Also included are complete teachings on Vipassana or Insight meditation, from how to do it, to how to refine it, to how to deal with difficulties. Teachings on the development of mindfulness, wisdom, patience, and practice itself are all included, and the book is capped by an extremely helpful “Question and Answers” section—an FAQ for newcomers and established practitioners alike. Lastly, both Pali-to-English and English-to-Pali glossaries are included, with all such terms also being glossed in the text, ensuring that readers easily master the meanings of important terms.

Praise & Reviews "Sayadaw U Pandita is one of the foremost teachers of the insight meditation method taught by the Burmese Master Mahasi Sayadaw (1904-1982). His first book, In This Very Life, quickly became a classic guide to vipassana. Sixteen years later, The State of Mind Called Beautiful offers some less commonly taught meditations and technical discussions related to specific aspects of vipassana practice. U Pandita’s instructions on the practices of recollecting the Buddha’s qualities and cultivating loving-kindness fill the first half of the book. These meditations, prescribed for a few minutes each day, are essential for a meditator in retreat but they are also useful to the ‘working Buddhist’ with a few minutes to spare. In the second half, the instructions are more technical and will be of greater interest to readers actively engaged in vipassana meditation. However, editor Kate Wheeler’s evocative preface and translator Vivekananda’s consistent precision and helpful glossaries make the entire work accessible to any reader."—Buddhadharma "In this latest compilation of edited Dhamma talks, renowned Burmese meditation teacher Sayadaw U Pandita explains that 'the possibility of inner freedom is the beauty hidden in each of our minds.' ... While his instructions are simple they are not shallow. His confidence in the Dhamma and this path of practice encourages us to aspire to liberation."—Inquiring Mind “Ven Sayadaw U Pandita is a brilliant light of wisdom, whose precise and clear guidance profoundly illuminates our own path to inner freedom. I feel truly fortunate to have been guided by such an extraordinary teacher—one who is dedicated to the awakening of his students and inspires the diligence it takes to make progress in practice.”—Tara Bennett-Goleman "Sayadaw U Pandita is one of the greatest meditation masters of modern times. His presence and teachings have inspired innumerable practitioners both in the West and in Burma. This book is an enriching and inspiring collection to guide us in our own practice."—Mu Soeng, author of Trust in Mind and The Diamond Sutra: Transforming the Way we Perceive the World "One of the greatest living meditation masters."—Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence “The depth of Sayadaw U Pandita’s understanding and the breadth of his knowledge have profoundly influenced the transmission of Dharma in the West.”—Joseph Goldstein, author of One Dharma

Sayadaw U Pandita, Author SAYADAW U. PANDITA is the abbot of Panditarama Monastery and Meditation Center in Rangoon, Burma, where he lives. He is a treasured teacher to many students around the world. Kate Wheeler, Editor Kate Wheeler is the author of Not Where I Started From andf When Mountains Walked. She has received a Guggenheim award, an NEA, a Whiting Award, and two O. Henry Awards. She lives near Boston.