Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment

In this excellent book, Robert Wright makes a strong case that many of the concepts and techniques developed many centuries ago in India have modern scientific basis in psychology and evolution. Wright draws on multiple sources, including Buddhist scripture, research studies and theory, and his own experiences with week-long silent meditation retreats to show how developing a particularly different mindset can make one happier, kinder, and more in tune with how things really are. What’s more, he says, such a changed perspective may be critical to the future of our species:

“...it would be tragic, to say the least, if, after billions of years of arduous effort on the part of organic life, effort that has gotten us to the verge of a global community of minds, we let the natural distortions in these minds blow the whole thing apart. It would be all the more tragic in light of the fact that these distortions are now a scientifically established fact and that we have ways of correcting them, including, though not confined to, meditative practice.”

So, this is not purely a self-help book. Especially considering that he points out that psychology agrees in some sense with the Buddhist idea that the self doesn’t exist.

Wright’s writing style is very easy to follow even as he discusses rather heady topics. He infuses his writing with lots of self-effacing humor and down-to-earth everyman attitude. A couple years ago I took his online course “Buddhism and Modern Psychology” and found this book to be a similar experience, in form and content, as he intersperses “lecture” content with anecdotes and interviews with various Buddhist scholars. The result is a fantastic college course in-a-book. Finally, I really appreciated the summary at the end, which is a nice touch for a book which may be useful as a reference.