Emotions basically involve dispositions to act by way of approach or withdrawal.

We shall discuss the nature of fear, anger, guilt, and grief, and then move on to the four sublime states of loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

[In Taiwan,] two Humanistic Buddhist groups have influenced the majority of Buddhists on the island to adopt important aspects of sustainable lifestyles. This multi-sited ethnographic study uses participant observation with formal and informal interviews to research these two groups—the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Dharma Drum Mountain—in the two different social contexts of Taiwan and California.

A comparative analysis of the results finds that the believers’ adoption of pro-environmental lifestyle changes is strongly influenced by their membership in a strong moral community, by sensing the material and social, or “terrestrial,” strain of environmental degradation coupled with a feeling that the government and other official institutions are not doing enough, and by integrated religious teachings, which include theory and praxis, from authoritative figures who model the desired behaviors. Moreover, this study shows the power of the sacred to inspire behavioral change, which, in the context of Buddhism, is cultivation of the bodhisattva ethic

This dissertation looks at the political behavior of three Taiwanese Buddhist organizations from 1989 to 1997: the Buddhist Association of the Republic of China (BAROC), the Buddha Light Mountain monastic order (or Foguangshan) and the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Association (or Ciji). It concentrates on trying to understand the rationale behind the different strategies that each of them has adopted in its interaction with the government.

The BAROC has adopted a strategy of lobbying in an attempt to remedy the steady decline of its status throughout the 1990s: it has tried to sway the government to adopt a law that would restore the authority over Buddhists the association held before 1989. Foguangshan has resorted to a strategy of remonstrance to advance its religious ideals between 1995 and 1997: its founder Xingyun supported the bid of his lay disciple Chen Lii’an for the presidency of the Republic of China (ROC) and launched large public demonstrations critical of the government that followed that election. During the same period of time, Ciji has steered away from the controversies over the law on religion and conspicuously avoided supporting Chen, while continuing to grow to become the largest organization of its kind in Taiwan.

The case-studies are of two of the largest Western convert Buddhist movements in the UK—the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) and Soka Gakkai International-UK (SGI-UK)—and focus on their branches in the multicultural inner-city location of East London. The findings suggest that most Buddhists of colour in these movements come from the second generation of the diaspora.

For the FWBO, there is an apparently hegemonic discourse of middle-class whiteness that people of colour and working class members of this movement have to negotiate as part of their involvement. In contrast, for SGI-UK, the ethos is one of a moral cosmopolitanism that encourages intercultural dialogue thus facilitating the involvement of a considerably more multicultural and international following.

People of colour find that their practices of the techniques of the self provided by each movement enable them to feel more empowered in relation to their quotidian experience of racisms and racialisation, as well as encouraging them in a more anti-essentialist approach to identity that sees it as fluid and contingent.

Wars of the heart always take longer to cool than the barrel of a gun… we must heal through love… and we must go slowly, step by step…

A brief but touching biography of the Cambodian Saṅgharāja during and immediately after the Khmer Rouge era whose “peace walks” (Dhammayietra) helped to restore hope to his embattled people.

One who regards the 南泉 (Nánquán) gōng’àn as antinomianism is doctrinally confused, yet one who assigns feasibility to it is practically mistaken.

The study first unveils the pivotal role of the tathāgatagarbha and the central objective of “enlightening the mind and seeing the nature” (míngxīn-jiànxìng 明心見性). It then elaborates on the “two-tier scheme”—a metaethical structure suitable for explicating Chan philosophy. Following this, the study carefully analyzes three critical aspects of Chan morality: (1) The Chan attitude towards rules and precepts, which forms the practical basis for Chan ethics; (2) The characteristics and rationale of the spontaneous morality of enlightened beings; (3) Violence in Chan public cases (gōng’àn 公案), which transcends mundane ethics and epitomizes the great compassion of the Chan masters in transmitting the highest truth.

In this unstable balance of power, greater emphasis was placed on the dynastic pedigrees of consorts and wives brought to the island from powerful mainland kingdoms, from which Lanka’s kings could borrow prestige, and on whom they could potentially call on for military support. Once on the island, however, it seems that many of these women were not content to merely be accessories to their husbands’ claims to power. Their inscriptions speak to the considerable economic, political, and religious influence they wielded throughout the interregnal period.

Of course, one who dies while sitting in zazen will never be unhappy. But it is nearly impossible to die in this manner if your body is suffering the pain of sickness. My own master (Gudō Kokushi) said, ‘Your zazen for one sitting is a lifetime of zazen.’ How edifying these words of his are.

A collection of short teachings to “seekers who would desire to go in the same way” originally compiled in 1670.

The translation here was published by The Eastern Buddhist in three installments in 1970 and 1971:

1. New Series vol 3 n 2, pp. 89–118
2. New Series vol 4 n 1, pp. 116–123
3. New Series vol 4 n 2, pp. 119–127

They are gathered here into a single PDF for your convenience.

These states cannot compare to anything experienceable in everyday life. Calling them the utmost meditative bliss, peace, and release is not an exaggeration.

An experiential description of the “nine jhānas.”

We meditate on ordinary mind by recognizing it as ordinary mind. We know it for what it is—empty and luminous.

A wonderful collection of key texts in the Mahāmudrā tradition.

A second volume of even more selections can be found can be found here.

For those great beings who desire
Supreme enlightenment
I shall explain the perfect methods
That the gurus taught

Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, written by Atīśa Dīpaṃkara, is a key text in the Kadampa tradition and respected across all Tibetan Buddhist lineages. It provides a concise outline of the full Buddhist path, covering both sutra and tantra. This edition includes a new translation along with a commentary by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye, which presents the main points in a clear and practical manner.

In the teaching of my Guru, my mind is always happy.
Singing songs of inspiration, my mouth is always happy.
Wearing cotton from Nepal, my body’s always happy.
In delight I accomplish all and everything—
To me there is but cheer and joy.

