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Useful intro to meditation, but misinterprets 4 Noble Truths - Rated
When I first read this several weeks ago, I was quite pleased to find a book that set forth the nature and meaning of meditation, and also of Buddhism, in a clear and simple way. However, after reading "The Feeling Buddha" by David Brazier, I see that Nairn presents a totally inadequate interpretation of the Buddha's teaching. The fact that it is the traditional, so-called "orthodox" interpretation does not help. Because this interpretation begins with a misunderstanding of dukkha (affliction) in the First Noble Truth, it is downhill from there. The gist is that suffering can be extinguished, which simply defies all experience. It is a fruitless sort of Buddhism that is presented here, one which implicitly denies the value of life. Nairn is associated with Tibetan Buddhism, which, because of its cultural proximity to India, incorporated Hindu doctrines of reincarnations into its thought. Nairn says that the first of the Four (Preliminary) reflections is "precious human birth." This incarnation is precious because it affords us the opportunity to attain enlightenment and thus end the cycle of rebirth. Birth means existence, so on this interpretation it seems that life is not desirable. Who needs that sort of thinking? And the presentation is not even complete. It does not have to be exhaustive, but it should not be sketchy either. For example, Nairn simply mentions in passing that to become a Buddhist means to take "refuge." But he does not do much to explain what this means, and does not tell us that you take refuge in three things: the Buddha (the historical Buddha and the Buddha nature in yourself and all beings), the Dharma (the historical teachings and their manifestation in the world), and the Sangha (all persons past and present who follow the Middle Way). Bottom line is that the presentation is incomplete and the interpretation of the teachings of the Buddha inadequate.
