Wherever You Go, There You Are
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Like Gunaratana's book, it offers plain, accessible instructions for everyday mindfulness practice, with short chapters you can apply straight away and no need for prior experience.
12 books to read next
Books Like Mindfulness in Plain English
If you loved Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana
Readers who love Mindfulness in Plain English usually value its calm, no-nonsense clarity. Bhante Gunaratana explains meditation step by step, without mystique or hype, and he is practical about what each tool does and how to make it work. Many readers return to it often, and the new chapter on loving-kindness adds warmth. If you want a trustworthy, grounded guide to insight meditation that treats you as a capable adult, these books share that spirit.
Classic practice guides
A Path with Heart
Jack Kornfield
Kornfield, like Gunaratana, draws on Theravada teaching and explains the mental obstacles meditators meet, with gentle, realistic guidance on sustaining practice over years.
The Miracle of Mindfulness
Thích Nhất Hạnh
A short, warm introduction to mindfulness in daily life. It is simple and clear in the way Gunaratana is, so it suits readers who want practical steps over theory.
Loving-kindness and compassion
Lovingkindness
Sharon Salzberg
If the loving-kindness chapter in Gunaratana's book spoke to you, this is the classic book-length guide to metta practice, written with clarity and real warmth.
Radical acceptance
Tara Brach, Cassandra Campbell
Brach brings meditation into emotional life with compassion and practical exercises, which suits readers who valued Gunaratana's focus on everyday peace in a difficult world.
The Art of Happiness
Dalai Lama XIV Bstan-ʼdzin-rgya-mtsho, Howard C. Cutler
It combines Buddhist ideas about mind training and compassion with down-to-earth conversation, appealing to readers who appreciate a calm, plain-spoken approach to a happier life.
A lighter, plain-spoken read
10% Happier
Dan Harris
A wry, honest account of a skeptic learning meditation. Its humour and clear-eyed tone match Gunaratana's wit, and it explains practice without asking you to believe anything.
Buddhism Plain and Simple
Steve Hagen
As its title promises, it strips Buddhist teaching down to essentials. Readers who liked Gunaratana's clarity and his refusal to mystify meditation will find the same directness here.
Why Buddhism is True
Robert Wright
Wright explains why meditation's mental training works, using modern psychology. It suits readers who enjoyed Gunaratana's practical reasoning and want to understand the mechanics of the mind.
Go deeper
Mindfulness
Joseph Goldstein
Goldstein, a long-time insight teacher, goes further into the stages of awareness and practice, making it a natural next step for readers who want more depth after Gunaratana's foundation.
Waking Up
Sam Harris
Harris blends meditation instruction with a close look at the nature of the self and consciousness. It rewards readers who liked the philosophical side of Gunaratana's account of the mind.
When Things Fall Apart
Pema Chodron
Chödrön addresses how to meet pain and uncertainty with mindful presence. It is a deeper, more personal companion to Gunaratana's teaching on peace and equanimity.
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