Mindfulness In
Plain English
H. Gunaratana Mahathera
Preface
In my experience I found that the most effective
way to express something in order to make others understand is to use the
simplest language. Also I learned from teaching that the more rigid the
language the less effective it is. People to not respond to very stern
and rigid language especially when we try to teach something which normally
people don't engage in during their daily life. Meditation appears to them
as something that they cannot always do. As more people turn to meditation,
they need more simplified instructions so they can practice by themselves
without a teacher around. This book is the result of requests made by many
meditators who need a very simple book written in ordinary colloquial language.
In preparing this book I have been helped by
many of my friends. I am deeply grateful to all of them. Especially I would
like to express my deepest appreciation and sincere gratitude to John Patticord,
Daniel J. Olmsted, Matthew Flickstein, Carol Flickstein, Patrick Hamilton,
Genny Hamilton, Bill Mayne, Bhikkhu Dang Pham Jotika and Bhikkhu Sona for
their most valuable suggestions, comments and criticisms of numerous points
in preparing this book. Also thanks to Reverend Sister Sama and Chris O'Keefe
for their support in production efforts.
H. Gunaratana Mahathera
Bhavana
Society
Rt. 1 Box 218-3
High View, WV 26808
http://www.bhavanasociety.org/
December 7, 1990
oOo
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