Book Thoughts: Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor

Confession of a Buddhist Atheist by Stephen Batchelor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Having read Batchelor's "Buddhism Without Beliefs" back in high school when it came out (yes, I am getting old), this book has been on my radar once I head of it. "Buddhism Without Beliefs" was my introduction to Buddhism in a serious way, and while I never went down any road to belief and serious practice, the book served as a springboard for me to explore different religions, and to read more about Buddhism in particular in attempts to find ways to incorporate various aspects into my life and beliefs.

In this book, Batchelor starts by going personal, detailing his journey as a fresh out of school teenager leaving London and going to the mountains in Asia to study Buddhism. We learn about his life and struggles with the Buddhist faith during this time, and his learning under various teachers and schools of thought. Later in the book, Batchelor's discussions are more philosophical or theological, centering on interpretation of certain early texts of the Buddha's sayings and the historical development of Buddhism.

In both sections, the book, for lack of a better term, gives an "insider baseball" look at Buddhism, its belief structure, its practice, its history. In a lot of ways, if the reader is not familiar with the history or certain texts that Batchelor discusses, the book can be a difficult read. That said, there is nothing wrong about a serious book that requires its readers to look stuff up, which I think this book will do for many if they are serious in learning more about Buddhism and what Batchelor is proposing.

I've always felt that regardless of one's belief system, reading contrary and differing beliefs and opinions is important - it helps critical examination of one's own set of beliefs, but the exposure to different ideas, modes of thinking, and histories is helpful in overcoming preconceived notions that can lead to prejudice. This book is no different; if one is an atheist reading to learn more about Buddhism, or a Christian reading to learn about the personal spiritual journey of another individual, or a Buddhist reading to learn about a different interpretation of her own faith, the book is a worthwhile read.

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