Mindfulness in Plain English

Mindfulness in Plain English is a practical guide to Vipassana insight meditation by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, a Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist monk and founding abbot of the Bhavana Society in West Virginia. First published in 1991, the book addresses readers with no prior background in Buddhism or meditation, explaining what mindfulness is, how to cultivate it through breath-focused sitting practice, and how to work through the common obstacles that arise in practice.

The sixteen chapters move from the motivation to meditate through basic technique, troubleshooting, the theoretical nature of mindfulness as a pre-conceptual mode of awareness, its relationship to concentration, and the extension of practice into everyday life. An afterword on loving-friendliness (metta) was added for the 20th Anniversary Edition in 2011. Because Bhante Gunaratana released the text for free distribution, it has circulated widely online and is used in university courses, secular mindfulness programs, and Buddhist communities worldwide.

When you first become aware of something, there is a fleeting instant of pure awareness just before you conceptualize the thing, before you identify it. That is a state of awareness.

p. 132 · Chapter 13, "Mindfulness (Sati)"

First lines

Meditation is not easy. It takes time and it takes energy. It also takes grit, determination, and discipline. It requires a host of personal qualities that we normally regard as unpleasant and like to avoid whenever possible. We can sum up all of these qualities in the American word gumption. Meditation takes gumption. It is certainly a great deal easier just to sit back and watch television. So why bother? Why waste all that time and energy when you could be out enjoying yourself? Why? Simple. Because you are human. Just because of the simple fact that you are human, you find yourself heir to an inherent unsatisfactoriness in life that simply will not go away. You can suppress it from your awareness for a time; you can distract yourself for hours on end, but it always comes back, and usually when you least expect it. All of a sudden, seemingly out of the blue, you sit up, take stock, and realize your actual situation in life.

Contents

Reception

The book is widely regarded as one of the clearest English-language introductions to Vipassana meditation. Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, has described it as "a masterpiece" and "one of the very best English sources for authoritative explanations of mindfulness." Because Bhante Gunaratana placed the text in free circulation online, it reached readers far beyond bookstore channels before that practice was common. The book is assigned in university courses on contemplative studies and Buddhist philosophy and is used in clinical mindfulness programs alongside Kabat-Zinn's own materials. It has been translated into numerous languages and has tens of thousands of ratings on Goodreads.

Frequently asked

What is Mindfulness in Plain English about?

It is a step-by-step introduction to Vipassana (insight) meditation, written by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. The book explains what mindfulness is, how to establish a sitting practice using breath as the primary object, how to handle common obstacles such as pain, drowsiness, and distraction, and how to bring mindfulness into daily life. No prior Buddhist background is assumed.

Do I need to be Buddhist to practice the meditation in this book?

Bhante Gunaratana addresses the reader without assuming any religious framework. The instructions are drawn from the Theravada tradition but are presented as a practical technique that anyone can apply. The book explains the Buddhist context for interested readers while keeping the meditation instructions themselves accessible regardless of belief.

What is the difference between mindfulness and concentration?

The book addresses this directly in Chapter 14. Concentration (samadhi) narrows attention onto a single object and holds it there; mindfulness (sati) is a broader, receptive awareness that notices whatever is present without clinging or pushing away. Gunaratana argues that both are needed in Vipassana practice and that they develop together, but that mindfulness — not concentration alone — is the faculty that produces insight.