This work is a collection of 60 songs by Milarepa, Tibet’s revered 11th-century yogi and saint. Translated by Garma C.C. Chang, the work displays Milarepa’s spiritual insights in accessible verses, covering themes like impermanence, renunciation, and the nature of suffering.

a study of avadāna narratives found in two related anthologies, the Za piyu jing 雜譬喻經 (T207) and the Zhong jing xuan za piyu 眾經撰雜譬喻 (T208). […] These narratives are carefully constructed literary productions that offer a window into both the world of the Indic society in which they were initially composed and the Chinese society which translated them.

The insight exercises can be practised not only in solitude, as is necessary in the case of the exercise of calm or samatha, but they can be practised everywhere. Maturity of knowledge is the main thing required. For if knowledge is ripe, the insight of impermanence may easily be accomplished while listening to a discourse or while living a householder’s ordinary life.

In this work, Ledi Sayadaw explores topics such as the distortions of perception (vipallasa), the conceivings (mannana), the stages (bhumi), the Noble Truths (sacca), the causes of phenomena, the higher knowledges, Nibbana, and more. Each subject is thoroughly explained and accompanied by concise descriptions, some taken from the Pali texts and others drawn from Ledi Sayadaw’s own teachings.

The translation includes the Pāli word commentary.

Learn well yourself this Law
That the Blessed One has taught;
Teach it to others in compassionate love
By the results of skillful acts performed.
Bar forever the roads to realms of woe

A 15th century, Sri Lankan poem beautifully exhorting the listener to the ethical life and to right view.

Listen to the poem in the original Sinhala on Archive.org.

And if this poetic translation is a bit hard to follow, see the more prosaic translation, Towards a Better World.

While the specific forms of ritual and ceremony in Sri Lankan popular Buddhism doubtlessly evolved over the centuries, it seems likely that this devotional approach to the Dhamma has its roots in lay Buddhist practice even during the time of the Buddha

An outline—and defense—of Sri Lankan ritual practices.

• What is the relationship between peace and happiness?
• What are our responsibilities to each other?
• What is new about “modern” Buddhism?
• Why worship stupas?
• What’s the purpose of the monastic rules and ceremonies?
• What’s the difference between Samatha and Vipassanā?
• What about Thai Buddhism is essential and what is cultural?

In the same way, one who has attained to the ultimate truth sees that there’s no such thing as ‘religion.’ There is only a certain nature which can be called whatever we like. We can call it ‘Dhamma,’ we can call it ‘Truth,’ we can call it ‘God,’ ‘Tao,’ or whatever, but we shouldn’t particularize that Dhamma or that Truth as Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Judaism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, or Islam, for we can neither capture nor confine it with labels and concepts.

In this 1967 discussion with laywomen in Bangkok, Venerable Buddhadasa explores themes of religious pluralism, the nature of language, and the essence of religious experience. He presents the thought-provoking thesis that true awakening transcends conventional boundaries of religion, leading to a state of “no-religion.”

Every religion teaches unselfishness, the differences are merely in methodologies.

For his 80th birthday, known as his ‘Age Teasing Day,’ Tan Ajahn Buddhadāsa prepared a souvenir book for his students, outlining what he hoped his legacy would be.

If you want to be a good person, make sure you know where true goodness really lies. Don’t just go through the motions of being good

A brief collection of Ajahn Fuang Jotiko’s teachings in the form of stories and sayings. These teachings cover the essentials for a stable and fruitful practice.

The basic claim of this dissertation is that there is a concept of the ‘Unconscious’ in early Buddhism independent of the theory of bhavaṅga or ālayavijñāna.

This dissertation offers a comprehensive treatment of the textual sources of the Nandimitrāvadāna, a Buddhist narrative which is deemed an authoritative source for the cult of the Elders or Arhats in Central and East Asia.

Putting all the three (i.e., Khotanese, Tibetan, Chinese) versions of the Nandimitrāvadāna under philological and historical scrutiny, the dissertation draws attention to the interplay between the fluid text and the cultic practice, and sheds light on the complexity of the tradition as well as the reception of the narrative in various cultural spheres.

It struck me then, and still strikes me now, as being the ideal book to introduce students to a study of the language of the texts. There are a number of reasons for this. The first is that the Udāna is made up of related prose and verse sections…

Whatever the history of the text, though, it has long been one of the favorite collections in the Pali canon, for it covers a wide range of the Buddha’s teachings — from the simplest to the most profound — in a form that is accessible, appealing, and to the point.

Thānissaro’s translation is crisp and concise and offers useful footnotes in many places, elucidating many sticking points for Buddhist practitioners.

A full meal is best enjoyed on an empty stomach. And the suttas will fill our minds and hearts, but only if we respect their empty spaces.

The obsession with seeing portions of the Suttanipāta as early is a holdover of the mid-20th century enthusiasm for discovering a “Buddha before Buddhism”, seeking a “truly authentic” teaching before it was institutionalized as rigid doctrine. Somehow, this search always ends up conflated with the racially-charged effort to divest Buddhism of its “cultural” (read “Asian”) elements.

A new translation of the Sutta Nipāta which doesn’t shy away from its cultural context.

In certain cases I found that it was possible to clear up perceived difficulties without too much trouble. In other cases, the more I looked, the more problematic the texts became. So this work is concerned with problem-solving: looking at difficult or controversial areas, highlighting the most accurate textual data, and looking at different possibilities for interpretation. It is not meant to be a guide to monastic conduct, and does not attempt to be complete or systematic. Along the way I offer a little advice for those seeking practical guidance. Usually, despite the forbidding textual complexities, the ethical issues are really quite simple.

1. Abhidhamma Notes by Jill Jordan and Richard Giles
2. Abhidhamma and Practice by Nina van Gorkom

… all are his fellow-passengers in the great journey of life, subject to the same universal laws and fundamental principles to which he himself is subject.

A thorough explanation of the process of rebirth from the orthodox, Theravāda perspective.

