What the Buddha Taught
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
What the Buddha Taught, by Dr Walpola Rahula, has been long regarded as one of the best introductory books on Buddhism.
The book draws on the actual words spoken by the Buddha to give a lucid and accurate account of the fundamental principles of Buddhist doctrine. Richly supported by extracts from the ancient texts, Rahula gives clear and direct explanations of Buddhism's essential teachings, including: the Four Noble Truths, the Buddhist attitude of mind, the Noble Eightfold Path, meditation and mental development, and what the Buddha taught and the world today. [1]
Dr Walpola Rahula (1907-1997) was a Buddhist monk and scholar, as well as a writer. He is considered as one of the top Sri Lankan intellectuals in the 20th century. In 1964, he became the Professor of History and Religions at Northwestern University, thus becoming the first bhikkhu to hold a professorial chair in the western world. [2]
Dr Rahula has written extensively about Theravada Buddhism. His other books include History of Buddhism in Ceylon, Heritage of the Bhikkhu, Zen and the taming of the Bull and Le Compendium de la Super Doctrine (French).
[edit] Bibliography
- Rahula, Walpola What The Buddha Taught, Oneworld Publications: Oxford, (1959) (revised 1974). ISBN 0-8021-3031-3