Rating: 
Summary: a simple intro leading to the wider path
Review: I found this little book a great 'way in' to this subject. The authors beautiful flow of words, and inspiring quotes has led my mind to enquire more about this vast subject . This is one of many lessons learned from this book. I'd like to add that I am surprised at the somewhat negative and 'dispassionate' ( Buddha teaches us to be compassionate) review by a seemingly egotistical scholar of Buddhology, Mr Scriptura! Quite right, Buddism is surely an ancient gem precious in its foundations, but could possibly have a miriad of ways on which we can reflect and interperate? Thou doth protest to much.Go with the flow, accept change and be indiscriminate in the how 's, why's and the who's dude. Meditate on that.
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Summary: Liberation by any other name
Review: I don't know who the other reviewer is from Lexington, although, important as he is, I suppose I should. I do know that we have little in common other than our Central Kentucky location. That Stephen Batchelor deconstructs Buddhist religiosity to arrive at its therapeutic core I find infinitely liberating. I am not persuaded by "sola scriptura," whether invoked by the illustrious "Dr. of Buddhology" or the Christian fundamentalists who dominate the religious (and political) landscape here in the Bluegrass.What, finally, is more important? Deference to the Tripitaka or releasing oneself and others from suffering? And shouldn't a "Dr." of anything know how to spell?
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Summary: At long last...
Review: Whether the criticisms of this book are warranted or not, I was profoundly grateful to see it published. As one who has paid a significant price in early adult life for indulging in metaphysical speculation, this title is a gem for those who wish to honor the tenets of critical thinking in all realms of life, including the "spiritual." I am obliged to accept Batchelor's argument that Buddhism is not a religion per se, but a very elegant and practical means of engaging life (even Huston Smith alludes to this notion).
Perhaps the only spiritual conviction I possess after 41 years on this earth is that the cultivation of mindfulness is the key to religious maturity. Here, Batchelor argues that this is possible without having to appeal to supernatural influence. Given humankind's predilection for conceiving the most monstrous of superstitions, an inquiry into what constitutes a rational and compassionate secularism should be welcomed by all. Sadly, its rejection by those of a more theistic bent is all but certain.
Rating: 
Summary: Pseudo-Buddhism.
Review: Save your money. This book is just the authors distortion of Buddhism. Serious students and scholars just roll their eyes and shake their heads at Batchlors books. It's basically "Buddhism" in Batchlors own image and so a better title would be "Batchlorism: My Contemporary Guide to My Awakening."
Rating:
Summary: Bare Bones Buddhism
Review: If you see spirituality as a way of living and not a way of believing, then this book is for you. This is the first book I've read about the teachings of any major religion where I didn't find myself wading through archaic beliefs, supernatural happenings, or superstitious practices. Batchelor cuts through it all, cuts to the bare essentials of Buddhism in a way that is both compassionate and elegant. Batchelor's Buddhism may be devoid of pomp and pageantry, but it's full of heart.
Rating: 
Summary: Reinventing Buddhism. Not what the Buddha taught.
Review: This sectarian work is known in professional circles as bubblegum Buddhism since its mission is to reinvent Buddhism in the image of Authors assumptions, opinions and conjectures. All religions however are intelligently discussed SOLA SCRIPTURA, which means that when no agreement is at hand regarding that religious point then the accepted Corpus of that religion is the frame of reference and not personal opinions and conjectures as such. And in the case of PRO FORMA debate regarding the nitty gritty of Buddhism, Mr. Batchelor would loose miserably with his book which is in refutation to the key points of accepted Buddhist teachings having been laid down in the Nikayas for the past 2370 years since the first Buddhist council mentioned at VINAYA PITAKA 2.186. Im afraid that Mr. Batchelors book can only appeal to the uneducated masses that are not aware of the teachings of Buddhism. For any one of modest knowledge of the non-sectarian teachings of Buddhism can only chuckle at the contradictory presuppositions that Mr. Batchelor attempts to put forward. so, to whit; based upon Sola Scriptura and cross comparative analysis between this book and the 2300 year old Nikayas accepted by the Buddhist world, this book contradicts, reinvents, misinterprets, juxtaposes, and is in complete disagreement with the Corpus of the teaching of Buddhism accepted by all branches of Buddhism as the teachings and sermons of the Buddha before the creation of sectarianism, that being the Nikayas. As a Dr.of Buddhology, i can only wave my hand at yet another pithy reinvention of Buddhism by Mr. Batchelor who only succeeds in confusing his opinions with the accepted teachings of Buddhism as such. Dr. of Buddhology and author of 6 books on Buddhism; Dr. S. A.
