Why Buddhism is True

The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment

By: Robert Wright

Narrated by: Fred Sanders

From one of America’s most brilliant writers, a New York Times bestselling journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness.

At the heart of Buddhism is a simple claim: The reason we suffer—and the reason we make other people suffer—is that we don’t see the world clearly. At the heart of Buddhist meditative practice is a radical promise: We can learn to see the world, including ourselves, more clearly and so gain a deep and morally valid happiness.

In this “sublime” (The New Yorker), pathbreaking book, Robert Wright shows how taking this promise seriously can change your life—how it can loosen the grip of anxiety, regret, and hatred, and how it can deepen your appreciation of beauty and of other people. He also shows why this transformation works, drawing on the latest in neuroscience and psychology, and armed with an acute understanding of human evolution.

This book is the culmination of a personal journey that began with Wright’s landmark book on evolutionary psychology, The Moral Animal, and deepened as he immersed himself in meditative practice and conversed with some of the world’s most skilled meditators. The result is a story that is “provocative, informative and...deeply rewarding” (The New York Times Book Review), and as entertaining as it is illuminating. Written with the wit, clarity, and grace for which Wright is famous, Why Buddhism Is True lays the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age and shows how, in a time of technological distraction and social division, we can save ourselves from ourselves, both as individuals and as a species.

Critic reviews

“A sublime achievement.”
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker

“Provocative, informative and... deeply rewarding.... I found myself not just agreeing [with] but applauding the author.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“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, bestselling author of Quiet

“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 bestselling author of Authentic Happiness

“A fantastically rational introduction to meditation…. It constantly made me smile a little, and occasionally chuckle…. A wry, self-deprecating, and brutally empirical guide to the avoidance of suffering.”
—Andrew Sullivan, New York Magazine

“[A] superb, level-headed new book.”
—Oliver Burkeman, The Guardian

“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 bestselling author of Real Happiness

“What happens when someone steeped in evolutionary psychology takes a cool look at Buddhism? If that person is, like Robert Wright, a gifted writer, the answer is this surprising, enjoyable, challenging, and potentially life-changing book.”
—Peter Singer, professor of philosophy at Princeton University and author of Ethics in the Real World

“Delightfully personal, yet broadly important.”
—NPR

“[Why Buddhism is True] will become the go-to explication of Buddhism for modern western seekers, just as The Moral Animal remains the go-to explication of evolutionary psychology.”
—Scientific American

“Cool, rational, and dryly cynical, Robert Wright is an unlikely guide to the Dharma and ‘not-self.’ But in this extraordinary book, he makes a powerful case for a Buddhist way of life and a Buddhist view of the mind. With great clarity and wit, he brings together personal anecdotes with insights from evolutionary theory and cognitive science to defend an ancient yet radical world-view. This is a truly transformative work.”
—Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at Yale University and author of Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion

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?

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.

Thought Provoking!

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

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!

Awesome narrator, even more awesome insights

Offers beautiful perspectives on incorporating traditional Buddhist beliefs into modern world

Narrator is super calming