Three interpretations of bhavaṅga have been taken up for discussion. One is as found in the Netti that bhavaṅga designates each link of twelve factors of dependent co-arising in the context of āsava, which together produce bhava. Psychological and cosmological interpretations of bhava have been studied. […] The third interpretation occurs in the commentaries that bhavaṅga-consciousness is luminous and pure, it is a natural consciousness and all beings pass away with this state of consciousness.

The above-linked guide is the 2018, Canadian edition which is quite thorough.

The Red Cross in other countries have their own guides. For example, here is the 2020 guidebook for Singapore and India’s 2024 Manual.

The U.S. American Red Cross also has First Aid iPhone and Android apps.

Buddhism perceives animals as if they were young children who do not have the intellectual capacity to understand the world as intelligently as humans and just like children need to be protected by humans. As human are the most intelligent beings on planet earth and control almost everything, they have a responsibility toward rest of the flora and fauna.

This economic situation is also of critical relevance to the ideological context of media content. As the media is funded by commercial (primarily corporate) organisations, the materials which are produced by this system are highly unlikely to be overtly critical of corporate capitalism and consumerism.

An introduction to basic concepts in the theory of mass media and its effects on society.

As a user, it is essential to realize the possibility that interpersonal messages may be shared widely. As media professionals, it also helps to realize that you cannot force a message to go viral…

A high-level overview of contemporary media.

The oldest known copy of this text at the present time, and possibly also the oldest extant book written in a Thai language, is a palm leaf manuscript with a Chula Sakkarad date corresponding to 1516 A.D. Written in the Tham script, the treatise employs a dual language format consisting of Pali passages followed by their Lan Na Thai equivalents

This dissertation is a scholarly study of the story of the Arhat Maliyadeva, found in its oldest Thai rescension. This story is traditionaly found in the Vessantara Jātaka. Looking at two other later editions, the study examines various meaning and uses of the story in different contexts for different purposes. Also included is a translation of the highly literary Kham Luang (royal version) of the story.

The prince (Asoka) fitted out a great army consisting of the four parts, and then went forth, taking with him a branch of the Bo tree of the Tathagata.
Having passed through three kingdoms and the Vinjha range, having passed through the great forest, the prince came to the ocean.
The great four-fold army with the Bhikkhuni congregation at its head, proceeded to the great sea, carrying the excellent Bo tree.

A few scenes from the oldest history of Sri Lanka highlighting the contributions of and attitudes towards the Buddhist nuns taken from Oldenberg’s (public domain) 1879 translation.

Notable cross-culturally conceived feminist critiques of this decade show no awareness of Therīgāthā and the characteristic preoccupations with womanhood and the feminine that come to the fore in this setting are also apt to be overlooked in conventional expositions of Buddhist thought.

This work takes a closer look at the Therīgāthā, songs of the elder nuns, found in the Pāli Canon giving an introductory analysis from both the feminist and Buddhist perspectives.

When we confront our rebellious minds as we try to follow [the Buddha’s] path, we can take heart from the tales of nuns who had to put forth years and years of intense, persistent effort before they eliminated all their defilements.

You can also listen to this book on Pariyatti’s YouTube Channel.

I want to go through these points with the idea of giving you a Western approach to understanding them. You might take more extensive teachings from some of the Tibetan lamas later on, and if I am able to at least introduce you to some of those topics through the Westernized approach, then when you hear the standard Tibetan approach, it will go in more smoothly for you.

A series of lectures delivered in Seattle from 1991 to 1994 going systematically through Atiśa’s presentation of the gradual path of training.

Now a great producer of happiness is the making of good kamma. What is good about it? It is rooted in non-greed (generosity, renunciation), or in non-hate (loving kindness, compassion) or finally in non-delusion (wisdom, understanding).

In this booklet, Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli Thera offers a translation of Majjhima Nikāya 57, 135, 136, and 41 with a brief introduction to each sutta, highlighting the importance of wholesome states of mind, right intention, and right mindfulness in generating good kamma. There is also a short but humorous and insightful preface.

In the Velāma Sutta, the Buddha provides us with a vivid outline of the relative degrees of merit that can be acquired by performing different kinds of good actions.

In this translation and introduction to the Velāma Sutta (AN 9.20), the author brings out the salient message of the sutta, which is to perform good deeds. However, it is pointed out that the Buddha sees developing concentration and meditating on loving-kindness and impermenance as the best sources of merit since they lead to liberation.

Mahānāma once confided to the Buddha his anxiety about dying at a time when his mind was confused and bewildered (musati), thinking it might result in him having a negative rebirth. The Buddha reassured him that because he had developed various spiritual qualities for a long time, he had nothing to fear if such a thing should happen.

For an alternate understanding of this sutta, Evans, 2007.

Those who have awakened don’t talk of what they’ve awakened to, because it lies above and beyond all words.

A collection of pithy teachings from a notoriously reticent, modern-day “Zen Master” of the Thai Forest Tradition.

If we can bring all this inwards and investigate it, we will see that the birth of a tree and our own birth are no different. This body of ours is born and exists dependent on conditions, on the elements of earth, water, wind and fire

A selection of ten dhamma talks by Venerable Ajahn Chah that covers various topics, such as meditation, opening the dhamma-eye, and right view.

The entire cosmos, from top to bottom, encompassing all its fascinating and terrifying variety, is saṃsāra. It is the arena of all manifestation, action (kamma) and result of action (vipāka). It is dependently arisen, contingent, imperfect, and all forms within it are impermanent and subject to change and dissolution.

This book details the early Buddhist view of the cosmos. Using mostly Pali sources, Punnadhammo Mahathero covers topics such as time, space, the various realms, and the qualities of the beings that inhabit them.

Our daily lives in the vast universe are integrally related to and can never be separated from time and space. How successful a person is and how effective one handles one’s affairs depend on one’s management of interpersonal relationships, one’s utilization of time, and one’s allocation of space.

Through numerous, and some humorous, stories, Master Hsing Yun explains time and space from a Buddhist perspective and how practitioners must transcend their limitations in order to “seize eternity within an instant and to see the wondrous reality in each flower, each tree, each body of water, and each rock.”

