Good Introduction to Buddhism
935727
Short, concise, and very interesting. I'd recommend to others. My only complaint is the number of grammatical and spelling errors.
3065434
I was totally new in Buddhism and this book has given me a good initial understanding of the core teachings of the Buddha. I found many of the concepts easy to digest. However, there are some that I found difficult to understand for the complexity of the topic. This book has provided good foundations to read more books about the Buddhism.
2749792
Aside from some good basic stuff on Buddhism, this book does an excellent job of altering the reader's perceptions and way of dealing with life. After reading this book, I found myself more open and compassionate. I am by no means a Trungpa fan--I disliked his book on Abhidharma, for example--but this one is a keeper. The first Buddhism book I ever read and still one of my absolute favorites.
4458300
This book is exactly what I was looking for, a simple introduction to Buddhism. It is a perfect starting point for anyone interested in learning about Buddhism. It is clearly written and it has inspired me to learn more.
2130972
For anyone wishing to explore Buddhist philosophy this should be the first book you read. It is easy to understand the wisdom of Buddhas teachings when explained by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
2159790
excellent book - not one you'd read cover to cover but certainly one I've referred back to regularly over the years. Contains many gems, useful passages and quality instruction. Very readable and straightforward introduction to Buddhism.
3145691
Ideals of Buddhism are presented beautifully and simply in this enlightening book.  It is short, to the point and inspirational.  As a Christian it helps me to understand the values of a different and fascinating religion with many helpful beliefs.
3704369
This is a lovely little book that explains in everyday language the central concepts of Buddhism.  It is an easy read, and I would recommend it to anyone who, like myself, is just starting to read some of the Buddhist classic literature.
67324
This thin volume is an excellent introduction to Secular Buddhism.  Written in clear and concise language, Mr Rasheta presents Buddhism in a secular manner, shorn of all the religious and metaphysical trappings.  He outlines and discusses the bare basic Buddhist teachings in a way that makes a person want to know more.  This book provides a basic foundation in Secular Buddhism on which further studies can be based.
2749358
I found this small book to be very helpful as a basic explanation and guide to Buddhism. I am transitioning from Christianity to Buddhism and Tuffley has helped me see my next steps.
2811352
I found this book a lot easier to read than I expected. This is not a book specifically about Buddhism. It shines a light on some rituals and teachings of buddhism but should not be read by someone who is looking to learn a lot about the faith. Dinty Moore is a man who grew up a catholic but fell out of favor after a few terrible events occured in his life. A few years after this he finds himself interested in American Buddhism and goes out to see why many people are interested in it. During his trip he tries to see what the oldest types of Buddhism including Therevada, Zen and Tibetan. This was a great book for me because I am a catholic who agrees with a lot of what Dinty says about the Catholic church. This is an easy read and great for anyone who wants a brief look into buddhism from the perspective of a christian.
2703179
Bhikkhu Bodhi clearly lays out each of the eight parts of the Buddha's prescription for a happy life. He explains the traditional divisions of the eightfold path, and makes clear what the "right," or correct, position for each step is. Thankfully it is not a philosophical dissertation but is instead a straightforward introduction to the Buddhist Way which is short enough for me to reread again & again.
643832
Good one, simple and to the point. The book is very practical and a great initiation to Buddhism. Give it a chance !
263861
This is a very well written introduction to Buddhism and Buddhism's primary concepts and teachings. As always, Thich Nhat Hanh is very easy and enjoyable to read.
4787765
Introduction to Buddhism is unique text and unlike many 'introductions' out there on the topic of Buddhism. Many introductions are from an 'outside' point of view. That is, they are done from the perspective of someone who is not a practitioner and, if they happen to be, it is with limited experience. These often fail to reach the person who is interesting in a more in-depth meeting with Buddhism, as they are usually more cursory, surface-explorations of many different approaches. Introduction to Buddhism, on the other hand, is written by the meditation master Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who was ordained at age 8 and has spent over 20 years in intensive,solitary meditation. If you want an introduction to the Buddhist path from someone who has ingrained it into their entire life, this is definitely the one to read. From his life long exploration of Buddhism from a scholarly and practical point of view, this book is what he has decided is appropriate for an adequate introduction into the Buddhist tradition.

