What the Buddha Taught

Buddhism continues to enjoy increasing interest in the West, both for its emphasis on reflection and meditation and as an object of scholarship. Drawing the words actually spoken by the Buddha, Rahula gives a full account of his fundamental teachings, from the Buddhist attitude of mind and meditation to the Buddha's teaching in the contemporary world. The text also features a selection of texts from original Buddhist literature.

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