None of us should be defined by the mental health conditions or psychosocial difficulties that we experience, or by any single aspect of who we are. We should be respected as individuals first and foremost.

While the simple “say this instead of that” format erases a huge amount of nuance and complexity, the guide is still a valuable and practical primer on how to talk to and about people who are going through difficult times.

The concept of the Paccekabuddha presented the opportunity to include pre-Buddhist recluses and seers in Buddhism and in doing so it continued these pre-Buddhist traditions. In this respect it becomes clear why Paccekabuddhas are referred to in the scriptures with all other terms that could be used to denote ascetics: muni, isi, samaṇa, tāpasa, jaṭila, terms which emphasise different aspects of asceticism

An in-depth study of the Paccekabuddha as described in Pali Canonical and Commentarial Literature. This includes pre-Buddhist ideas of sages, i.e. munis, and the importance given to renunciation and solitude in the suttas. Also, this work looks at a Paccekabuddha’s way of life and meditation practices, leading to nibbāna. As the Buddha tells us, “no one but me equals a paccekabuddha” (Isigili Sutta).

… sexuality in its various manifestations is among the urges that are not intrinsically directed at specific objects and activities. Objects and activities come to play a role [only] because the mind has the tendency of keeping a record of objects and activities rather than of the states which are the real causes of satisfaction.

An admirable attempt to square Western psychological theories (especially those of Freud) with the Buddha’s experience of jhāna. The two essays in this volume provide novel psychological models which neuroscientists and meditators alike will find provocative as they grapple with the implications of this incredible state of consciousness.

The wild elephant of the mind, long accustomed to roam in the jungle of desires, does not take readily to taming, or to being tied to the post of practice …

This short book addresses common problems that modern practitioners encounter and how to best handle them so one can continue to progress along the Buddhist path.

Wisdom doesn’t get itself entangled, bogged down…

A small collection of three Dhamma talks on how to orient our thoughts and practice in the right direction.

… disciplinary rules and acts of penalty as behavior rehabilitation therapeutic measures for restraining behavior.

Religion tends to rely upon faith alone, and philosophy on understanding alone. But the Buddha, in his teaching of the Truths, stresses the even balancing of five faculties: faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and understanding

These four essays serve as a stimulating introduction to important aspects of Buddhist thought, i.e. the eightfold noble path, faith and its purpose, cessation, and consciouness.

[The] discourse appears indeed as a rather formidable assemblage of stern messages. Yet, for one who is familiar with the Buddha Word, this will be softened by the fact that in numerous discourses the Buddha spoke of his Teaching as one that offers “gradual training, gradual progress.” It is here that the Buddha’s gentleness and compassion appears, his forbearance with human frailties, and his wise and patient guidance of men.

Nyanaponika Thera’s translation of MN 22 including notes mostly from the commentarial tradition. Contains well-known Buddhist similies such as the famous one on getting hold of a snake and the parabale of the raft illustrating the right way to hold views.

The Buddha calls right view the forerunner of the path (pubbaṅgama), which gives direction and efficacy to the other seven path factors.

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli’s translation of MN 9 and its commentary by Buddhaghosa. This sutta, expounded not by the Buddha but Sāriputta, is an expansive study into the different facets of Right View.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

For a short discussion on The Declaration’s history and significance, see the Writ Large interview with Mathias Risse.

We must recall here that it is attachment to these five aggregates that has to be given up and that this is a gradual process. We must not expect our habitual likes and dislikes, our enjoyments and desires to vanish all at once; nor can they be broken by force.

A translation and analysis of Snp 1.1.

Includes:

• Preface by Bhikkhu Bodhi
• An Ethical Approach to Environmental Protection by H.H. the Dalai Lama
• The Buddhist Attitude Towards Nature by Lily de Silva
• Buddhist Philosophy as Inspiration to Ecodevelopment by Klas Sandell
• In Search of a Buddhist Environmental Ethics by Padmasiri de Silva
• Norwegian Ecophilosophy and Ecopolitics and Their Influence from Buddhism by Sigmund Kvaloy
• The Buddhist Perception of Nature Project by Nancy Nash

In 2009, an [anonymous] RFA cameraman followed the Mekong River from its source in Tibet to Vietnam and the South China Sea. Traveling more than 2,700 miles through six nations, they gathered stories from the local people as the river faced radical change.

… the practicer will become like a dead man who, while following others in their normal activities, does not give rise to the least differentiation or attachment

The extraordinary life and teachings of the modern-day Chan Master “Empty Cloud”.

… tables and notes I typed up when I was first learning Pāḷi, which have rather surprisingly lasted

Fourteen writers here describe how they came to be Buddhists.

We had decided to sell up and establish a forest monastery somewhere in the countryside.

How the first, Thai forest monastery came to be established in England.

… advice to Saṅgha members teaching to Americans; to Buddhist lay teachers and practicioners, both present and future, who are interested in engaging in [missionary] activities.

A collection of essays from a monk who’s been teaching in California for 42 years.

The Lord Buddha bestowed the Sāsana impartially to all human beings. [Buddhism] can become the wealth of people at each and every level depending on the interest they take in it.

A dozen transcribed Dhamma talks delivered during Luangta Mahabua’s June 1974 trip to London.

When we watch the mind in this way, we will see whatever arises as it really is. We will keep seeing the truth of body and mind until we become dispassionate to their constant flux, their insubstantiality, their suffering nature. We will release attachment to them, be liberated and know

In, out
Flower, fresh
Mountain, solid
Water, reflecting
Space, free

[A collection of] teachings on meditation by Thich Nhat Hanh for those who are new to the practice, as well as for older students.

You can see that every moment is birth and death. There is nothing you can keep, and there is nothing you can hold on to, because things are arising and passing away so quickly.

A series of eleven, informal Dhamma talks on the insight knowledges delivered to a group of meditators in Australia.

… one gains firsthand understanding of the way things are, without reliance on opinions or theories, a direct experience, which has its own vitality. It also gives rise to the sense of deep calm that comes from knowing something for oneself

A basic, introductory meditation booklet.

