• The Science of Enlightenment

  • By: Shinzen Young
  • Narrated by: Shinzen Young
  • Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (919 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Science of Enlightenment  By  cover art

The Science of Enlightenment

By: Shinzen Young
Narrated by: Shinzen Young
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $41.99

Buy for $41.99

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Demystify mysticism and learn techniques to move yourself beyond emotional and intellectual blocks into a realm of clear insight and inner peace. In this complete curriculum for self-investigation Shinzen Young - one of America's foremost meditation teachers - covers traditional teachings, scientific insights, and practical instruction to show you exactly how enlightenment works, and how to begin your own journey to inner liberation. Topics include concentration, awareness, and merging techniques to explore the self and the world around you, how spiritual practices work in Buddhism, Christianity, Jewish mysticism, Sufism, Hinduism, shamanism, and many other mystical traditions, as well as 6 complete guided meditation sessions and a host of insights on how to choose and establish your own meditation practice.
©1997 Shinzen Young (P)1997 Shinzen Young

What listeners say about The Science of Enlightenment

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    658
  • 4 Stars
    130
  • 3 Stars
    67
  • 2 Stars
    31
  • 1 Stars
    33
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    453
  • 4 Stars
    76
  • 3 Stars
    33
  • 2 Stars
    20
  • 1 Stars
    14
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    447
  • 4 Stars
    75
  • 3 Stars
    38
  • 2 Stars
    17
  • 1 Stars
    15

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Book

This book is packed full with valuable information on every aspects of spiritual liberation. For me, the "Science of Enlightenment" painted a clear picture about spirituality and reaching liberation. This book is basically a series of recorded lectures given by Shinzen Young, which made it as if the author were talking just to me, making up the answers to my personal questions. His style is very down to earth, funny, straight, and to the point. Listening to this book, I realized how much I did not know about what the concepts and terminology in the field of spirituality and enlightenment really meant (even after reading many books on the subject, as well as meditating, and practicing yoga for a number of years.)In "The Science of Enlightenment" Shinzen Young talks candidly about theroretical and practical aspects of meditation, different schools of thought and many apporoaches to traveling the path, as well as recommendations for personal practice to fit any lifestyle. The book also contains some guided mindfulness meditations, and guidance to everyone interested in enlightenment, regardless of their levels of experience. Even though the book is very long, it is well worth listening to (even repeatedly) because it is deep, useful, and relevant to all of our experiences. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

104 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Found in translation

For a long time I had been interested in learning more about meditation - but from my limited experience considered it too difficult. I had no understanding of how or why something like meditation could work. The one book I had tried wasn't very practical and the mystical presentation always put me off. The I got this audible on a whim because it was on discount at the time. After finally listening to it on a long car ride, I have been meditating ever since and it has become an important component of my life. Furthermore, I have told others and most everyone that has gone on to listen to it has come back with glowing reviews - this includes a retired psychoanalyst who has read/listened to tons of meditation/spiritual books who told me that this was the clearest presentation of the subject matter that he had heard. The interest has to come from inside though - a few people didn't have the patience to get through it.

What makes Shinzen's approach so helpful to me was that he described vipassana meditation as a form of "internal science". That is, he explains the process of meditation in a structure that a western scientific thinker can understand. In essence, he demystified the mysticism and enabled me to place meditation practice within my already existing framework of knowledge about the operation of the human brain. I could now see what a meditation session might do in terms of effecting actual neurophysiological changes and how that might lead to the overall benefits that are attributed to meditation.

It also offers 6 or so meditations - all about 40 minutes long. 40 minutes is long for a beginner, but I found that he explained everything sufficiently to allow me to go from someone who couldn't meditate more than 2 minutes to someone who lasted all 40.

So, if you are like me, wanting to get into meditation but need to know the how and why, the Science of Enlightenment is a very good place to start.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible overview of enlightenment!

I've listened to hundreds of audio books, and read many thousands of printed books in my life. Many of these books have been spiritual in nature. This book provides one of the most coherent, moving overviews of meditation and enlightenment that I've come across. Whether you're just beginning on a spiritual path or have been living in a cave for 10 years, meditating for hours a day; you will find something useful and inspiring in this book. Well worth every penny!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Enlightener

