Theravada Buddhism : The View of the Elders

by Tilakaratne, Asanga

• ISBN13: 9780824836733
• ISBN10: 0824836731
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-10-31
• Publisher: Univ of Hawaii Pr

Summary

This book brings to life the age-old religious tradition of Theravada (literally, "view of the elders") Buddhism as it is found in ancient texts and understood and practiced today in South and Southeast Asia. Following a brief introduction to the life of the historical Buddha and the beginning of his mission, the book examines the Triple Gem (the Buddha, his teachings, and the community of monastic followers) and the basic teachings of the Buddha in the earliest available Pali sources. Basic Buddhist concepts such as dependent co-origination, the four noble truths, the three trainings, and karma and its result are discussed in non-technical language, along with the Buddha's message on social wellbeing.

Author Biography

Asanga Tilakaratne is professor of Pali and Buddhist studies at the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Table of Contents

Editors' Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xvii
Notes on References and Romanization of Sanskrit and Pali	p. xix
Introduction	p. xxi
The Beginning of Buddhism	p. 1
The Triple Gem	p. 19
The Basic Teachings of the Buddha	p. 31
Karma and Its Results	p. 61
The Social Teachings of the Buddha	p. 70
The Traditional Theravada World	p. 79
The Traditional Theravada Practice	p. 92
Theravada in Wider Perspective	p. 138
A Sample of Basic Theravada Liturgy (Vandana and Puja)	p. 155
Canonical Texts and Related Readings	p. 159
Glossary of Pali Terms	p. 165
Guide to Further Reading	p. 171
Index	p. 177
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