Reddit Reddit reviews In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha)

We found 52 Reddit comments about In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha)
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52 Reddit comments about In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha):

u/Bakmoon123 · 78 pointsr/Buddhism

That's fine, a lot of us here are western converts, and we all know what it is like at the beginning to be overwhelmed by the number of schools, traditions, texts, etc... You're in good company.

Here's my standard set of recommendations for Theravada Buddhism. If you are interested in other traditions, then other people will recommend more suitable books.

I think the classic book What the Buddha Taught is one of the best starting points there is. It's a rather basic text, but at the same time it covers a lot of ground. Definately a must read. There are other more comprehensive introductory books, but they are a bit more technical.

Another amazing book is the Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi's book In the Buddha's Words which is an anthology of just a few of the Suttas along with some excellent introductory essays. This book is probably the best introduction to Buddhist scripture out there. This book is the only one on this list that isn't available for free on the internet, but for a little over ten dollars, I'd say it is definitely worth it.

The Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi also gave an introductory summary of Buddhism in the early 80's called The Buddha's Teaching As It Is which is quite good.

His Systematic Study of the Majjhima Nikaya is one of the best lecture series there is in my opinion.

You can find some articles he wrote here. I especially recommend the article "The Buddha and his Dhamma" and "The Noble Eightfold Path".

Sutta Central is probably the go to place for translations from the Pali Canon.

Here's a pdf of Mindfulness of Plain English, a very popular and general text on meditation.

Also one of the best books on meditation (although it is a bit more technical) is the book Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization

If you want to practice meditation according to the Mahasi Sawadaw tradition, then read this pdf of Practical Vipassana Exercises is a very good book. Also, if you are interested in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition I highly recommend the youtube videos of the Ven. Yuttadhammo

Here's a good meditation manual from Ajahn Thanissaro about Mindfulness of Breathing.

u/[deleted] · 32 pointsr/Buddhism

For me, personally, I started with the 'Basics' section on the sidebar. It contains, amongst other things:

  • The FAQ

  • A booklist

    I myself started with Walpola Rahula's book, as recommended in those links, and the https://bswa.org/ resources including those on Youtube. I then progressed onto In the Buddha's Words.
    I also find Thanissaro Bhikkhu's talks to be informative. They can be found at https://www.dhammatalks.org/ -- note there is a 'For Beginners' tab -- and also on Youtube. I think the former is kept more up-to-date but there are many valuable talks on both, about all kinds of topics.

     

    I am very thankful that you have come out of this situation with so much physical and mental strength. I hope this means that you can find peace, happiness and health. I hope you do not mind me also saying that I extend this too to your attacker, as their actions are clearly not helpful for them or the living beings around them.
u/mkpeacebkindbgentle · 9 pointsr/Buddhism

Why not just read the word of the Buddha himself? I really recommend In The Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

Basically, it's a selection of the Buddha's discourses. There's a bunch of discourses that the Buddha gave to householders, these are easy to understand and to the point.

A lot of the Buddha's teaching are actually very straight forward and easy to understand.

From what I've read of Thick Nhat Hanh, he tends to be more on the poetic side, which can be very inspiring, but also hard to understand some times.

u/ZFree2013 · 8 pointsr/Buddhism

Depends on what I want, study or practice. But my most recent have been...

Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silence-Power-Quiet-World-Noise/dp/1846044340/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453563033&sr=1-1&keywords=silence+thich+nhat+hanh

For daily living the books by Thich Nhat Hanh are fantastic, especially the power of silence. The book is aimed at all audiences but really goes in to depth showcasing how life in the west especially has become out of control, we are constantly imbued with noise, constantly thinking and never truly coming home to ourselves, so our suffering is always 'ours' carried by us everywhere until it begins to spill out in our actions and thoughts.

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings/dp/0861714911/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453563240&sr=1-1&keywords=Bikkhu+bodhi

I really like both this book and the middle length discourses for when I desire to feel 'closer' to the teachings. This book in particular takes teachings from the the pali canon and presents those which bear the most relevance to life today. The teachings are very profound and each suttra is very powerful. Many of the questions here could be easily answered by reading these translations of the discourses by Bikkhu Bodhi.

Although I do feel these are books for the book shelf as the suttras are kept purposely intact but it means there is a lot of cumbersome repetition and one or two suttras a session are best I find.

Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: Majjhima-Nikaya: New Translation (Teachings of the Buddha)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Middle-Length-Discourses-Buddha-Majjhima-Nikaya/dp/086171072X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453564072&sr=1-1&keywords=bhikkhu+bodhi+the+middle+discourses

This book focuses more on the Buddha's time at jetta grove and a lot of the pages describe his dealings with the monastics, but also detail his meetings with all walks of life from princes to simple villagers. There is the classic hell suttra too, which is gruesome and had me in contemplation for a while! The teachings are profound though and any discerning Buddhist would benefit from reading the texts.


http://www.buddhanet.net/chin_bud.htm

'The translated teachings of Miao Yun'

This is not so much a book as a collection of teachings which have been translated for a western audience. The words however contain a lot of wisdom and really detail the framework of a path from human to buddha-hood and the importance of cultivating core values such as wisdom and compassion.



u/heptameron · 8 pointsr/Buddhism

Rupert Gethin's Foundations of Buddhism is a thorough introduction to Buddhism. For starting reading the Pāli discourses, there's Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words - this is a selection of discourses serving as an entry point.

Then you can start with the discourses directly: start with the Majjima Nikāya and then you can also go through The Dīgha Nikāya and the Samyutta Nikāya. And then the last but not least: Aṇguttara Nikāya and the Khuddhaka Nikāya (search on Amazon). These texts would be important references for the rest of your life if you seriously pursue Buddhism.

Regarding insight meditation, Bhikkhu Anālayo's Satipaṭṭāna book is the best modern day commentary available. Highly recommend it. His "Excursions into the Pāli Discourses" Part 1 and Part 2 are also very useful since they summarize many of the topics discusses in the discourses.

Books by Shaila Catherine or Ajāhn Brahmavaṃso would be good texts regarding samatha meditation.

There are the various texts written by the Ledi Sayādaw and Mahāsi Sayadaw - two Burmese scholar-practitioners who popularized insight meditation in the last century. You can go through Ven. Ledi Sayādaw's Vipassanā Dīpani (Manual of Insight) and you can find Ven. Mahāsi Sayadaw's books here.

Bhikkhu K. Ñānānanda has many books discussing deep questions about dependent arising, the nature of nirvāna, and so forth. You can find them here.

I'll let others recommend Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna and Zen material. In general, Reginald Rays books on Tibetan Buddhism are great entry points to Tibetan Buddhism, and then there's Gampopa's Jewel Ornament Of Liberation. There's also Shantidēva's Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra, useful for any Mahāyāna practitioner. With Zen there's always Dōgen Zenji's Shōbōgenzō.

You should be able to find all of the above by googling if it's available for free or on Amazon (or a University library) otherwise.

u/KenshiroTheKid · 8 pointsr/bookclapreviewclap

I made a list based on where you can purchase them if you want to edit it onto your post:

This Month's Book


u/Jhana4 · 6 pointsr/Buddhism


In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha)
by Bhikkhu Bodhi

https://smile.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings/dp/0861714911

u/athanathios · 6 pointsr/Buddhism

WELCOME! Well I would:

(A) read up on what you can the 4 noble truths, the 8 fold path, dependent origination, the life of the Buddha. If you have the time I would highly recommend this book, as it is a great anthology taken right from the Suttas. I would then

(B) Read up on the 5 Precepts, try to keep to them, as they represent a firm moral foundation for practice, without this base the other facets become an issue.

(C) I would then learn a meditation technique. I recommend starting here. Start meditating daily, 20 minutes a day, work your way up as you feel you would like more.

You sound like you connected with Buddha's teachings, so if you want to take Refuge I would say make sure you've thought this through. It's basically a significant mental promise, but taking it is important and can really help practice. Here is the Refuge procedures. I would really recommend reading up more on it either here or here.

