XolokReads reviewed Essence of Buddhism by Traleg Kyabgon
Understanding 80%-90% of an introductory text on enlightenment indicates a well written book
5 stars
This is my first introduction to Buddhism. I had very little in terms of background or familiarity with it going in. I was a little frustrated with this book at first. I thought it would be possible to sketch out Buddhism in a way someone completely new to it would understand immediately. The author touches on this at the start by mentioning that the book would go a little deeper than most introductions did. The sketch I was expecting was basically done in the first quarter of the book. For the rest of the book, I struggled somewhat with terminology and concepts, but I was able to absorb more than I expected. This book probably would make a lot more sense for someone who has been studying Buddhism for at a least a short while. For someone completely new to it, however, it was still pretty understandable - especially considering …
This is my first introduction to Buddhism. I had very little in terms of background or familiarity with it going in. I was a little frustrated with this book at first. I thought it would be possible to sketch out Buddhism in a way someone completely new to it would understand immediately. The author touches on this at the start by mentioning that the book would go a little deeper than most introductions did. The sketch I was expecting was basically done in the first quarter of the book. For the rest of the book, I struggled somewhat with terminology and concepts, but I was able to absorb more than I expected. This book probably would make a lot more sense for someone who has been studying Buddhism for at a least a short while. For someone completely new to it, however, it was still pretty understandable - especially considering that understanding is the key.