Don’t think that seeing the Dhamma means to see colours, lights, crystal balls or ghosts, angels, heaven and hell. That is just fantasy. It’s not the Dhamma. To see the Dhamma, we have to see ourselves acting, speaking and thinking.

The life and teachings of a Thai maverick.

If you sincerely desire to develop contemplation and attain insight in your present life, you must give up worldly thoughts and actions during training…

A straightforward description of Mahasi’s Vipassanā technique, along with the insight knowledges.

‘root texts’ are summaries of teachings, that traditionally have been celebrated, memorized and commented on by teachers.

A collection of “root texts” of the Tibetan Tradition forming a basic outline of the practice.

… it is necessary to work for the total removal within oneself of sakkāya-diṭṭhi, which is the root cause of rebirth in the miserable states of existence. Sakkāya-diṭṭhi can only be destroyed completely by the noble path and fruit: the three supramundane virtues of morality, concentration, and wisdom. It is therefore imperative to work for the development of these virtues. How should one do the work? By means of noting

When we say you have to endure, you really have to endure. Don’t be willing to surrender. Craving is going to keep coming up and whispering but don’t you listen to it! You have to listen to the Buddha—the Buddha who tells you to let go of craving.

A collection of teachings from one of 20th-century Thailand’s preeminent nuns.

But what if samādhi was a relief?

… the general Buddhist public even in Sri Lanka do not seem to know of what stuff the newly “resurrected” bhikkhunis are made.

A biography of the Venerable Badalgama Dhammanandani, Head Bhikkhuni of Visakharamaya Temple about seven kilometers into the hinterland of Veyangoda, Sri Lanka.

Fulfill One’s Duties and be Responsible

A basic introduction to Chinese Mahayana Buddhism.

Ours, of course, is not the only culture threatened by feelings of world-weariness. In the Siddhartha story, the father’s reaction to the young prince’s discovery stands for the way most cultures try to deal with these feelings: He tried to convince the prince that his standards for happiness were impossibly high, at the same time trying to distract him

A collection of short essays outlining how to approach the Buddhist Path.

Buddhist philosophy regards a being not as an enduring entity but as a dynamic process [and], like science, is based on cause and effect

A pair of speeches delivered to an interfaith gathering in 1958 explaining the basics of Buddhism and its relation to the questions of modernity.

… love and compassion cannot simply be dropped on people

A short series of talks on compassion and entering the Bodhisattva Path delivered in India, February 2010.

Ānanda’s tears and the Buddha’s expression of gratitude and thanks are testament to the close bond between the two men, one that went beyond their kin relationship.

A down-to-earth biography of the Buddha based on the Pāli Canon.

An interactive, electronic edition can be read online here.

Genuine dharma practice is not separate from life. Generally, when everything is going well, anyone can appear to be a good dharma practitioner. However, when things go wrong, when adversity strikes, that is the real test

… what the Buddha knew and what he told us is a hard-to-come-by, transcendental truth which will make us happy all the time

A collection of Than Ajahn Suchart’s early Dhamma talks in English.

Volume 2 can be found on Google Drive here.

Buddhism is not likely to be at variance with science so long as scientists confine themselves to their methodology and their respective fields without making a dogma of materialism.

When we adopt a Buddhist perspective on the wounds that afflict our world today, we soon realize that these wounds are symptomatic: a warning signal that something is fundamentally awry with the way we lead our lives.

You can also listen to this book on Pariyatti’s website.

My goal is to be honest; looking at the similarities, the differences and the contradictions too. I respect Jesus and the Buddha enough to let them speak for themselves

… my main intention is to indicate a new approach to philosophy which the Buddha tends to suggest in the modern context

A pitch for taking Buddhist Philosophy seriously

My object in discussing the three themes of the ancient Teaching is to invite all sincerely, seriously investigating people to question deeply the so-called “given realities” of our lives and to reflect thoroughly on the nature and predicament of our existence.

The point of Metta is not what we feel about a person, at least not in the beginning, but rather what we aspire to

A thorough account of love and relationships from a Buddhist perspective.

I’m giving advice as a remedy.
This will help you long, so listen!

This book is intended to give a basic understanding of taking refuge to those who are new to the Buddhist path, and to bring greater understanding to those already acquainted with it.

Armed with the attitude of loving-kindness and compassion, we naturally no longer have any external enemies.

A commentary on the classic, Tibetan summary of Bodhisattva practices explaining how they transform our mind and character.

… when thereʼs fuel, fire will keep burning until thereʼs nothing left

… seven Dhamma topics, then seven topics concerning meditation, the middle of the 37 Factors of Awakening, the new section with Abhidhamma-type topics, and then a series of seven topics concerning the special qualities of the Buddha […] given in Pāli, with a very exact line-by-line (interlinear) translation

It is an early Sanskrit poem written in India on the legendary history of Buddha, and therefore contains much that is of interest for the history of Buddhism, besides its special importance as illustarating the early history of classical Sanskrit literature.

A more contemporary (2009) translation by Charles Willemen from the (arguably more faithful) Chinese recension of the text (Taishō 4 192) can be found here.

… committing one’s life towards a path to awakening is, in fact, freeing not binding

How a Bodhisattva should hold the Triple Gem.

To be able to let go of the past and future, it’s not seeing the negativity of the past or a waste of time thinking about the future, but it’s actually appreciating the joy and the beauty and the compassion of being right here right now. This is Kindfulness of the present moment. When you’re kindful of where you are right now, it means you’re here and you’re kind to this moment: Appreciating the beauty of being here and now

The Sutta Nipāta contains older and younger material side by side.

[In Buddhism, morality] is not concerned so much with the result of one’s actions on other people as it concerns the result of one’s actions on one’s own mind.

An excellent introduction to Buddhist ethics and its place in the path to liberation, including answers to many frequently asked questions.

As a result of seeing the truth of how craving leads to suffering, we have a moment where our minds cease all craving and release us from the incessant arising of experience

A clear and concise description of what enlightenment is, is not, and how it arises.

