Living Life on Life’s Terms
by Stephen Batchelor, Martine Batchelor and Bernat Font
Identifying the core values and principles of the teachings of Gotama, the Buddha, Living life on life’s terms systematically rethinks them in a way that addresses the issues of this secular age. ‘What matters today?’, the authors ask.
At the heart of this book is a reimagining of the Four Noble Truths. They are reframed as practical tasks to be performed – guidelines for living ethically and responding wisely to the realities of life.
This approach rests on a philosophical scepticism that values questions over answers. Following the Buddha’s middle way between the extremes of ‘it is’ and ‘it is not’, secular dharma avoids dogmatic claims about ultimate truth or reality.
The measure of a teaching is simple. Does it help us live with greater awareness, care, and integrity? Does it free us from reactivity – the habits of clinging, resistance and denial that keep us trapped, harming ourselves and others?
The path of practice lies in cultivating attitudes, skills and virtues that ease these burdens, and open us to flourishing.
In this book, three leading voices bring secular dharma to life. Stephen Batchelor offers a tapestry of philosophical insight, Martine Batchelor shares practical guidance for weaving practice into daily life, while Bernat Font adds creativity and warmth through stories and metaphors. Together, their teaching creates a multidimensional experience that speaks to both heart and mind.
Drawn from a year long course at Bodhi College, Living life on life’s terms is an inspiring guide for anyone seeking a contemporary path to freedom.
We will be running a Kickstarter campaign to enable this book to be published during May and June 2026. For more information on this send us an email.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Stephen Batchelor (right) is a translator, teacher, artist and writer who is known for his secular approach to the dharma. A co-founder of Bodhi College, his books include Buddhism Without Beliefs, Living with the Devil, Confession of a Buddhist Atheist, After Buddhism and The Art of Solitude. His most recent publication, Buddha, Socrates and Us, was published by Yale University Press in 2025. He is a co-author of What is this? Ancient questions for modern minds with his wife Martine, and lives in southwest France.
Martine Batchelor (centre) is a member of the Gaia House Teacher Council. She teaches meditation retreats worldwide and lives in southwest France. Recently she has been involved with the Silver Santé Study, teaching meditation, mindfulness and compassion to seniors in France to see if this could prevent ageing decline. Martine is the author of Meditation for Life, The Path of Compassion, Women in Korean Zen and Let Go: A Buddhist Guide to Breaking Free of Habits. Her latest works are the The Spirit of the Buddha, and The Definition, Practice and Psychology of Vedana and she is co-author of What is this? Ancient questions for modern minds.
Bernat Font (left) teaches with a combination of scholarly rigour, everyday examples, and a playful sensibility. He met the dharma at a very early age, and has been mainly influenced by Stephen Batchelor, Sayadaw U Tejaniya and the Thai Forest tradition. A founder of Espai Sati in Barcelona, he has a PhD in Buddhist Studies, translates Pali texts into Catalan and Spanish, and is also a jazz pianist.
FORMATS
Paperback • USD $19.95 from our online store and in bookstores
236 pages – 152mm x 229mm x 16mm
ISBN : 978-0-473-57139-9
AUD $29.95 • CAD $27.95 • EUR €16.95 • GBP £14.95 • NZD $34.95
from our online store and in bookstores
ePub • USD $6.95
ISBN : 978-0-473-57140-5