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In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha)?
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Dhammatalks.org and suttacentral.net are greet free online resources. If you want physical books you can start with this: https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO And the rest of Bhikkhu Bodhi's translations.
Theravada Buddhist here. To be honest, when it comes to learning about Buddhism, you will probably find better resources online. There are also a number of quality monks/nuns on Youtube sharing the Dhamma.
In Singapore, you will find almost all flavors of Buddhism represented here. It is not uncommon for Theravada monks to be invited for talks in Mahayana temples and vice versa etc. And Buddhists followers going around different temples/centers.
There is great mutual respect and among the different Buddhist groups despite differences in scriptures, cosmology, philosophy, practices and beliefs because we all follow the Buddha and we all share the same goal of ridding dukkha.
Hope you find a place that suits you. Remember also you are free to hop around! There are many retreats, meditation classes, dhamma classes in various centers that are open to everyone.
If you feel you have Theravada leanings, I can recommend you this book by Bhikkhu Bodhi, In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon.
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
It’s a great introduction to Buddhism based on the earliest recorded collection of teachings.
There isn't exactly a Buddhist bible.
There are three different recognized 'canons' of Buddhism. The shortest is the Pali Canon, which is considered canonical in the Theravada school. You can get various anthologies of this canon such as here.
There are two Mahayana canons which are considerably longer than the Pali Canon, and they basically could be considered to fill a small library more or less.
How is it ridiculous or how is it about unlocking inner power?
Gotama does a great job explaining nirvana. I would recommend you pick up a commentary on the Pali cannon. Here is one I read that I really liked: https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
Not Rks1157, but I've already asked him this question, and he recommended reading as much as possible from the Buddha's original teachings, as cited in the Pali Canon.
This recommendation brought me to the most important book I've read so far (out of several): "In the Buddha's Words" by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
You can get it in digital and audio form from Amazon. I recommend the audio form, since it is so powerful to listen to these words rather than read them.
This is the book that really kickstarted my journey through Buddhism:
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
Great primer and intro to the Pali canon.
Alright, if you are going to be a librarian you're not scared of books. Here's my opinion, then.
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The study guides on https://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html (also there are some in accesstoinsight.org which are not included in dhammatalks.org) organise the Buddha's teachings by topic. Example: karma, merit, discernment, etc.). These are invaluable for undestanding the core of what the Buddha taught and they're easier to read and understand because they are organised by topic and they are segments taken from much longer much more complicated suttas for the purpose of teaching one particular topic.
This book by Bhikkhu Bodhi is considered a very good summary of the Buddha's teachings, also organised by topic, and with well explained commentary between each section. But it's also a bit longer and a bit more intense to read than the above suggestion https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
The treatises and essays under https://www.dhammatalks.org/ebook_index.html are the Buddha's core teachings re-explained in simple modern language by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Highly recommended if you want to understand it from the modern language.
these are for basic theravada. I can't really recommend any pure-land exclusive texts, if that's what you're looking for.
>From what I little understood, buddhism works in the very perception of self and reasoning. Buddha said that we should see for ourselves if what he teached worked, right?
Ehipassiko: encouraging investigation, see for ourselves. That's what the buddha said to the practitioner.
>And that's amazing. But even if what he said about reincarnation and all is correct and pictures reality, how can we be sure all of this isn't just, for example, a simulation?
We can either believe them based on the faith that we gained from our investigations (practicing (8 noble eightfold path) and not merely memorising and analysing) or remain agnostic until we have build enough parami to be able to verify them directly.
>And if you answer me that I will only know the truth after practing for years, maybe lifetimes, and I will have to just believe Buddha in the beginning (or pretty much all the journey), how is that different from, for example, religions like Catholicism, that you can't prove nor disprove the existence of God?
It's different because in buddhism, you are encouraged to do investigations. You will see for yourself, abandonment of 5 hindrances lead to calm, Jhanas are real, happiness in absorptions are real, "5 aggregates are non-self" are real, how all phenomenas are conditioned and impermanent, dependently originated, how we have little control of our body, thoughts and feelings etc. Every step that we take to investigate and verify them ourselves, build up our faith little by little. I*t's not a mere blind faith where we can't verify things for ourself and expected to believe things blindly. It's a faith rooted in science (repeatable) and direct experience.*
>Please, if you may, help me understand these fundaments of buddhism. Maybe recommend a book or a couple.