When confrontation occurs with diligent attention, you directly meet all objects entering your stream of consciousness. You keep the object immovable in your awareness, as if it were a stone penetrating to the bottom of a glass of water, instead of allowing the object to float like a cork

A meandering series of talks on the seven bojjhanga from the perspective of the Mahasi tradition, which should prove interesting and encouraging for beginners and advanced students alike.

A highly orthodox presentation of kāyānupassanā in Theravāda Buddhism.

… most of the Japanese companies have a high regard for their employee’s competence and do not adopt personnel retrenchment as one of the urgent countermeasures to come out of a business slump. We looked over historical documents about business disciplines and practices from the 17th century to the 19th century, and examined ideas, beliefs, and philosophy advocated in those documents to elucidate the reasons why the Japanese companies assume the human-oriented attitude toward their employees, and then extracted a conclusion that the human-oriented attitude in the Japanese management has its origin in the spirit of Ji-hi, such as the virtue of compassion of the Buddha.

The Q&A format of this booklet is quite easy to skim, making it an excellent primer for those who have a bit of background knowledge already. Written from the Western, Tibetan perspective, it also has an admirably wide scope, covering questions about Tibetan and Mahayana Buddhism without disparaging the Theravāda perspective.

It was very gratifying to watch the fish slip over the side of the boat and quickly swim away.

A traditional explanation of ceremonial animal freeing: a popular, pan-Buddhist ritual.

From suffering arises desire to end suffering. The secular humanistic activist sets himself the endless task of satisfying that desire, and perhaps hopes to end social suffering by constructing utopias. The Buddhist, on the other hand, is concerned ultimately with the transformation of desire.

Capitalist industrial society has created conditions of extreme impermanence, and the struggle with a conflict-creating mood of dissatisfaction and frustration. It would be difficult to imagine any social order for which Buddhism is more relevant and needed.

Is it an “applied” Buddhism that is a recent development within Buddhism proper, or is it perhaps a dimension of traditional Buddhism that has always belonged properly to it?

We must have a system of spiritual culture which is appropriate to the modern world and which can accord with the principles of every religion

A collection of talks, interviews, and booklets by Ajahn Buddhadāsa giving his view of the world and outline for the future.

Part 1: Rude Awakenings and Part 2: Great Patient One are alao available on the Forest Sangha website and the AudioBook is available courtesy of PodBean.

Tudong in Britain had begun.

An account of Ajahn Amaro’s months-long walk across England in the summer of 1982.

Here you will find presented a number of maps of places in Ancient Asia to help as a reference for those interested in understanding the geography and history presented in Buddhist texts.

Traditional Indian geography was always a strange amalgam of a few facts and a lot of fiction. But facts there are.

A companion book for anyone traveling to Mount Kailash, or just curious about the intersection of sacred and scientific geography in the Himalayas.

Buddhism is a middle course, a via media; pragmatic and innovative

A smartly written introduction to the sociology of Buddhism from the inside looking out.

Women are often the main upholders and supporters of a religion or faith or movement. This was certainly so with Buddhism when it was at its beginnings

A brief sketch of gender roles in ancient India at the time of the Buddha.

Ajahn Geoff eventually picked up the project and took it in his own direction (resulting in the now-famous BMC), but these original notes remain a solid resource for practical vinaya, alongside Bhante Suddhaso’s more recent translation of the Vibhaṅga.

… all pathways for verbal expression, terminology and designation converge on this whirlpool between name-and-form and consciousness

The Nivane Niveema are a series of thirty-three sermons on Nibbāna, originally delivered in Sinhala during the period 1988–1991 and given to the assembly of monks in Nissaraṇa Vanaya, Meethirigala, one of Sri Lanka’s most respected meditation monasteries in the strict forest tradition.

The English translations were released in 7 vols. between 2003 and 2012 and continue to brilliantly challenge the traditional Theravāda exegesis.

If we study these teachings we will gain deeper understanding of how we should purify our own minds, and by studying the responses of the gods we can find models for our own behaviour in relation to the Master and his teaching.

A short survey of the Buddha’s interactions with the Devas.

Note that the answer key for the book can be found on Google Drive, here and that there are a few supplemental volumes to this one, covering special topics:

• The Mahayana and Esoteric Texts
• Chinese Epigraphy

All of the above can be found on the author’s website.

This volume assumes knowledge of the first, introducing three types of writings from texts translated in China from Indian originals in medieval times.

The answer key for this textbook can be found on Google Drive, here.

… a series of lessons that introduce basic vocabulary and grammar, drawing on one authentic text

Note that the website and PDF linked above are not precisely identical versions. The answer key for the web version can be found here and here are the pdf answers

Audio recordings of the Chinese can be listened to here.

This Primer makes its concepts approachable and fun, and sets the student up well for studying more advanced textbooks, such as Warder or Duroiselle, later. You can get the book’s answer key here.

This is striking proof of the general reliability with which Buddhist monks transmitted their texts

The amazing story of ancient Pāli texts in Burma, discovered to contain only minor differences from the contemporary canon.

This treatise explains the progress of insight, together with the corresponding stages of purification. It has been written in brief for the benefit of meditators who have obtained distinctive results in their practice, so that they may more easily understand their experience.

This book is intended to provide an introduction to the teachings of the Buddha which will shed some light on a subject that, to non-Buddhists, can appear both unexpectedly rational and exotically strange.

A consise and admirable introduction to Theravāda Buddhism by one of Thailand’s most charismatic converts.

… without showing any disrespect simply because it is worded in Sinhala, if you listen to this marvellous Dhamma with worshipful devotion and gladness, you will surely gain heavenly bliss

A Sinhalese poem on the dangers of Saṃsāra and the benefits of the practice, showing that the southern lineage of Buddhism also had a thriving literary tradition.

For a more poetic translation, see The World’s True Welfare and to hear the poem in the original Sinhala, see Archive.org.

With the exception of the Heart Sutra (and certain Pāli phrases in their feminine variants) this book represents a fairly typical Theravāda chanting manual.