After you've taken Refuge, you are a Buddhist.

u/LarryBills · 5 pointsr/Buddhism

Why don't you read the Pali Canon? Perhaps the Majjhima Nikaya or In the Buddha's Words which is an anthology of discourses from the Pali Canon are good places to start.

u/citiesoftheplain75 · 5 pointsr/pics

Here is a list of monasteries where you will be able to practice meditation for an extended period of time and eventually ordain as a monk:

-Pa Auk Forest Monastery in Myanmar

-Panditarama Forest Meditation Center in Myanmar

-Wat Chom Tong in Thailand

-Wat Ram Poeng in Thailand

The monasteries below allow shorter stays for first-time visitors:

-Bhavana Society in West Virginia

-Metta Forest Monastery in California

-Sirimangalo International in Canada

-Bodhinyana in Australia

If you’re interested in learning how to meditate, the following books are excellent guides. Each of these authors has a novel approach to explaining meditation that complements the others.

-The Mind Illuminated by John Yates

-Shift Into Freedom by Loch Kelly

-With Each & Every Breath by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. This author has other great books available for free.

-In The Buddha’s Words by the Buddha (translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi)

I recommend that you check out /r/streamentry, an online community of laypeople (non-monks) pursuing awakening. You might also wish to contact /u/Bhikkhu_Jayasara, a fully ordained monk who often participates in /r/buddhism.

Best of luck to you on the path.

u/thundahstruck · 5 pointsr/Buddhism

I'll second What the Buddha Taught and In the Buddha's Words. Access to Insight is also a good resource. And of course /r/buddhism!

u/declawedelvan · 4 pointsr/Buddhism

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0861714911

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon

u/iamadogforreal · 4 pointsr/AskHistorians

American Theravada monk Bhikkhu Bodhi is a well read writer and has some of works available for free on this website.

I'd also pick up a book about Therevadan buddhism as its considered the least liberal and closer to the source material (yes, this is arguable). Bodhi has a book on this subject. Rahula's "What The Buddha Taught" I find to be very readable and an easy intro into the life and teachings of Buddha.

Per usual, the wikipedia entry on him is good too.

/atheist who likes to study religion, if you're interested in my criticisms please pm me

u/The_Dead_See · 4 pointsr/Buddhism

The Pali Canon is the Buddhist "equivalent" of the Bible... though much, much larger (between 20 and 60 volumes depending on translation and tradition). Many of the Suttas ("chapters" for want of a better word) follow the pattern you are talking about - a disciple, layman, or challenger goes to either the Buddha or to one of his highly respected students and a discussion ensues about a particular aspect of the Dharma.

The Pali Canon is available on accesstoinsight.org

A nice, condensed, lay person translation is available as a book called In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

u/BearJew13 · 4 pointsr/Buddhism

What the Buddha Taught is the best "intro to Buddhism" book I've read yet, I highly recommend it. This is a book you will constantly be coming back to, if you decide to keep pursuing Buddhism that is, for it contains all of the essentials (IMO). The author also includes several key suttas given by the Buddha (several especially directed towards lay people like ourselves), and a collection of key verses from the Dhammapada (a classic Buddhist scripture). The other "Intro to Buddhism" book I will recommend is Becoming Enlightened by His Holliness the Dalai Lama, which gives an overview of the Buddhist path to Enlightenment that emphasizes the role of compassion, altruism, and wisdom.

 

For learning to meditate and practice mindfulness, I recommend Mindfulness in Plain English. What the Buddha Taught also has a great chapter on meditation and mindfulness.

 

Once you feel more comfortable with the basic principles of Buddhism, if you'd like to start reading and studying key Buddhist scriptures, I'd recommend starting with the following: In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon and The Dhammapada. The Pali Cannon in the oldest complete Buddhist cannon of scriptures that survives today. The Dhammapada is a short collection of sayings within the Pali Cannon that is thought to summarize the essence of the Buddha's teachings.

u/sacca7 · 4 pointsr/Buddhism

One Dharma by Joseph Goldstein

The Buddha is Still Teaching by Jack Kornfield

The Dhammapada translated by Thomas Byrom You can find this free on-line, but the formatting isn't the best.

In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi (mentioned below). If any book becomes the "Buddhist Bible" this one would be it.