I would highly recommend you to listen to these dhamma talks. They are clear, simple and direct.
https://ajahnchah.org/book/index.php
For sutta:
https://suttacentral.net/
An Anthology of discources:
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO#:\~:text=In%20the%20Buddha's%20Words%20allows,ancient%20yet%20ever%2Dvital%20path.
A very good start point is:
- In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha) by Bhikkhu Bodhi https://www.amazon.com.au/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
Teachers is very important for advanced stuff or even just guidance in general. And choosing a teacher matters...not all teachers are the same level. I guess it's good to start with some studying of the basics on your own and see what branches of buddhism appeals to you and then you can visit an actual Sangha/temple /monastic community. The only thing I would say there is to avoid Shambhala buddhism bc they are a sort of heterodox cult in the US. And maybe avoid nichiren buddhism bc they are a bit heterodox too. But everything else ...all of the other branches I think are worth looking into. Some work better for some people.
in the buddhas words , discourses from the Pali Canon would be a good place to start for basics.
There are a lot of the various mahayana sutras in print too. You can get the heart sutra or the diamond sutra or lotus sutra or flower garland sutra in print.
You can look up a lot of basics about different practices online. For tibetan buddhist practices you'll want to make sure these are okay for a beginner to do without inititiation but some of the basic mantras and tonglen are acceptable practices for anyone.
There really is too much to summarize into a single comment... if you are into zen buddhism I actually do think that shunryu suzukis work and also some of the zen poets from early zen /chan in China are worth looking into even though zen doesn't focus as much on a lot of the buddhist basics in terms of ethics and dogma and the religious side but it is a part of the mahayana vehicle and is authentic. Zen Mind, Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki would be good for that.
Words of my Perfect Teacher is maybe a good starting point for understanding a lot of tibetan buddhist stuff. It can be daunting as it describes a lot of aspects of hell realms and the ugly aspects of samsaric life and rebirth.
I haven't looked into it that deeply but I also find the thai forest school very very interesting. They are a branch of theravada but that sort of grew weary with the overly scholastic aspects of the existing monastic orders and found the other monks inauthentic and corrupt and sought direct enlightenment rather than just studying in a scholarly way. They went and meditated in the forest and lived in a nomadic way and I tbink on alms sort of like Buddha and his disciples. If you want to do some digging that school is fairly interesting.
I find mantra meditation to be relatively easy for a beginner. It's probably also worth checking out tibetan buddhist art and mandalas. For some people that kind of visual depiction of the cosmology can be something that draws them to the dharma.
Sorry of this is all over the place. I'll try and tbink of some more specifics
For pre-Mahayana, this is a good one: https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
In the Buddha's Words https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
There are Buddhist scriptures called suttas or sutras (depends on the language). This is a great anthology that you could read a little of each day https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
Here's "In the Buddha's Words" - look for the others by Bhikku Bodhi there.
Here is the Lam Rim translation -> you can find all three copies there as well :)
The books are symbolic of the Buddha's Speech, the Statue their body, and the Stupa their mind.
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
one of the best single books written on early buddhism
This is, basically, "early buddhism" practiced in the modern age by the greatest modern master of Theravada buddhism
Usually people don't call Buddhist scriptures "Holy Books" but i think I know what you're getting at.
Buddhist scriptures (as far as you're concerned now) are either called suttas or sutras. These terms come from the two primary languages of composition of Buddhist scripture, Pali and Sanskrit. Pali is the language of the southern transmission of the teachings and Sanskrit is the language of the northern transmission.
Schools derived from the Southern transmission use terminology derived from Pali like kamma, dhamma, and sutta. Schools derived from the Northern transmission use terminology derived from Sanskrit like karma, dharma, and sutra. I tend to use the terms derived from Sanskrit.
There are three complete canons existent, each denoted by the language of its composition / translation. The Pali canon is used by the Theravada Buddhists of South Asia, the Tibetan canon is used by Tibetan Buddhists, and the Chinese canon is used by Buddhists in East Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea...).
Each of these canons are host to a diverse set of texts from a diverse set of time periods. The set of texts you will want to concern yourself with is the suttapitaka / sutrapitaka. These "baskets" contain the direct teachings of the historical Buddha, or at least the teachings of the Buddha as they were written down after centuries of oral transmission. I'll go through a few of the genres or collections of sutras.