I have listened twice this book and plan to hear it again. That's the first time it happens with me after a few years as an Audible subscriber. The book is so profound and intriguing to our western mentality that it worth the effort. Event if you are not prepared to initiate the path of enlightenment (I am not sure I am...), at least you will have a better and clear understanding of what it represents. I have a very critical mind but loved the way Shinzen addresses the topics, although so difficult they are to be understood. Very insightful as well is the chapters "On the broad picture", in the second part of the audio. My first reaction to the title was skeptical, because it refers to "Science", which I have never related to spirituality. But Shinzen addresses the path of enlightenment in a so objective and straight forward way, without mixing it with religion, that now I understand the title and find it appropriate. This is the kind of book that will open your mind, and therefore don't expect it to be an easy book. Give it a try with patience and equanimity. This may change your life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

my experience

I found layers and layers of insights in these recordings. I took what I could, and let the rest open to me = make sense to me as I went through life.
I also found "Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert to complement this material.
The two together gave me guidelines on how to observe the formation and movement of my thoughts and feelings, moment by moment. I listened to these two in late 2006. Today, 01/08, I find that I am more humble, more clear headed and more focused. The majority of my interactions with people are pleasant, but of course, even Jesus did not please everybody =O.
These are not the results of listening to these books. These are the enduring results of maintaining the attitude (of vigilant observation and self-achieved submission to the impersonal, dymamic nature of existence=life=holy spirit=the source=allah=...) by applying the recommended techniques in everyday life. I find that I have more control over my actions, perform better under duress, and I am less desperate at trying circumstances. This recording was the beginning of a spiritual backpacking trip for me.
I want to say, not everything has been perfect. But perfection is hardly the point (See Karen Armstrong - The Great Transformation).

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

LIFE ALTERING

I hesitated to get this at first. Mainly because I'd never heard of the author, Shinzen Young. But I was sufficiently intrigued by the title; the attainment of enlightenment being a lifelong quest, or at least interest, of mine. Several months ago, after listening to the audible sample, I decided to buy it. I'm so glad I did! Science of Enlightenment is an extraordinary, and life altering work.

I listened to Science of Enlightenment twice. Both times, I was delighted by the uplifted feeling I received while listening to it. I've come to understand through this audio book, that seasoned meditators are always in a state of meditation to varying degrees. It seems that the crystalline clarity and sheer power of Science of Enlightenment stems from the fact that the author is in a state of lucid meditation while speaking. Perhaps accounting for the inspired, positive energy I get from listening to it.

From searching on the internet, I discovered that Science of Enlightenment, and many other lectures by Shinzen Young, have never been put into a book form. In fact, the only book I was able to find is a new one on overcoming pain. So the probability of Shinzen Young doing aggressive, national book signing tours, at this point at least, seems unlikely. This non commercial approach makes his work all the more appealing and real.

I've read many books on the topic of meditation and enlightenment, and even practiced at a couple of Zendos in New York. Although these experiences were excellent, I still hadn't been able to get on a regular meditation schedule. Listening to Science of Enlightenment, gave me a deep understanding of meditation, enlightenment, religion and related topics. As a result, I've finally been meditating, which has profoundly impacted my life. I look forward to the extraordinary long term effects, which Young describes, after a few years of meditating.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

The 16 hours of knowledge contained within is priceless!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Readers Choice Award for Quantity

This reminded me of sitting through the Blair Witch. Your waiting and waiting for the moive to deliver but never does. I did 12 hours of this and could not take it anymore. Not to say there is no knowledge to be gained. It's just that the wisdom nuggets are few and far between. Perphaps this is by design. Give 30 minutes of wisdom randomly over an 18 hour period, make them earn it. Not to mention Steve's voice was not the most enjoyable. He tells alot of stories about himself. He seems to be a big fan. I think Steve's freinds and family must have written the other reviews. If you have not already done so, check out The Power of Now instead.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Don't Be Fooled

I bought this book because of the sterling reviews. I did not read them closely enough, they are obviously written by people who are involved in selling this book, else how would they know so much about the author(its not in the audio book). If I had not already done a little reading on the subject of enlightment, I would have lost all interest in pursuing enlightenment ,after listening to the endless non-specific knowledge that goes on and on and on by the author. A word about the author, he comes across as obviously wishing he was more important than he is, wishing he could have more money, wishing he could build an empire of enlightenment. I don't think this is what enlightenment is about. He may be very smart and have studied for years but he has not lost his vanity and greed, I hope all of these "spiritual teachers" are not like him. Surely the path to enlightenment is not filled with "Tammy Fayes" and "Jimmy Swaggerts".

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Personal Favorite

This audio book is my personal favorite. The best thing I have heard in my two years of audible membership.

I like teachings that cover universal truths, but distill it down to the essential - without pretension, extraneous information, or speculation. Somewhat scientific, working with established truths and what is demonstrable.

Most books that deal with spiritual subjects require some suspension of disbelief. The science of Enlightenment is the only book that I would give to anyone, regardless of their beliefs or background.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful