Book Review: The Mind Illuminated

Abstract

The article is a review of a book on Buddhist meditation, The Mind Illuminated, by Culadasa. The book attempts to provide a model of how the mind works, and it argues that mindfulness meditation can be used to overcome distractions, unify different “subminds” in the mind, and eventually achieve enlightenment. The review is skeptical of the book’s claims about the speed with which enlightenment can be achieved, as well as the idea that mindfulness meditation can overcome internal conflict and harmful emotions in a straightforward way. The reviewer also notes that Culadasa’s approach to meditation, which involves both concentration and insight meditation, may be less likely to produce the “Dark Night of the Soul” than other types of meditation. – AI-generated abstract.