Nikayas / Agamas
These are usually regarded as the best preserved teachings of the Buddha. They shouldn't necessarily be seen as the best or most useful, but they generally have the strongest claim to direct transmission. They primarily deal with the sravakayana, the path to become an arhat, enlightenment for the individual only. They also tend to be more down to Earth, though there's still plenty of talk of the supernatural throughout. In the Pali canon these are called the nikayas and in the Chinese canon they are called the agamas. They are organized into further subdivisions based on length and the manner they are presented. I should note that I won't be speaking on the Tibetan canon really at all since I know basically nothing about it. It's probably the least translated of all the canons so you might not be able to access many of the texts anyhow. The Chinese canon is the next best translated followed by the Pali canon which I think has a fully or close to fully translated suttapitaka. Also make note that these sutras were preserved through the oral tradition and that has definitely made its mark. It's not always the most fluid reading experience. Sutras with their origin in writing are better for that.
There are a lot of sutras in these collections, like a lot. I'd recommend starting with a curated compilation like In the Buddha's Words.
Mahayana Sutras
These texts make up the bulk of the Chinese and Tibetan canons yet are completely absent from the Pali canon. I won't go into the history of the Mahayana movement because quite frankly I'm not qualified (ask u/animuseternal about that) but I'll do my best to give an outline of the beliefs. Suffice it to say, the Mahayana movement is a lot older than you might expect, but also not super, super old. The Mahayana (greater vehicle) is marked by an emphasis on the bodhisattva path, the path of one who endeavours to remain in samsara for the benefit of all sentient beings. There is also a belief in Buddhanature, the idea that all sentient beings have the capability of attaining Buddhahood. Emphasis is placed on the metaphysical discussion and practice of realizing the "emptiness" of all phenomena. The cosmology of the Mahayana is also more vast than that of the Theravada which serves as its only modern contender.
Many Mahayana sutras are quite openly not of the historical Buddha, even if they feature him as a character. The exact historical lineage of an idea is seen as less important than how the idea stands on its own. Many Mahayana sutras also have a very surreal vibe in my opinion, it's not to everyone's taste but I personally like it. I'll give a quick rundown of some of the more important sutras and catagories of sutras in the Mahayana.
Prajnaparamita Sutras
These are usually considered some of the oldest Mahayana sutras. Literally translating to "perfection of wisdom sutras," they have a focus on the concept of emptiness. Very quickly, emptiness is essentially the idea that all objects are devoid of "essence." That's very much not doing the concept justice but luckily there are many prajnaparamita sutras to read to learn about just that! These tend to be relatively difficult reads so you might want to check out some commentaries for each. Prajnaparamita sutras are especially important to the Chan / Zen school of Buddhism.
Heart Sutra:
The Heart Sutra is one of the most influential writings in East Asian Buddhism. It's very, very brief but outlines the basic contents of the metaphysical teachings of the Buddha. Getting a grasp on this sutra could help with making the rest of the Mahayana make much more sense. It is also frequently chanted and copied in East Asian Buddhism so if that's your subject of interest this is definitely one to be familiar with.
Diamond Sutra:
A personal favourite of mine. It has themes very similar to the Heart Sutra except they are further elaborated on. The teaching takes place within a narrative of the Buddha giving a sermon to a man named Subhuti. It's famous for the paradigm that repeats throughout: X is not X, therefore it is X. If that sounds confusing, it definitely is, but once it really clicks for you a lot will begin to make sense.
The Perfection of Wisdom in 8000 Lines:
I've never read this so I won't comment too much but apparently it's primarily about the conduct of bodhisattvas alongside the other typical prajnaparamita concerns. It's mentioned pretty frequently.
Tathagatagarbha Sutras
These sutras are primarily concerned with the idea of Buddhanature. Tathagatagarbha roughly means "womb of the Buddha" as far as I'm aware.
Tathagatagarbha Sutra:
I could give my own explanation of this one but Wikipedia puts anything I could write about it to shame with the sentence "The Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra presents the tathāgatagarbha as a virtual Buddha-homunculus..." It's far from the worst description but something about the phrase "virtual Buddha-homunculus" is pretty funny to me if I'm honest.
Nirvana Sutra:
This sutra tackles many of the same topics of Buddhanature as the Tataghatagarbha Sutra but with the additional flare of the teaching of Dharma decline, or the eventual disappearance of the Dharma thrown in. This one is quoted often by a personal favourite monk of mine, Shinran, so I've got a soft spot for it. Hugely influential of East Asian Buddhism in general and Pure Land in particular.
Lankavatara Sutra:
This is another one I know so little about I won't comment on it but I do hear it mentioned often so I'll throw it in here. Apparently it has to do with reconciling the teaching of Buddhanature with that of emptiness since they can seem contradictory at first.
