“A straightforward and pragmatic guide to deepening levels of concentration and insight. This book is a joy to read and a great gift to us all.”—Joseph Goldstein, author of Mindfulness

Countless people worldlwide have made Mindfulness in Plain English a beloved and bestselling classic in almost a dozen languages. Now after nearly two decades, Bhante helps meditators of every stripe take their mindfulness practice to the next level - helping them go, in a word, beyond mindfulness. In the same warm, clear, and friendly voice, Bhante introduces the reader to what have been known for centuries as the "jhanas" - deeply calm, joyous, and powerful states of meditation that, when explored with the clearly presented tools in this book, can lead to a life of insight and unshakeable peace.

Gunaratana offers basic instruction on the meaning of insight meditation through concepts that can be applied to any tradition. His focus here is on the Jhanas, those meditative states of profound stillness in which the mind becomes fully immersed in the chosen object of attention.

"Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English is written in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand style that clearly seems based on the author's personal experience. Bhante Gunaratana offers a clear sense of the experience of moving from ordinary distracted mind to a strong state of concentration leading to the stages of awakening."