While I disagree strongly with many of Bhante Dhammika’s proposed “solutions” (and even a few of his “problems”) I still think that the issues raised are important enough to be worth a read. I especially recommend this book to Westerners considering ordination, as disillusionment is a common problem for us converts: an issue best addressed directly, whilst faith is still strong.

They feel safe around you, and because you, out of genuine compassion, never intend to harm them but only try to be of help, they also feel a sort of joy in your presence.

A short introduction to the Bodhisattva Precepts and on seeing the positive side of the familiar five.

It’s still highly recommended that you get the monograph though, as many important suttas are missing from this anthology and the endnotes and introductions in the original are quite helpful.

Who, concentrated, leaves conceits behind,
His heart and mind set fair, and wholly freed,
Heedful dwelling in the woods alone,
Shall indeed escape the realm of death.

Joy is verily for him who is sad
Sadness is verily for the joyous one.
But as for the monk–know this, O friend
He is neither joyful nor is he sad.

The world is led by craving,
By craving it is defiled,
And craving is that one thing
Controlled by which all follow.

Your ability to stick with these qualities is what’s going to help them grow. When you notice yourself wandering off, ardency means that you bring the mind right back. If it wanders off again, bring it back again. You don’t give up.

Book number four in Ajahn Geoff’s famous Meditations series, on breath meditation and how to approach the practice.

We must use sati-paññā to sound out and see the dukkha. To see clearly the heat with insight. Then turn to see our Heart – is that also red-hot as well? Or is it only the body parts (dhātu-khandha) that are heated? If one possesses discernment then the Heart will not be moved. It will be cool within the mass of fire which is the body burning with the fires of dukkha. This is the way of those who practise.

A series of fiery and inspiring Dhamma talks from Thailand’s famed forest master on the subject of meditation: starting with the foundation of samatha and dwelling at length on the correct way to develop vipassana and paññā.

To be female is to have the dukkha of a female. To be male is to have the dukkha of a male. […] If we deludedly think ‘I am happy’ then we must suffer accordingly.

In these three dhamma talks on emptiness delivered at Siriraj Hospital (Bangkok) in 1961, Ajahn Buddhadasa cuts right to the heart of Buddhism, encouraging us in plain and vivid language to stop identifying as or clinging to anything at all.

When Westerners come to Buddhism, they usually approach it through the doors of psychology, history of religions, or perennial philosophy, all of which are dominated by Romantic ways of thinking.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu takes us on a long tour of Romantic philosophy before eventually showing how Romantic sensibilities affected the reception of Buddhism in the West. Most helpful is his list in chapter 7 where he outlines specifically the differences he sees between Buddhism and Western Romanticism.

Even if you ultimately disagree with Ajahn Geoff’s analysis, this is still an important work to engage with seriously, as it forces a direct confrontation with Western religious assumptions and motivations.

nibbāna is not a destination after death.

A transcribed sermon arguing against this common misconception of nibbāna.

They are the mature ones, the old campaigners of saṃsāra, who have had their fill of loving and hating. They are beginning to feel instinctively that freedom lies in letting go. It is to such people really that the Buddha spoke. The rest merely happened to be present

An rousing collection of essays on the urgent need for wisdom.

the Buddha himself rarely smiles in the Canon, and when he does, the reasons for his smile are never hilarious. Still, the Canon’s reputation for being devoid of humor is undeserved. It’s there in the Canon, but it often goes unrecognized.

An anthology of humorous stories from the Pali Canon, which makes the collection less intimidating and more approachable. Recommended for people just starting to read the canon, and wondering where to start.

The book may have been inspired by this 1981 paper in JPTS by Walpola Rahula.

… deliverance from saṃsāra, i.e., the sorrow-laden round of existence, cannot consist in the re-absorption into an eternal Absolute which is at the root of all manifoldness, but can only be achieved by a complete extinguishing of all factors which condition the processes constituting life and world.

Western writers too readily described Buddhism as a nihilistic doctrine teaching annihilation as its highest goal, a view these writers condemned as philosophically absurd and ethically reprehensible. Similar statements still sometimes appear in prejudiced non-Buddhist literature. The pendular reaction to that view was the conception of Nibbāna as existence. It was now interpreted in the light of already familiar religious and philosophical notions [such] as pure being, pure consciousness, pure self or some other metaphysical concept.

A short booklet on seeing Nibbāna as the ultimate expression of the middle way between existence and non-existence.

The book includes detailed descriptions of the qualia of the different stages of enlightenment, along with the insights and practices relevant to each stage. Far from a technical manual though, this book is a hugely inspiring and approachable series of straightforward conversations. A beginning practitioner will benefit immensely from hearing how possible enlightenment is, but it is the most advanced practitioners (think: sakadāgāmī / anāgāmī already) who will reap the highest reward from Arahattamagga: Arahattaphala.

It is not always easy to look into one’s own mind. Man generally fights shy of looking too closely into his own mind since the awareness of his own silent evil thinking upsets his good opinion of himself. Continued practice of mindfulness of thoughts will help the disciple to understand that his thoughts are not himself.

An excellent overview of the various kinds of mindfulness meditation practices and why everyone should engage in them.

The aim of this book is to provide instruction and reflection on Buddhist meditation as taught by Ajahn Sumedho, using material extracted from talks he gave in the early 1980s.

A nice graduated series of talks on meditation, recommended for beginner and intermediate meditators.

Transcribed from a series of YouTube videos, this short booklet concisely describes the practice as it’s taught in the Mahasi vipassana tradition.

For those practicing intensively according to this booklet, I encourage you to sign up for one-on-one instruction here.

There is also a sequel to this booklet.

You can also listen to this book on YouTube.

Like power, gender is everywhere, running through our relationships with ourselves, each other, and the earth, and the relations between nations, classes, and cultures. And like power, it is not a problem in itself but instead a question of how we do it.

The young people of today are not usually impressed by the wisdom of their elders.

A surprisingly humble and nondogmatic essay on sex.

