting. Next, you must understand that you are already complete, worthy, whole. Finally, you must see that you are your own refuge, your own sanctuary, your own salvation.”

Why I chose it:
Continuing my spiritual journey. (I’ve always assumed I’m way too sarcastic for that level of sincerity, but here we are.)

What it left me feeling:
Content

Review:
This book is both extremely straightforward and also challenging. Not because of the writing, but because of the concepts. And even that isn’t the best way for me to describe it.

Hagen breaks the book into three parts. In the first, he looks at what he calls ‘The Perennial Problem’, basically the human condition as most people experience it. In the second, called ‘The Way to Wake Up,’ he explores different concepts: wisdom, morality, practice, and freedom. In the final section, ‘Free Mind,’ he looks deeper into Truth and Reality.

This is the kind of book that I’m still processing, and that I’ll read again. I think that’s kind of the case with books of this type - it’s not something that one just reads and sets up on the shelf, or put in the donation bin. The way the information is presented generally worked for me - the chapters were fairly short, and there are some good examples to help solidify the ideas. But it requires a lot of thinking from me. I think that’s the point, though. Not that it requires a lot of thinking (one might even argue that goes against the main points of the book!), but that it’s got me thinking in the right direction.

Recommend to a Friend / Keep / Donate it / Toss it:
Keep ( )

Without a doubt one of the best books on the topic. Steve Hagen, an ordained Buddhist priest, and author of several others books boils down the essence of Buddha's teachings in a way all can understand. Pointing out that the teachings of Buddha are NOT an 'ism' like other spiritual practices since it lacks rules, guides and constriction. He points out repeatedly that Buddha taught 'being awake' and 'seeing' with respect to the ever changing 'stream' we call life. It's not about identifying with a practice but instead being aware of the stream in every moment. Highly recommended. ( )

It is pleasant to read at first but got difficult towards the end. Somehow the explanation became too “up in the air” and hard to grasp. I struggled to finish the book. ( )

This book gave me insight into another level of Buddhism. As that title suggests, simple concepts, yes, however, not always simple to apply. Great reminder. ( )