The Naked Buddha: A Practical Guide to the Buddha's Life and Teachings

by Adrienne Howley

A charming guide that demystifies Buddhism and shows how we can apply its teachings to our lives in useful and meaningful ways

Although a widely observed and respected practice in America, Buddhism is still difficult for many seekers to thoroughly grasp. Now, Adrienne Howley -- personally ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and one of the highest ranking Buddhist nuns in the world -- writes in a warm, simple, and engagingly humorous style that illustrates the life, ideas, and teachings of the Buddha and the religion and philosophy that he inspired. This charming guide demystifies Buddhism and shows how we can apply its teachings to our lives in useful and meaningful ways. Howley covers who Buddha was and how he came to formulate his philosophy, the three main Buddhist traditions, what ordinary Buddhists believe and practice today, and how and why. There are also answers to questions most commonly asked by non-Buddhists, How can Buddhism make me happy? How can I always practice generosity? and How can I move away from greed and hatred? The Naked Buddha is an accessible, down-to-earth introduction to this ancient Asian religion and a valuable addition to the literature on Buddhism.

Genres: Buddhism, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Religion, Spirituality

288 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2003

Reviews

[Matt Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The true measure of enlightenment is how one reacts when stepping on a plug.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely primer to Buddhism. From The Naked Buddha, I've taken away a few key wisdoms, the most essential being that Buddhism is about never trusting blindly what another professes to be truth, and to always experience life for oneself before coming to any conclusions about it. Howley gives a remarkably humble introduction to the tenets and history of Buddhism, which was a pleasant surprise - my jaded expectation was that a Westerner might seem pedantic in such an introduction. Ironically, of course, another tenet of Buddhism is to never harbor any expectations about life. I'm interested to see where my education in Buddhism continues, because it seems that to truly find our own answers in this way of life, the first step is necessarily to ask.

[Ita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written by a western woman who became a Buddhist nun. I like that she goes back to basics and just like the Buddha himself she tells us to investigate for ourselves and not just believe every word she says. What stayed with me is that before you speak you should think: "Is it true, is it necessary and is it kind?", if not, you should not speak. I didn't realise how hard this is until I tried it!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to Buddhism with stripped back coverage of the philosophy the Buddha taught. The author is ordained in two sects of the Buddhist religion and yet encourages the reader (listener) to investigate and engage with the core tenets taught by the Buddha on their own terms. Can recommend to anyone with an aversion to ritual and organised religion or for anyone who enjoys philosophical thought experiments.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clear and simple explanation of Buddhism stripped of cultural and ritual overlays. Howley, a Buddhist nun, starts off by explaining what is Buddhism, what are its basic tenets, and then gives some basic mediation instruction. The last third of the book is in Q & A format addressing questions that many people may have about Buddhism.

I found the book very interesting and helpful and will surely read it again at some point.

[Kelly Darnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up quite randomly at a thrift store, because I wanted a good primer on the main precepts of Buddhism. It surpassed my expectations - and has given me so much to think about as I continue incorporating the philosophy of Buddhism into my own life. Life changing might be a dramatic way to describe The Naked Buddha, but it wouldn’t be inaccurate.

[Teddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great, very down to earth description of Buddhism. I really enjoyed her practical approach to give a taste of what Buddhism is like. A great primer.

[Marco Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best overview of Buddhism I have come across so far. Highly practical and critically observed.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to recommend one book that describes my interpretation of Buddhism, this would be it. This book leaves the various practices and religious overtones to someone else and concentrates on the teachings of the Buddha only. A good explanation of underlying concepts such as interconnectedness, impermanence, no soul, no god, no thing.

Far from nihilism, it is a recognition of the impermanence and always changing and eternal progression of everything not to mention the existence of a thing being interconnected with the existence of every other thing. The book also provides a foundational understanding of the four noble truths, eightfold path, middle way, and other concepts relevant to understanding Buddhism.

Unlike the world's religions, Buddhism is concerned with the relief of suffering and does not wait for an afterlife or liberation of the soul from the body before true happiness can occur. Also explained are the need to find personal responsibility for right mindedness and right actions.

[Christoph Hewett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read (listen) and perfect starting point for any person curious to know more about Buddhism. I've been on the fringes of Buddhism for a number of years and whilst I knew most of the principles of Buddhist philosophy I lack the whole picture (without the doctrinal overlay). The Venerable Adrienne Howley uses her knowledge of the cultural context of Buddhist cultures to explain many of the environmental influences on Buddhist thinking, both at the time of Buddha and since.

What resonated for me was that the core principles of Buddhism are just as relevant for a modern western culture as in "native" Buddhist countries. The division between Buddhist principles for everyday living ans the traditions of monastic living are drawn out to show people that you don't have to be shave your head and you can choose to be vegetarian (or not).

Most of all it show that Buddhism is accessible. If you are curious about life, and wish to contemplate your own nature, you may find growth (as many others have) in these teachings.

