Why Buddhism Is True

The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment

By: Robert Wright

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

From one of America's greatest minds, a journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness.

Robert Wright famously explained in The Moral Animal how evolution shaped the human brain. The mind is designed to often delude us, he argued, about ourselves and about the world. And it is designed to make happiness hard to sustain.

But if we know our minds are rigged for anxiety, depression, anger, and greed, what do we do? Wright locates the answer in Buddhism, which figured out thousands of years ago what scientists are discovering only now. Buddhism holds that human suffering is a result of not seeing the world clearly - and proposes that seeing the world more clearly, through meditation, will make us better, happier people.

In Why Buddhism Is True, Wright leads listeners on a journey through psychology, philosophy, and a great many silent retreats to show how and why meditation can serve as the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age. At once excitingly ambitious and wittily accessible, this is the first book to combine evolutionary psychology with cutting-edge neuroscience to defend the radical claims at the heart of Buddhist philosophy. With bracing honesty and fierce wisdom, it will persuade you not just that Buddhism is true - which is to say, a way out of our delusion - but that it can ultimately save us from ourselves, as individuals and as a species.

©2017 Robert Wright. All rights reserved. (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"I have been waiting all my life for a readable, lucid explanation of Buddhism by a tough-minded, skeptical intellect. Here it is. This is a scientific and spiritual voyage unlike any I have taken before." (Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and best-selling author of Authentic Happiness)

"This is exactly the book that so many of us are looking for. Writing with his characteristic wit, brilliance, and tenderhearted skepticism, Robert Wright tells us everything we need to know about the science, practice, and power of Buddhism." (Susan Cain, best-selling author of Quiet)

"Robert Wright brings his sharp wit and love of analysis to good purpose, making a compelling case for the nuts and bolts of how meditation actually works. This book will be useful for all of us, from experienced meditators to hardened skeptics who are wondering what all the fuss is about." (Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and best-selling author of Real Happiness)

Science and Buddhism combined - insightful

If you could sum up Why Buddhism Is True in three words, what would they be?

Insightful
Applicable
Authentic (author)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Why Buddhism Is True?

Explanations of 'not self' and 'emptiness'. Hard concepts explained well (my head didn't explode)

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The author is authentic in exposing his flaws. He is easy to relate to and, while not a master of the practices described, is able to articulate the benefits of the pursuit

Any additional comments?

The content got harder to engage with as it went along - but this probably reflects the depth of the concepts when you are relatively new to it.

Perfect for the science-minded

This book takes on the challenge of trying to illustrate WHY Buddhism can work from an evolutionary and scientific standpoint. The author knows that that’s not entirely the point of the story, and doesn’t take it too far with silly numbers and case studies.

He encapsulates the essence of Buddhism without feeling a need to overemphasize a burden of “proof.”

My only criticism is that the last 90 minutes could have been edited a bit more strictly since it felt (to me) that the book dragged on a little long.

But who am I?

Awesome narrator, even more awesome insights

Offers beautiful perspectives on incorporating traditional Buddhist beliefs into modern world

Narrator is super calming

Thought Provoking!

Definitely worth the read. Also, check out The Untethered Soul and The Power of Now.

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a must-read!

this is an exceptional glimpse into the Nexus between modern neuroscience, evolutionary psychology and ancient mindfulness and meditation practices. A truly exceptional book!

Don't judge it by the title.

This book was amazing and has helped me more than I expected. listened to it twice, back to back.

Must listen for beginners

I got so much out of this book to the point that I had to make myself take breaks to let it sink in. Will listen again!
I’m conflicted about the narrator who had a gorgeous meditative voice but seems too dry/serious for some of the humor that makes this book so accessible. That said, he can guide me through a meditation anytime!

worth the listen

great book with tons of good information. makes me wish there was at least a chapter on how to meditate. tricky people making me keep listening to new stuff.8 of 10 recommend

Profoundly beneficial even if you aren’t a Buddhist

This book was simply fantastic. Aside from being well-written (and masterfully narrated by Fred Sanders), and full of heart-warming anecdotes of his own personal experiences with mindfulness, Robert Wright has provided a profoundly helpful and insightful book that can help one—no matter one’s (non-) religious worldview—understand the universal benefits of meditation. I, myself, consider myself a follower of Jesus and one that has immense appreciation for Buddhism. Through Wright’s book, I’ve developed an even greater appreciation of Buddhism, as well as a greater sense of how Buddhism can make me a better Jesus-follower. Read (listen) to it!