Access To Insight has more of the original Buddhist texts and commentaries than anyone could read in a lifetime.

An important distinction as you go about learning. There are 2-3 main branches of Buddhsim. The Theravada (Hinayana) is the oldest, includes texts of the Pali Cannon, which are considered as close to the original teachings as possible. Then there is the Mahayana which includes Zen and countless other Asian forms of Buddhsim. The third branch--and some argue it is part of Mahayana, but I'd say it is a form all its own as it has its own set of texts and eminent contributors--is the Tibetan tradition which includes anyone with the title Lama or Rinpoche, among others.

My readings listed above all are from the Theravada tradition.

For two from Zen, consider

Riding the Ox Home: Stages on the Path of Enlightenment by John Daido Loori

The Blooming of a Lotus by Thich Nhat Hanh

For Tibetan, consider anything by HH The Dalai Lama and Lama Surya Dass, among others.

Enjoy your journey.

u/ThatBernie · 4 pointsr/Buddhism

The three above-mentioned volumes on the Long Discourses (Dīgha Nikāya), the Middle Length Discourses (Majjhima Nikāya), and the Connected Discourses (Saṃyutta Nikāya) are indeed real gems, and an excellent way to read the suttas as they were originally presented (albeit with the limitations of translation). However, the internal organization of the Pāli Canon is often quite haphazard, with only very general rules being applied to which texts go into which volume, but with little or no rules as to the placement of the suttas within those volumes.

I've already made this recommendation elsewhere, but it's also valuable here.

Bhikku Bodhi has made an easy-to-digest anthology of the Pāli Canon called In the Buddha's Words, in which he selects the most essential passages of the scripture and organizes them in a logical way (he also provides some commentary, but the bulk of the book is made up of the Buddha's own words).

Unfortunately I cannot testify as to which Mahayana books are commendable, I have very little experience in that.

u/Orangemenace13 · 3 pointsr/Buddhism

http://www.accesstoinsight.org

Has over 1,000 translated sutras available for free, with suggestions as to which to read / where to start - plus writings by contemporary teachers and practitioners.

A great book is In the Buddha's Words, an anthology of sutras edited by Bhikku Bodhi which seems to be widely praised as a great starting point (I own it and find it very useful).

http://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings/dp/0861714911

u/Beefenstein · 3 pointsr/Buddhism

https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings/dp/0861714911 was recommended here, I have it, I am enjoying it. I read a number of pages most days.

u/sporkubus · 3 pointsr/Buddhism

As others have said, meditation is probably the best way to really "get" Buddhism. But if you're just looking for some good books:

In The Buddha's Words - an anthology of short selections from the Theravada Buddhist canon. This is probably about as close as you can get to the Buddha's actual teachings.

What the Buddha Taught - no fluff, just the core teachings.

When Things Fall Apart - this is a little fluffier than the other two, but an absolute classic and must-read for all, Buddhist or non. The author explains the most complex and difficult to accept parts of the Buddhist worldview in a penetrating, easy-to-grasp way.

Others mentioned Alan Watts, Stephen Bachelor and Brad Warner. Their books might be worth checking out, but keep in mind that each author writes with a more personal and less traditional lean than the ones I mentioned. Not that there's anything wrong with that, obviously, but if you're trying to learn about Buddhism... starting with them would be a little like learning about Catholicism from a Protestant.

edit: Forgot to add links.

u/rerb · 3 pointsr/Buddhism

If you want to go back to what the Buddha (reportedly) said, have a look at In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon. Bikkhu Bodhi does a fine job translating, and the result is an easily readable anthology of selections from the Tripitaka.

u/Jayantha-sotp · 3 pointsr/Buddhism

I agree with friend numserv about the pali cannon. This book by Bhikkhu Bodhi is also great in bringing together important suttas and bhante explaining the teachings: http://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings/dp/0861714911



I would add though that if she is looking for something less cannoical text wise id suggest any of the books from Ajahn Chah.

The books out contain his talks and teachings which are amazing for putting the deep teachings into basic understandable words.

