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What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada

What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada
By Walpola Rahula

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Product Description

A classic introductory book to Buddhism, What the Buddha Taught contains a selection of illustrative texts from the original Pali texts, including the Suttas and the Dhammapada. The author, himself a Buddhist monk and scholar, removes a number of common misconceptions about Buddhism, and provides a comprehensive, compact, lucid, and faithful account of the Buddha’s teachings that persistently enjoys great popularity in colleges, universities, and theological schools both here and abroad. “For years," says the Journal of the Buddhist Society, "the newcomer to Buddhism has lacked a simple and reliable introduction to the complexities of the subject. Dr. Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught fills the need as only could be done by one having a firm grasp of the vast material to be sifted. It is a model of what a book should be that is addressed first of all to ‘the educated and intelligent reader.' Authoritative and clear, logical and sober, this study is as comprehensive as it is masterly."

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #7310 in Books
  • Published on: 1974
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 151 pages

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Beneath the enormous umbrella of Buddhism, there is a diverse galaxy of customs and beliefs, but there is also a kernel of truth that every sect holds dear. Rahula Walpola, scholar and monk, discovers this foundation of Buddhism for us first through straightforward explication, never skipping over a point that has yet to be substantiated, then through translations from key scriptures. Logical and focused, these are the essentials of Buddhism; know them first, then move comfortably on to other Buddhist works.

From Library Journal
Rahula is a scholar monk who trained in the Theravadan tradition in Ceylon. His succinct, clear overview of Buddhist concepts has never been surpassed. It is the standard.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Foremost book on Buddhism for scholastic rigor and simplicity5
This is the foremost book on Buddhism recommended for it's simplicity, authenticity, completeness, and scholastic rigor. If you want to know what Buddhism is really about, rather than what some popular crackpot or charlatan is trying to re-brand as Buddhism these days, this is the book to read. It is written with non-Buddhists curious about Buddhism in mind, and is suitable for use in college-level courses. Even if you're a Buddhist, this is worth reading just to see if you have any misconceptions about Buddhism.

Breath of fresh air4
This book is simple and down to earth in its presentation of Buddhism. So much so, in fact, that I am almost embarrassed by my books on Tibetan, Zen, Theravadan and all the other sectarian accounts of the Buddha's teachings. Reading Rahula, I have to ask: when did Buddhism get so complicated? And why? From his presentation, the additions to the teachings by later traditions seem superfluous indeed.

Enlightening5
By far the most infomative book on buddhism, avoiding over simplification and really getting to the heart of this philosophy.