Rating:
Summary: Clarity, Focus, and Inspiration
Review: I read (or attempt to read) a lot of books about Buddhism. I find that most of them are 20% content and 80% filler. In contrast, this book is beautifully concise and well written. Also appealing is Bachelor's focus on the essence of the Buddha's original teachings, rather than on later elaborations. His interpretations of the Buddha's original teachings seem consistant with the scholarly analysis of David J. Kalupahana, the most thorough and objective history of Buddhist philosophy that I have read. This book has brought clarity to my thinking about my personal path and has deeply inspired my own dharma practice.
Rating: 
Summary: Back-to-basics Buddhism
Review: Batchelor has written a gem of a book, and his title couldn't have been more appropriate, in that "Buddhism without Beliefs" is really a redundancy. The author reminds us that Buddhism at its core is about openmindedness, analysis, individual searching, and experimentation, and that to accept anything (even Buddhist teachings themselves) on blind faith is to miss the greater point. His most important observation, which he presents in straightforward and lucid language, shines through clearly: One can still follow the Buddhist path without blind allegiance to metaphysical speculation. If anything, he could have spent more time pointing out that many Buddhist scholars and practitioners alike already accept "rebirth" as metaphorical rather than literal, to drive the point home amidst Buddhist "fundamentalists" who, like their Christian counterparts, sometimes miss the subtler message their respective teachers conveyed and who, unfortunately, help to present Buddhism to the West not as the open-ended method of inquiry into existential experience that it really is, but rather as just another ready-made, rigid, superstitious dogma to be accepted on blind belief. Batchelor, however, regards the Buddha himself as being "far from agnostic" on issues of life after death, so the author's relative reticence in this area is understandable but unfortunate. After all, the Buddha tailored his message to match the needs and aptitudes of his audiences, so why not assume that he employed metaphysical/cosmological imagery familiar to his culture in order to get his message across, without automatically assuming it to be literal? In the end, Batchelor doesn't demand that we either believe or disbelieve in literal rebirth but rather to approach the matter with a healthy skepticism, rather than as a requirement for living a good Buddhist life, following the path, and achieving full awakening. This approach does no more than remain on the Buddhist Middle Way, and, here in the skeptical West, it's an important statement to make that may even help to ensure Buddhism's survival here. If Western Buddhism loses its speculative add-ons in the process, nothing is lost, and possibly something is gained: an unclouded insight into the parts of Buddhism that actually can make a difference here and now, in the lives of ourselves and others. That is the kernel of Buddhism, and Batchelor has pointed directly to it. A fine job.
Rating:
Summary: Exciting, Inspirational, and confrontational
Review: I was very fortunate to be the publicist for this wonderful book. Doing publicity on a book written by such a bright man, and totally loving the book, made my job an easy and delightful one. I highly recommend it to new and old students of Buddhism.
Rating:
Summary: NEGATIVE -20 Stars. It is Oposite of the Scriptures
Review: This is cleary one of the most contradictory and incorrect books ever written on Buddhism by what Buddhist monks call Bubble Gum Buddhism who not only lack the profundity of enligtenment to teach others but deep understanding of the Buddhist Dharma to teach or write the truth. This book in no terms other than facts is not at all representational of traditional Buddhism or any other form. Among myself and other Buddhist monks this ammounts to what is called Shmorgasboard Buddhism..in other words those that pick and choose what they like from Buddhism and leave the rest that they dont like and call this the Buddhist faith. The sad and almost non existant basis for true Buddhism has lead throngs of the deluded and uninformed to such feel good books as this misstaking it for Buddhism. No more than nihilistic misery and suicidal mental patterns run through this book representing Buddhism which is a very positive and freeing force that delivers the deluded person from darkness into the light of the Buddha Dharma ...This books highest goal believes that Buddhism require neither faith nor determination but a nihilistic misery of life which is not Buddhism at all. The author has written a very popular monster of a book that has missguided and deluded people into believing Buddhism to be nothing but a athiestic, nihilistic psycho-philosophical endeavor discussed over noon tea instead of a uplifting and freeing force that is the path of salvation from ignorances and delusions.All opinions asside...this book is completely refuted on 1000 different levels in the Pali Buddhist Canon which all Buddhist accept as Lord Buddhas Doctrine..i only wish i could have given this book a negative 20 rating
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