Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Awakening

by Joseph Goldstein

Overview

The mind contains the seeds of its own awakening—seeds that we can cultivate to bring forth the fruits of a life lived consciously. With Mindfulness, Joseph Goldstein shares the wisdom of his four decades of teaching and practice in a book that will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone committed to mindful living and the realization of inner freedom. Goldstein’s source teaching is the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, the Buddha’s legendary discourse on the four foundations of mindfulness that became the basis for the many types of Vipassana (or insight meditation) found today. Exquisite in detail yet wholly accessible and relevant for the modern student, Mindfulness takes us through a profound study of:

 

• Mindfulness of body, including the breath, postures, activities, and physical characteristics

• Mindfulness of feelings—how the experience of our sense perceptions influences our inner and outer worlds

• Mindfulness of mind—learning to recognize skillful and unskillful states of mind and thought

• Mindfulness of dhammas (or categories of experience), including the Five Hindrances, the Six Sense Spheres, and the Seven Factors of Awakening

 

“There is a wealth of meaning and nuance in the experience of mindfulness that can enrich our lives in unimagined ways,” writes Goldstein. In Mindfulness you have the tools to mine these riches for yourself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781622036059
Publisher:	Sounds True
Publication date:	03/01/2016
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	459
Sales rank:	123,353
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Joseph Goldstein has been leading insight and lovingkindness meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. He is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, and the Forest Refuge. Since 1967, he has studied and practiced different forms of Buddhist meditation under eminent teachers from India, Burma, and Tibet. His books include A Heart Full of Peace, One Dharma, Insight Meditation, and The Experience of Insight.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Introduction xiii

The Four Qualities of Mind

1 Ardency: The Long-Enduring Mind 3

2 Clearly Knowing: Cultivating Clear Comprehension 11

3 Mindfulness: The Gateway to Wisdom 13

4 Concentration: The Collected Nature of Mind 21

The Satipatchana Refrain

5 Contemplating the Four Foundations 27

6 Bare Knowing and Continuity of Mindfulness 35

Mindfulness of the Body

7 Mindfulness of Breathing 45

8 Mindfulness of Postures 55

9 Mindfulness of Activities 61

10 Mindfulness of Physical Characteristics 67

Mindfulness of Feelings

11 Liberation through Feelings 81

12 Worldly and Unworldly Feelings 89

Mindfulness of Mind

13 The Wholesome and Unwholesome Roots of Mind 101

14 The Refrain: On Feelings and Mind 111

Mindfulness of Dhammas-The Five Hindrances

15 Desire 121

16 Aversion 131

17 Sloth and Torpor 141

18 Restlessness and Worry 153

19 Doubt 163

Mindfulness of Dhammas-The Five Aggregates of Clinging

20 Material Elements, Feelings, and Perceptions 171

21 Formations and Consciousness 183

22 Contemplating the Five Aggregates 195

Mindfulness of Dhammas-The Six Sense Spheres

23 How We Experience the World 205

24 The Wheel of Samsara 211

Mindfulness of Dhammas-The Seven Factors of Awakening

25 Mindfulness 225

26 Investigation of Dhammas 233

27 Energy 239

78 Rapture 247

20 Calm 257

30 Concentration 265

31 Equanimity 277

Mindfulness of Dhammas-The Four Noble Truths

32 The First Noble Truth: Dukkha 287

33 The Second Noble Truth: The Cause of Dukkha 299

34 The Third Noble Truth: The Cessation of Dukkha 309

35 The Fourth Noble Truth: The Way Leading to the Cessation of Dukkha 319

Mindfulness of Dhammas-

The Noble Eightfold Path: Wisdom Factors

36 Right View: Worldly Ease 327

37 Right View: Liberation 337

38 Right Thought: Renunciation 345

39 Right Thought: Lovingkindness 353

40 Right Thought: Compassion 361

Mindfulness of Dhammas-

The Noble Eightfold Path: Morality Factors

41 Right Speech 371

42 Right Action and Right Livelihood 379

Mindfulness of Dhammas-

The Noble Eightfold Path: Concentration Factors

43 Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, Right Concentration 391

44 The Realization of Nibbana 401

Appendix A Translation of the Satipatthana Sutta by Analayo 405

Appendix B Glossary 417

Acknowledgments 423

Notes 425

Index 441

About the Author 459

Editorial Reviews

A major contribution to the clarifying and deepening of our understanding of mindfulness and its traditional dharma roots.” —Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Mindfulness for Beginners

“Joseph Goldstein is one of our most brilliant teachers. This is a masterwork of wisdom, depth, and experience, combining careful analysis, meditative guidance, and great love.” —Jack Kornfield, author of A Lamp in the Darkness

“Author Joseph Goldstein—one of the most wise, lucid, and experienced teachers of our times—has written a book on mindfulness that calls forth the depth and power of classical Buddhist teachings. If you are drawn to meditation out of a longing to realize spiritual freedom, this book will be a cherished resource on your path.” —Tara Brach, PhD, author of True Refuge

“Joseph Goldstein has written an immensely clear, practical, and accessible guide to living a mindful life. From examining its roots to exploring its manifold expressions, this deeply significant work shows the path for mindfulness to become our closest friend. I feel like I’ve waited a long time for a book just like this, and here it is!” —Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness

“In eloquent and compelling detail by a master of the art, Goldstein's new book shows how mindfulness leads to calm, well-being, and the joy of self-realization. The most complete and understandable book on mindfulness in print.” —Reggie Ray, author of Touching Enlightenment and Mahamudra for the Modern World

From the Publisher

11/15/2013
Goldstein (A Heart Full of Peace), cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society, is one of the more prominent and visible U.S. exponents of Buddhism in the Theravada tradition. This book is a very full treatment of mindfulness as it expresses itself in insight meditation; it is rooted in the Buddha's teachings in the Satipatthana Sutta. VERDICT Intellectual, technical, and intense in its approach, this work is not for the beginner or the fainthearted but is written with Goldstein's best efforts and should reward Buddhist readers almost as much as a lifetime of meditation with the author himself.

Library Journal