Most of it can be found for free here : http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/index.php or on Amazon in paperback form.

u/jty87 · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

Most Suttas (discourses) consist of the Buddha himself or one of his close disciples delivering a direct teaching. Here's a nice website for exploring the teachings:

A Path to Freedom
A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings


And here's the anthology that's most recommended in this sub:


In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

u/dependentarising · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

Well going to the source is always the best option. Bhikkhu Bodhi made an anthology of the major Buddhist writings, and he explains them very well with the beginner in mind. I suggest looking into getting a copy of In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon. Check your local libraries first, a few of the ones near me have a copy. That book is seriously the only resource you will need right now, online or offline.

u/dying_skies · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

Amazing place to start.

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0861714911/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jJLSDbKCFQ6PP

u/Thomas_Amundsen_ · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

> Many people are telling me to meditate and figure it out for myself. How can I do this?

Honestly, I would advise against that. I'd recommend learning meditation from a teacher, and I'd also recommend studying some Dharma first before making meditation the main focus of your practice. And before all of that, the most important thing is going to be conduct. The most important aspect of conduct is to not take life, even very tiny insects. If you don't have proper conduct, then nothing else is really going to work. So, I'd recommend that order:

  1. establish stable virtuous conduct
  2. study Dharma
  3. practice

    It won't hurt to start a small meditation practice right now, in fact I would recommend that. But it will be best to spend the most energy on conduct and study at this time.

    > What should I focus on? Karma and dependent origin? Cessation of attachment? Compassion? Which aspect is the most important?

    It's really hard to say. I don't think there's any right answer unless you're working within a specific tradition. My personal recommendation would be to read In the Buddha's Words by Bhikku Bodhi. This will give you a really strong introduction to Theravada teachings. Even though it's Theravada, it is the common foundation of all schools of Buddhism. If you don't understand everything in this book, it will be difficult to understand anything else in Buddhism beyond this.

    Then, if you want to get a little introduction to the Mahayana, I'd suggest reading some translation of Shantideva's Entering the Conduct of a Bodhisattva (maybe translated as The Way of the Bodhisattva). This book is great for both complete beginners and very advanced bodhisattvas. I have read this text several times over the last 10 years and I learn something new every time. The Dalai Lama said:

    > If I have any understanding of compassion and the bodhisattva path, it all comes from studying this text.

    If you find that you are attracted to the Mahayana, then I would suggest that your next quest is to find your teacher. In Theravada, a teacher may not be of the utmost importance. But for Mahayana, a teacher is indispensible. There are enlightened teachers living today, it just takes effort to find one. My sincere advice would be to find an enlightened teacher, and then follow their advice as best as you can.

    Finally, don't turn Dharma into an escape. Dharma is never going to solve your worldly problems. You will still need to learn how to deal with life just like any other adult does in our society. Make sure to spend the proper effort and do well in school :) Dharma doesn't solve worldly problems, but it will lead to peace where no worldly problems bother you at all.
u/sooneday · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

Start with the words of the Buddha. There's a good anthology by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha) Paperback – July 28, 2005
by Bhikkhu Bodhi -


Practice generosity and follow the Five Precepts. Take refuge.

u/darthrevan · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

You're welcome, I had a feeling that's what you were looking for.

If you don't already have it, I highly recommend the book that I got that quote from: In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon by Bhikku Bodhi.

u/Paradoxiumm · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

I recently bought In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi and am very happy with it. It covers the main components of Buddhism and the author has some great explanations on many of the concepts as well.

u/xugan97 · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

You might want to read just one of the four Nikayas, or an anthology like Sayings of the Buddha or In the Buddha's words.

On the Mahayana side, it is better to start with the books of modern teachers like others have recommended. My personal recommendations are any book by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and "The method of no method" by Chan master Sheng Yen. Mahayana sutras can be underwhelming or confusing to the beginner - I can recommend the Prajnaparamita sutra (i.e. the Diamond sutra or a longer version.)

u/HansKrinkelSchneider · 2 pointsr/MGTOW

Well said. I wanted to reply to obvious troll, but he was a bit too obvious.

In the Buddhas Words is one book I've been reading a bit over the years, at least for philosophy. Same time, I've got my King James Bible as well.