This is an incredibly effective book. It explains the Buddha's life story and other all-encompassing aspects of every strand of Buddhism like death, past and future lives, karma, and meditation. These are core components to Buddhism in general and can apply to any additional school that one may investigate in the future. In addition, and as explained earlier, it is from the point of view of someone who deeply understands and can relate these facets of the Buddhist approach. It is based on EXPERIENTIAL knowledge and presented from that point of view, instead of a merely intellectual explanation.

Introduction to Buddhism is also helpful because it explains the ENTIRE Buddhist path to the final goal of Enlightenment. To include the whole journey is a very generous offering to potential readers. It seems that an appropriate introduction to Buddhism should include the entire path until the end goal of Enlightenment, because Buddha's attainment of this state is what lead to the creation of Buddhism in the first place. Therefore, the whole picture is available to the reader and one will understand the point of the Buddhist approach in its entirety after absorbing this book. Enlightenment is not just an abstract topic, but attainable for all beings.

Introduction to Buddhism is a perfect foundational book for anyone looking to understand Buddhism in an easy and accessible way. Not only does it do this, but Geshe Kelsang Gyatso presents this profound path from the point of view of someone who has lived it their entire life and is a scholar on the topic AND a practiced monk. This has my highest recommendation.
3443043
I found a very good used copy at a Goodwill store for an excellent price.  I had read books by Narada Thera previously, so I knew I would enjoy this book, and that was exactly the case.  It is unfortunate that a previously reviewer decided to grade this book with only three stars based on difficullty rather than content.  This book is not the place to start learning about Buddhism, but is excellent for one who has a good basic understanding of basic Buddhism and wants to go farther with Theravada Buddhism and some of the Mahayana schools of Buddhism.

Abhidhamma is defined in this book using the saying of Buddhist Scholar Mrs. Rhys Davids as dealing with: "1) What we find a) in us, b) around us, and of 2) what we aspire to find."  "Psychology" would fall under the realm of Abhidhamma, although there is no psychology of the psyche in Buddhism.  These are a just a couple of points made in the Foreward of the book.

I find Narada to be a good communicator, so if one reads, say, a book on Basic Buddhism explaining the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, then reads a book on Buddhist practices and basic Suttas, and then perhaps the Dhammapada and a Life of the Buddha, one might want to tackle Abhidhamma (of course, preferably under the guidance of a qualified instructor).  Although I'm not a Buddhist, I have read several books on Buddhism from different schools and practice the Sutta on the Full Awareness of Breathing and Four of the Five Precepts (what Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches as the Five Mindfulness Trainings though he allows a student to practice only Four, but with a caveat). Abhidhama is considered a higher teaching, so some students might not want to study Abhidhamma, or at least not til much later.

Because Narada writes well, I can understand what I read in his books, though sometimes I have to spend extra time on a section.  Because I'm on my own, I may not have a proper understanding of everything I'm reading, of course.

If you don't read this book by Narada Thera, consider reading "The Buddha and his Teachings", and "The Dhamapada with Pali Text and Translation, notes and commentary".  I would give each of those books Five Stars, also.  Bhikkhu Bodhi and Nyanaponika Thera are two other good Theravada Buddhist practioners and scholars whose books and translations are recommended reading.
3576737
Studying Theravada meditation, I have found this book very useful thanks to the author's simple and clear style. The table of contents is wisely delimited and the book is not only conceptually orientated but also points  out the practical realisation of emptiness in early buddhism. One of the  greatest merit of this book is to provide a quite extensive comparison  between the Pali Nikaya and the Chinese Agama and therefore to give an idea  of the earliest buddhism in its whole. This book will undoubtly give light  to those who desire to understand buddhist philosophy.