Pure Land Sutras
These aren't so much a genre as they are three individual sutras which happen to get bundled together but they're hugely important. They deal with the Pure Land of Amida Buddha (Amitabha Buddha to the non-Japanese), a land in a different world system which people seek to be reborn into so they can study the dharma more effectively.
Larger Sukhavativyuha Sutra
This one is primarily about the story of Bodhisattva Dharmakara, who aspires to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. He makes 48 vows relating to the Pure Land he seeks to establish, vows he eventually fulfills, becoming Amida Buddha.
Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra
This one is very commonly used for chants. There isn't a ton to it if I'm honest but it has some nice descriptions of the Pure Land (at least how us unenlightened Earthlings can comprehend it).
Contemplation Sutra
This sutra provides various visualization practices to aid in achieving rebirth in the Pure Land. It also discusses the "grades" of birth possible into the land.
Lotus Sutra
This could be argued to be the most influential Mahayana sutra of them all. It covers a breadth of topics but is probably most noteworthy for its explanation of skillful means. Skillful means is essentially the idea that sometimes it's worth teachings something that isn't strictly speaking true in an ultimate sense, because it may as well be true as far as the audience is concerned. This probably isn't one you'll want to tackle without a commentary. This sutra is so revered there are entire schools built around it.
Conclusion
There are absolutely more sutras to recommend but this list has to stop somewhere. I'm sorry I couldn't really fulfill your request for a single piece of scripture that encompasses meditation, dharma, and the Buddha's life, but there really isn't anything that deals with everything. Hopefully you can find something there that piques your interest or otherwise stay with secondhand sources for the meanwhile because honestly that is a perfectly fine way to go.
(Disclaimer: I am honestly not that knowledgeable and it is very possible I got something very wrong. If I did please correct me so I can fix the error)
>Is this possible? How do I achieve this if it is possible?
The short answer is yes, how? By concentration.
By concentration you can perform all sorts of very difficult feats within your mind, for instance, seeing an image with closed eyes, producing a state of intense happiness/bliss, and, no less, the absolute cessation of desire, which is what is actually meant by the famous term "nirvana".
I must recommend the Pali Canon, in particular this introduction to the Pali Canon, which uses only genuine content from the Pali Canon but reorganizes it so it is short and well organized.
Here is the web link for a hard copy: https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
Here is a google drive link to a pdf copy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OXe_HMrRWCFMVF8RcUmUnvb5m8kQLsTD/view?usp=sharing
And please see the pinned post on my profile for the whole drive folder with tons of Buddhist stuff and some other non-google-drive links, resources, etc.
Fat Buddha is not the Buddha, that is Budai who is a 9th century Buddhist monk. He however is believed to be the future Maitreya Buddha.
As for where to start .. I have a few places to help guide you:-
You can read the following:-
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html
https://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-books/without-and-within/
https://www.amaravati.org/dhamma-books/the-four-noble-truths/
You can also buy the following books which will be well worth your while:-
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
You can also watch some Youtube channels:-
Doug Smith at the Dharma Insititute:- https://youtu.be/pbngKOUgCDY
Buddhist Society of Western Australia:- https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf9HOK_Rf1M50CWkJI1a35qIa-HTp2OUp
These combined resources alone should be sufficient to start you on your journey in Buddhism.
From a Canonical source:- Dhammapadha would be a great place to start.
Bhikkhu Bodhi’s book:- In the Words of the Buddha is a great place to start as well.
Thanissaro Bhikkhu’s:- Refuge is a free read that is good
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html
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I really enjoyed "In the Words of the Buddha" (https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO) and, on a more esoteric level, "You are the Eyes of the World," a translation of a commentary of a work by Longchenpa.
The Buddha's teachings were non-secular for a time before the establishment of the Buddhism's that exist today.
However the teachings of the Buddha has been altered to fit the cultural demographic of the regions it spread to.
It doesn't mean the teachings were lost, just reformed to fulfil a narrative and allow it to spread under a different brand.
If you are looking to learn the original teachings of the Buddha then you have to look at the Pali text in Theravada school which have preserved his teachings word for word.
I came from Mahayana Buddhism and eventually stayed within the Theravada school for learning.
Although the Theravada school holds the knowledge. In this day and age, what's being taught is out of context and it's difficult to relate.
So here are some readings you can use to get you started.