… power need not be only repressive. Think of how our parents, schools, employers, and even peers mold our behavior. This molding doesn’t just stop us from doing certain things. It makes or encourages us

A short pamphlet defining power in the political sense. When we think about how the sangha works, it’s useful to reflect on the complex and variable nature of power and authority.

The heart which is not controlled by a kammaṭṭhāna is liable to the arising of “outgoing exuberance” throughout life […which] has been the enemy of all beings for countless ages, and a person who wants to subdue the “outgoing exuberance” of his own heart will need to compel his heart to take the medicine – which is the kammaṭṭhāna.

While the book’s title goes against the usual presentation of “sila, samādhi, [then] paññā,” the idea that “wisdom develops samādhi” is supported by such suttas as SN 48.45.

Tucked away in the Samyutta Nikāya among the “connected sayings on causality” is a short formalized text entitled the Upanisa Sutta, the “Discourse on Supporting Conditions.” Though at first glance hardly conspicuous among the many interesting suttas in this collection, this little discourse turns out upon repeated examination to be of tremendous doctrinal importance.

Once the mind has been made peaceful, we then allow the mind to rest for some time in this calm state. Once it begins to think and proliferate again, we then take up the body for contemplation. Contemplation and samādhi are practiced in alternation like this.

The First Noble Truth is not: ‘I am suffering and I want to end it.’ The insight is, ‘There is suffering’. Now you are looking at the pain or the anguish you feel not from the perspective of ‘It’s mine’ but as a reflection: ‘There is suffering, this dukkha’. It is coming from the position of ‘the Buddha seeing the Dhamma.’ The insight is simply the acknowledgement that there is this suffering without making it personal.

This small booklet was compiled and edited from talks given by Venerable Ajahn Sumedho on the central teaching of the Buddha

… an anthology of discourse excerpts from the Pāli Canon […] best used by readers who have already spent time in study and look to focus more on their practice. It can also be helpful for someone who likes to dive right into practice and prefers to keep reading to a minimum.

‘Iddhi’ means greatness and ‘pāda’ means path. Together they form the path to success. Whether it be in the Dhamma or the worldly sense, one simply needs the four bases of spiritual power in order to succeed.

A book of short, inspiring quotes organized around the oft-overlooked Iddhipadas.

Meditation may seem disappointing and even almost useless for quite a long time, but if you persevere in it, results are bound to come. But these results may not be at all the sort of thing you expect. And you may not even be the person who first becomes aware of them. So press on regardless, and don’t look for results. If you can see the point of this piece of advice you have already in fact made useful progress.

A collection of four rather different but equally warm essays dedicated to the memory of S.F. de Silva.

This essay will help the Buddhist lay follower to understand, from a practical angle, the main points of the Buddha’s teachings as they bear on the conduct of daily life. Constant practice of these principles will ensure that they are built into his character, enabling him to develop into a well-rounded human being, a centre of sanity in a confused world adrift in fashionable philosophies full of empty promises.

You can also listen to this book on YouTube.

The mind of equanimity, poised beyond the play of worldly opposites, is the highest safety and security, but to gain this equanimity we stand in need of guidance. The guidance available cannot protect us from objective adversity. It can only safeguard us from the dangers of a negative response—from anxiety, sorrow, frustration, and despair. This is the only protection possible, and because it grants us this essential protection such guidance can be considered a genuine refuge.

In this important treatise, Bhikkhu Bodhi gives context and rigorous definition to the refuges and precepts based on the traditional commentaries. If you want to know exactly what makes someone “a Buddhist,” this is the book for you.

The suttas featured are:

• DN 31
• Snp 2.4
• Snp 1.6
• AN 8.54

As for the question of suffering in the future—in this life or the next—don’t overlook your heart that’s suffering right now.

A collection of Luangta’s talks delivered to lay people. A beautiful collection of sermons from one of the great modern masters.

The dhamma-cakka, the ever moving Wheel of Law, is the most prominent symbol of the Buddhists.

… of all the attempts to describe the etymology of the word nibbāna, the closest is the one Buddhaghosa proposed in The Path of Purification: Un- (nir) + binding (vāna): Unbinding

Ajahn Geoff explores the symbolism of extinguishment from the context of ancient Indian physics in order to give us a new (old) take on this central image of Buddhist soteriology.

What lies behind this insistence on love is a worry: without a deep-seated fear that one day love would no longer exist (or exist in the same way) why would anyone feel that they have to insist upon it so much?

Applying Buddhist wisdom to an area of our life we all care about deeply — our relationship with our loved ones — Ajahn Jayasaro makes the teachings relatable and applicable. An excellent sermon and well worth a read.

You can also listen to the book on YouTube.

… trying to control the breath, it becomes abnormal. Don’t pay attention to any phenomenon that occurs to the body; if you are concerned with it, problems will arise. It is the same with the mind. You will be unable to practice unless you disregard everything that happens to you

A series of retreat talks explaining the Third Chan Patriarch’s famous inscription of the same name.

The Monastic Sangha is both training ground and dwelling place for the Noble Sangha, much like a university is both a training ground and a dwelling place for scholars.

Given the thousands of years separating us from the Buddha, Bhikkhu Cintita asks the excellent question of how it is that Buddhism has survived so well across time and cultures, and then uses this theory to ponder how modern, Western practitioners should approach this question of “Sasana.” An excellent and rare introduction to the sociology of Buddhism “from the inside,” this book is a must-read.

You will experience many sensual pleasures in your life: food, music, sex and zombie movies. You should become aware as well of the great joy, a pleasure beyond the sensual, that comes with generosity. Become aware that this joy is greatest when your intentions are purest, when the recipients of your generosity are worthy and when the manner of giving is proper. This joy is the direct experience of the merit you have earned.

This book gives a gentle and readable introduction to the Buddhist path of self-transformation and transcendence with a heavy emphasis on virtue.

You can also listen to this essay on YouTube.

… when you understand the nature of your own mind, you’ll be able to control it naturally; you won’t have to push

Some introductory remarks on Buddhism and questions answered by Lama Yeshe, the popular Tibetan master.