[Roya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an excellent, basic book on the basics of Buddhism, presented in a real, down to earth and clear way. I listened to the audiobook. However, I recommend reading it over the audio version. This is a book I would have liked to read slowly...a bedside table book. This way, I could have ruminated n the message, rather than be pushed along with the audio format. I felt like I missed some good bits with the audio (I tend to multi-task when listening). The narrator is very good and has a lovely voice, but (very subjective opinion here) she sounds sort of stuck-up, which is at odds with the message of the book. I KNEW I was wrong about this and that bothered me. I ended up watching Ven. Adrienne Howley on You Tube. She is anything but stuck-up. I would have preferred the audio version in her voice, or a more down to earth voice. The narrator's voice conjured images of suburban housewives in big SUVs with bottled water who scream about the environment and shop at Whole Foods.....I had to work to wipe that out of my head.

[Michael Kolakowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an audiobook I listened to on the way to and from work. I highly recommend it. There is tons of good information in it - and yet it all seems so common sense. Then again, often that is the nature of buddhism.

In this audiobook, the narration was great. In fact, as I hadn't looked closely, it wasn't until partway through that I realized it wasn't the author talking. The downside to the audio is that it's a little harder to go back and reflect on things. The upside comes through in parts like the section where she talks about trying to meditate. "Stop trying," she says and it sounds authentic.

I hope that this will be one of my early steps on a path towards enlightenment, or at least more learning.

[Chris Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to the teachings of the Buddha without any cultural trappings or religious overtones. Difficult ideas to aspire to as a way of finding spiritual peace: everything interconnected but constantly changing; no permanency; no constant; no soul; no god; no "thing" except in relation to every other thing and all changing and impacting on everything else every nanosecond; taking comfort (?) from the universality of suffering; and needing to find personal responsibility for right mindedness and right actions (e.g. universal compassion and living in the "now") in the face of these realities. Tough call.

[Matt Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite a nice book on Buddhism, although I kept falling asleep to it and not remembering where I had left off. I feel like 3 stars is almost like a bad rating, but I really did like it. I still occasionally go back and reread parts of it, mostly because it's a great reminder of how to live calmly and compassionately and not worry about all the stresses of life - which is why it really helps me fall asleep, and not in a "man this book is boring" kinda of way. It's almost worth an extra star just for that effect. Yeah, I guess it is - I don't really go back and reread 3 star books because they make me feel good.

[Sam Motes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Naked Buddha is a very approachable introduction to the history and philosophies of the Buddha. I found the discussion of the non-permanence to be a very interesting perspective. I had heard the saying that you never step into the same river twice but this book explained all the changing events beyond our perception that ensure a constant flux to our reality. The author does a good job of explaining the virtues of meditation as well. Very worthwhile read!

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish I'd read this book years ago, when I first started studying Buddhism. Howley strips away the various cultural accretions that make most strains of Buddhism confusing/contradictory to a novice, thereby laying bare the essence of true and original Buddhism. This review is very short, but all you need to know is this. If you want a simple (not simplistic) explanation of Buddhism, then this is the volume for you.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is only the second book I've read about Buddhism and I'm so pleased I got to read it so early in my journey to discover more about this life philosophy. I'm thoroughly enjoying learning about this topic and everything rings true in my heart. Although, of course, I must investigate fully myself.

I feel I may want to read this again at a later date and see how I relate with it then. See how I interpret the messages and teachings.

[Alex Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book offering easy introduction to Buddhism. It covers perhaps all - from the basic definition of Buddhism to various rituals and even interior of churches. It also includes easy introduction to mediation and some simple steps for everyone interested in becoming Buddhist monk.

The only thing that moved me to give the book four stars, instead of five, was that author sometimes seemed to repeat herself.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was nothing wrong with this book, in fact I enjoyed what I read, but I kind of felt like I’d gotten out of it what I wanted to and decided to focus my energies on the many other books I had on my shelf instead – like the ones I’m reading for a review and the fiction books that I’m really enjoying.

[Brianna Goldenstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't know much about Buddha or Buddhism prior to reading this book. It was an excellent introduction to the history that led to Buddhism, what Buddhism is about, and the general tenets of Buddhism. If you're looking for a nice introduction to Buddhism, this is really a great book to get started, and includes references for other books at the end.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from a library and lost it, then years later it popped up again. A basic, no nonsense review of Buddha's teachings stripped of cultural and religious interpretations. That's why it's called 'naked'. Nothing kinky.

[Mr · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I loved this book"

This is a book that you read... and then you read it again. If your new to the subject and interested in a great overview, this is the book for you. The narrator (on the audiobook) is great in this one also, stop wasting time and get this book!

[Cam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most concise, practical introduction to Buddhism that I have ever read...

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative book about Buddha and the origins of the Buddhist philosophy. Intriguing.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good philosophical overview of Buddhism from a Buddhist nun. For someone just beginning practice, I'd call this an invaluable introduction.

[Casandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative look at Buddhism for the non-buddhist!!!

[Robert Ketterlinus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very easy to understand, practical introduction to Buddha and related teachings. Debunked myths and offers practical use of his teachings.

[Zack Czengoldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing, well-written and instructive. Removes the baggage that has gathered around this subject over the last couple thousand years, or so.

[Sean Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview of the fundamental aspects of Buddhism.

[Ronn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a stripped down look at the fundamentals of Buddhist principles. Really good read.