In my view, Buddha and Christ were very similar in beliefs, or what they taught, regardless of their background.

u/ReubenFox · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

The Dhamma. The second gem of the triple gem. For a theravada buddhist, that means The Pali Canon.

The pali canon is a collection of 2,000 or so texts that come from disciples of the buddha, and record his teachings. The big ones are the dhammapada, the nikaya's and the tipitika. As for what to buy, go for these books of dhamma compilations by bhikku bodhi, In the Buddha's words, Middle-length Discourses, The Connected Discourses, and The Long Discourses.

Here's a good free copy of the dhammapada.

As one last suggestion on dhamma books, I would recommend the The Path of Purification as a must own-must read guide to the entire path from the beginning to enlightenment.

Take your time on the diet and don't force yourself. Do it because you want to. Your focus should be on the triple gem and meditation. Read the booklet I linked in the last thread to get a COMPLETE understanding on what meditation is and what it does. After you have read the booklet, I will be happy to answer any remaining questions you have.

I also made an edit to the original post at the ending of the first answer I made on this thread.

u/drainos · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi. It has introductions and explanations for each chapter, and unlike most books on Buddhism, actually has full suttas as opposed to abridged summaries of teachings.

u/Taome · 2 pointsr/askphilosophy

What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula (1974) and Buddhism: A Concise Introduction by Huston Smith and Philip Novak are the classic introductory texts to Buddhism and still used in colleges. In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Bodhi (2005) is a newer introductory book and more text based.

u/Fire_Elemental · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

Is it a religion?

Read this if you need something simpler, but really, it doesn't get simpler then just sitting.

> Also, as an aside, what, if anything, are considered the "scriptures" of Buddhism?

The tripitaka, though what that collection entails changes from lineage to lineage. For the Theravadins, it is the Pali Tripitaka, for the various lineages of Chinese, Korean, Japanese it is the Taisho Tripitaka, ect.

The Pali Tripitaka would perhaps be the easiest and least confusing to start with. This is my favorite collection from the Pali Tripitaka.

u/BBBalls · 2 pointsr/Buddhism

I had kind of a hard time thinking about a response I felt good about. Below are resources roughly sequenced as "stages". All the resources are within or related to the Theravada tradition. I tried to keep everything free. When a preferred resource is not free, I include a free alternative. Buddhism is very much a practice, so when instructions are given put them into practice the best you can. There is also a need to understand why you are practicing, so there is a need to understand Buddhist theory. Some of these resources might not be seem immediately applicable to you, which is fine, just think of it as being similar to reviewing a map before going on the hike. This small collection of selected resources may seem overwhelming, but learning the dhamma is a long process, so there is no hurry to read or listen to everything. It is like walking through mist, you don't necessarily notice getting wet. I just want to reiterate that practicing is very important. Buddhism is about doing, and to lesser degree about acquiring book knowledge. One caution, I put several different meditation styles below; go a head and experiment with them, but figure out which one fits you best and stick with it for a while. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer skillfully. Remember that persistence will bring rewards. Good luck.

Books:

"Stage 1"

With Each & Every Breath: A Guide to Meditation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana [not free] (Free older version)

Noble Strategy by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Buddha’s Teachings: An Introduction by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

"Stage 2"

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi [not free] (A free "clone" can be found at www.suttacentral.net. It has all of the introductions Bhikkhu Bodhi wrote, but uses free translations of the suttas)

The Dhammapada: A New Translation of the Buddhist Classic with Annotations translated by Gil Fronsdal [not free] (A free and reliable translation of the Dhammapada by Anandajoti Bhikkhu)

"Stage 3"

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya translated by Bhikkhu Nanamoli & Bhikkhu Bodhi [not free] (Free translations of all of the Majjhima Nikaya suttas can be found at www.suttacentral.net. Thanissaro Bhikkhu has translated a free anthology of the Majjhima Nikaya called Handful of Leaves, Volume II: an Anthology from the Majjhima Nikaya)

The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Talks:

"Stage 1"

Introduction to Meditation is an audio course by Gil Fronsdal.

Basics is collection of talks by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

The Buddha's Teaching As It Is: An Introductory Course is a series of talks by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Eightfold Path Program is a series of talks by Gil Fronsdal.