>Wasn't it you that recently told me the importance of right speech? That if we can't be absolutely certain about something, we could be breaking the precepts by speaking about it?
I have said such things, yes. But, I am also not leading people astray by telling them the Buddha taught the precepts to be kept under any circumstances. If this is what the Buddha taught, how could I say anything else?
>but I do find myself questioning your authority with the absolutist stance and seeming like you think people are going to hell for putting down a pet
To be clear, I did not say people will go to hell for putting down a pet. That said, I'm not an authority, don't go by what I say about it.
Read what the Buddha said about it. Read the Suttas in which the Buddha talks about karma, about the precepts. Find the scenarios in which he advises his monks that it's wise to break the precepts. Decide for yourself. A lot of people have an idea about what the Buddha taught based on... assumption, or heresay, or something they made up. But the Sutta Pitika is there for the reading. I started with the Samyutta Nikaya. dhammatalks.org has excellent anthologies on the suttas, go to "books" and then to "suttas" they're all free to download. Bhikkhu Bodhi's anthology is quite authoritative but not free, it can be bought on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
>And remember, the buddha taught the importance of taking no teaching for granted. He also taught the importance of the middle way and a balanced approach to the practice
A lot of people are confused about what the Middle Way means. I can tell you, it doesn't mean "sometimes keeping the precepts and sometimes breaking them." (it also doesn't mean "moderately indulging in sense pleasure" as people often like to think).
But don't take my word for it. Read what the Buddha said about it. I linked you the resources above. Read what the modern-day arahants say about it. Many of their teachings are also free in the above website.
Other answers in this thread all great and all worth looking at.
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To give you one more:
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This book
https://www.amazon.com/Buddhas-Words-Anthology-Discourses-Teachings-ebook/dp/B003XF1LIO
I recommend joining meditation practice with studying the Dharma. The ideal would be if you could attend classes with real teachers.
Books can also be a wonderful guide. Depending on your taste:
<em>In the Buddha's Words</em>: a curated selection of the Pali Canon with excellent commentary.
<em>The Monk and the Philosopher</em>: a dialogue between a Buddhist monk and interrogative Western philosopher, his father.
<em>How to See Yourself As You Really Are</em>: a rigorous course on insight, with meditation teachings to stabilize the mind and abide with its impact.
<em>Breathe You Are Alive</em>: a loving guide to the Full Mindfulness of Breathing Sutra. In and of itself a complete path, teaching stabilizing meditation, analytical meditation, and non-dualistic awareness.
The phenomenon you're noticing is because Buddhism is very old, very flexible, and very nomadic. It originated in India in one form, broke into different forms after the death of the Buddha, spread to various surrounding countries and absorbed and evolved with their own traditions, then changed again when it came to the west.
The second issue is that, whereas other religions tend to have one or two key texts (like the Bible), Buddhism has a whole library of them known as the Pali Canon. So there's a lot more material from which competing translations can be derived.
The core thread that runs through it all though - the noble eightfold path - is common to all schools, so start there.
The Mahayana path retains the eightfold path but adds a 'Bodhisattva path' to it, essentially shifting the perspective from the individual to the good of all beings.
IMO, the best guide to the core teachings is Bhikkhu Bodhi's In the Buddha's Words
Hope that helps.
Indeed it is inevitable. I mainly felt the need to ask because most people that come to the religion and stay are somewhat discontent with life. They notice things like how nothing is satisfying, controllable or permanent. You seem pretty upbeat and happy, which isn't the prototype for the typical follower of the Buddha. So, does it stop you? If not, I'd recommend to start meditating. That's the best way to figure out if the religion is for you because it is integral to the entire religion. Its' scriptures describe it, detail the goals of it, how to use it to purify the mind and much, much more.
There are a couple of options that I recommend for beginners. One meditation technique involves strengthening concentration before moving onto insight meditation. That method is discussed in detail within Mindfulness in plain english. The other method starts you off working on concentration and insight at the same time. I feel this method is faster and more efficient but I'm biased because it's my method of choice, even though I started with the Mindfulness in Plain English technique. Here's an instruction booklet detailing that method.
I'd recommend reading them both and then trying them both.
Also, I would recommend reading "In the Buddha's Words" which goes through a thorough overview of the core teachings of buddhism using the scriptures (pali canon). I haven't seen a pdf for it, but you can buy it on amazon for $10.
Don't know which tradition you're following, but I recommend In The Buddha's Words. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XF1LIO/
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In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (The Teachings of the Buddha)
