Scott Alexander reviews 'Mastering The Core Teachings Of The Buddha', a practical guide to Buddhist meditation that details the stages of insight and debunks common myths about enlightenment. Longer summary

Scott Alexander reviews 'Mastering The Core Teachings Of The Buddha' by Daniel Ingram, an emergency physician who claims to have achieved enlightenment. The book provides a practical, no-nonsense approach to Buddhist meditation, detailing the stages of insight and their effects. It breaks down Buddhism into three teachings: morality, concentration, and wisdom. The review explores the book's explanation of meditation techniques, the stages of insight (including the challenging 'Dark Night of the Soul'), and the nature of enlightenment. Scott also discusses the book's debunking of common myths about enlightenment and questions why one would pursue this path given its potential difficulties. The review concludes by drawing parallels between the book's descriptions of meditation experiences and concepts from cognitive science. Shorter summary