Four Noble Truths is a series by Gil Fronsdal and Andrea Fella.

"Stage 2"

Don't eat your fingers. Seriously though, just listen to talks and get a better feel for the dharma.

"Stage 3"

Seven Factors of Awakening is a series of talks by Gil Fronsdal.

A Systematic Study of the Majjhima Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi

Resources:(There are a huge number of great resource. Below are the ones I frequent or have frequented)

Texts: www.suttacentral.net, www.accesstoinsight.org, www.buddhanet.net, www.dhammatalks.org, www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net

Talks: www.dharmaseed.org (huge variety of teachers have talks here), www.dhammatalks.org (Thanissaro Bhikkhu has a huge catalog of talks. He has a straight forward style.), www.audiodharma.org (Gil Fronsdal has very accessible teaching style. He presents the dharma in an almost secular way, but doesn't doesn't diminish it in the process.)

Video: Buddhist Society of Western Australia (Ajahn Brahm is a much loved and accessible teacher), Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu (Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu has a very calm demeanor, and does live Q&A regularly, StudentofthePath (Bhikkhu Jayasara is a recently ordained monk and is an active redditor, u/Bhikkhu_Jayasara), Dhammanet (Bhikkhu Sujato has "loose" and friendly teaching style, but is a serious scholar.)

u/john12tucker · 1 pointr/changemyview

(Thanks, and sorry for the huge reply below; I might have gotten carried away.)

It's tough. The Pāli Canon is relatively inaccessible, and most of it probably isn't relevant for your purposes. Part of the problem is the literature on Buddhism is huge, much larger than the Bible, and there are many different angles you can approach it from: for example, vipassanā meditation has recently become very popular in the West, and there are many books devoted to that topic from a secular perspective that provide no information regarding Buddhist philosophy -- which consists of an ethics, metaphysics, cosmology, etc. Buddhist philosophy is much broader than, say, Christian theology, and is arguably more analogous to Western philosophy.

If you're a secular Westerner like myself, you'd probably be most interested in Theravāda Buddhism: this is the least "mystical" of the three major schools, and is the most conservative, dealing mostly with the Buddha's actual (purported) words. Mahāyāna is the most popular school of Buddhism, found (for example) in China and Japan, and is newer, less conservative, and has a much larger canon of commentaries and interpretations; Vajrayāna is found in places like Tibet, and is (relative to Theravāda) extremely esoteric. Theravāda is the closest to "Buddhism as a philosophy".

/r/Buddhism is a welcoming community, and they are better equipped to provide you with resources than I am. I would recommend asking them, and narrowing down what interests you the most via Wikipedia. Feel free to pose me any specific or follow-up questions as well. I'll also be able to keep my answer briefer if the question is more constrained.

A couple of warnings: vet any authors first, before buying their books. A lot of the resources at your local book store are by Deepak Chopra types, and are not highly regarded. Look for commentaries on or interpretations of actual Buddhist canon. Related to that, forget what you think you know about Buddhism: New Age concepts like "reincarnation" and "karma" actually have very little to do with traditional Buddhism. My favorite example is that, while Buddhism does have a concept of "rebirth", it also explicitly rejects the notion of a soul -- this precludes the possibility of New Age or Hindu "reincarnation", and I have seen this trip some people up.

Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. My own knowledge comes from reference material like Wikipedia (especially as a portal to find other material), as well as selections from the Pāli canon -- this is one book I found useful as an introduction. It might not be the most academic book, but I think it does a good job as a general overview. Other books from the same publisher are also supposed to be good (and rely on actual canon), but I can't personally recommend any others.

Good luck!

u/SoyRainbow · 1 pointr/lotro

You know what, no. You have attacked me perosnally already and this is no longer a discussion. Now you are simply picking small parts of what I said to attack me more. For the record, I'll link what I read below, but I really don't care what you think about me or the book. Your attitude is not nice and you of all people should know better than to be rude or hateful to others. You shame the LGBT+ community with your hatred for others.

