Now in Second Edition, April, 2019

Buddhism began with the Buddha, a towering figure who lived some hundred generations ago, taught for forty-five years, developed a huge following of ascetics and householders, kings and paupers, and left behind a vast corpus of teachings, astonishingly profound and comprehensive, consistent, brilliantly coherent and still intelligible today. His teachings span not only the higher training of meditation, psychology and the path to awakening, but also practical advice on virtue, harmony, community and basic human values. He left behind a culture of peace and awakening and a monastic community that persist to this day.

This introductory textbook on Buddhism, based on the earliest stratum of Buddhist texts, provides a holistic and proportionate account of the range of the Buddha’s Dharma, interpreted for the modern student. It  encompasses not only the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path, that is, systematic training toward awakening, but also the prerequisite instructions for leading an upright, virtuous and devoted Buddhist life, a life rooted in basic Buddhist values. This textbook is accordingly divided into two books: Buddhist Life for the foundational teachings and Buddhist Path for systematic training in the higher path leading to awakening. Each book can be studied independently and in either order.

These talks are supplemented by two series of short podcasts: TALKS ON BUDDHIST LIFE and TALKS ON BUDDHIST PATH.

The book can now be downloaded in various formats:

Order hardcopy here

Information about the course based on this text, including audios of previous classes, is available HERE.