What the Buddha Taught

'By far the best introduction to Buddhism available.' R. F. Gombrich, Boden Professor of Sanskrit, University of Oxford Long regarded as one of the best introductions to Buddhism, What the Buddha Taught 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, Walpola Rahula gives clear and direct explanations of Buddhism's essential teachings, including: - The Buddhist attitude of mind - The Four Noble Truths - The Noble Eightfold Path - Meditation and mental development - What the Buddha taught and the world today This clear and informative guide draws on the words spoken by the Buddha to convey the true nature of Buddhist wisdom. It also features an illustrative section of texts from the Suttas and the Dhammapada, a glossary of Buddhist terms and an up-to-date bibliography.

The Venerable Dr Walpola Sri Rahula was a Buddhist monk and scholar. He received a traditional training and education in his native Sri Lanka before studying at the University of Calcutta and the Sorbonne. He held a chair at Northwestern University, Illinois, and was the Vice-Chancellor of Vidyodaya University, Colombo. He is widely regarded as one of the most qualified and enlightened scholars of the Buddhist tradition, with a deep knowledge of the original texts.

List of Illustrations Foreword Preface The Buddha 1 The Buddhist Attitude of Mind THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 2 The First Noble Truth: Dukkha 3 The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya: 'The Arising of Dukkha' 4 The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha: 'The Cessation of Dukkha' 5 The Fourth Noble Truth: Magga: 'The Path' 6 The Doctrine of No-Soul: Anatta 7 'Meditation' or Mental Culture: Bhavana 8 What the Buddha Taught and the World Today SELECTED TEXTS Abbreviations Selected Bibliography Glossary Index