Even if how I live isn't exactly the way you practice your religion, it's still a fact that by allowing others to control how you feel impacts you negatively. I think we could all benefit from learning how to control our own thoughts and feelings. We can't control what other people do and we're never going to live in a perfect world free of hatred.

So you can keep saying "woe is me... Bullies online and in my video games" and you can distance yourself from everyone except the LGBT+ community, but this is a temporary solution.

In my opinion you let them win when you allow their words to influence your thoughts, emotions, and decisions.


The book I read:

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0861714911/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_c33OCbH79GJ4Z


Edit: forgot a word

u/cyanocobalamin · 1 pointr/Buddhism

When I first started reading the Pali Canon it quite astonished me to read religious mythology where gods came to pay their respects to a human for what he accomplished and praise him.

The friendliest introduction to Theravada writings might be The Dhammapada a very small book.

The monk Thannisaro Bhikkhu has an anthology of discourses called "The Wings To Awakening", loads of free electronic copies and if you write to him via snail mail ( he doesn't do email ) he MIGHT send you a copy in real book form.

The monk Bhikkhu Bodhi has a much larger and more comprehensive anthology of the Pali Canon called In The Buddha's Words. It has a lot of religious trappings in it and isn't all sunshine and rainbows. If you can stand it, you can stand the Pali Canon.

Most Theravada Buddhists have never read more than a few discourses, let alone the whole Pali Canon ( huge and repetitive ).

Both anthologizes are very dry, be warned.

u/MeditationGuru · 1 pointr/Meditation

I mean sure he does say that Burma is the only place that kept the technique pure to the way that the Buddha taught it, and I don't know enough about Buddhism to know how true or false that claim is... does that make me indoctrinated? I started reading In the Buddha's Words which is basically translations straight from the Pali canon, and most of what Goenka says at retreats seems to align with what I am reading, granted I am not finished with it yet and he did not touch upon everything from what I can remember. He tells everyone at the end of the course that they are their own masters and can pretty much do what they want.

You're not the first person I've seen criticize Goenka, and I am just trying to understand where you're coming from. I have been meditating following the Goenka instructions for just over a year now, following the suggested prescription of 2 hours a day, do you think I am making a mistake?

u/hotsoupheart · 1 pointr/Buddhism
u/radiumdial · 1 pointr/books

There are very good, recent translations of the Buddha's discourses; the 'long', the 'middle length, the 'connected' & the 'numerical', I've read all but one of them & IMO, they're great translations. LINK. The best overall summation of Buddha's teaching is In The Buddha's Words by an American Buddhist monk. It describes & explains everything in the Buddhist scripture in a compact and accessible form.

u/Atlusfox · 1 pointr/Buddhism

This book is a collection from the Poli Canon, a group of writings based on the life of and life as written by the movement during Siddhartha's teaching years. Think of it like the Buddhism parallel to the new testament, just a lot more humble. It adds depth and explanation to a lot of things taught on a personal level.

After that just look up the different sutras, each has a different approach and adds a layer as they teach something different. The most commonly followed Sutra in the west is the Lotus Sutra but its up to you.

u/gcross · 1 pointr/Buddhism

I asked this question just a couple of months ago and someone recommended "In the Buddha's Words" by Bhikkhu Bodhi which presents quotes representative of the Buddha's teachings as well as some commentary to put them in context--though this is more of a scholarly book than a beginner's guide.

u/faraox · 1 pointr/Buddhism

In the Buddha's Words An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha) (9780861714919): Bhikkhu Bodhi

u/trashfiremarshmallow · 1 pointr/Buddhism

I have found collections very helpful where the editor has arranged important sutras to give the reader a step-by-step guide through increasingly complex dharma topics. In particular Bhikkhu Bodhi's In The Buddha's Words. Thich Nhat Hanh's Awakening of the Heart gives what the editor feels are the most crucial texts, (so fewer sutras and more in-depth commentary), and includes Perfection of Wisdom texts.

Edit: links

u/obscure_robot · 0 pointsr/taoism

That was my initial reaction too. But even if you just read Bikkhu Bodhi's excellent concise anthology In The Buddha's Words, it is clear that even a great deal of Theravada is all about setting up the infrastructure necessary to maintain the monasteries.