In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)
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Book Summary Information

Editor: Bhikkhu Bodhi
Foreword: The Dalai Lama
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2005-07-28
ISBN: 0861714911
Number of pages: 496
Publisher: Wisdom Publications
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Book Reviews of In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

Book Review: Amazing, Accessible, Life Changing Wisdom
Summary: 5 Stars

This is an amazing work of easily accessible wisdom. That's not to say it's simplistic or easily understood in its entirety. Bhikkhu Bodhi has created a very well translated, and perhaps even more importantly, a very well organized collection of the Buddha's teachings. Separated into sections that are not found in the original sources, this book is organized to cover teachings and ideas concerning a related topic or theme (such as the human condition). This organization was very helpful for me and probably will be to others: it accommodates a very western, modern approach such as we might find in a "self-help" book and yet the sections are composed of unassuming, ancient wisdom from the Buddha himself.

On that note, the Buddha's teachings were passed down orally and written later, the Pali Canon being one of the earliest recordings. Therefore, the teachings collected here are perhaps closest to the Buddha's own words (as the title suggests) and also subject to the repetition found in oral traditions. Bodhi has in many cases cut or condensed these repetitions to make it easier to read - this can be either very helpful (when large blocks are repeated and we may find such extensive repetition confusing or distracting) or disruptive when the repetition is shorter (and the repetition could help reinforce an important message). Whichever way you may feel in coming across these passages, Bodhi makes his changes obvious and explains his methodology in the introduction so the reader understands what he is doing and exactly where he is doing it.

Bodhi begins each section with insightful introductions that explain the context of the included readings and provides some insight into their meaning and interpretation. His introductions are usually several pages, and I appreciated them as about the perfect length in each instance. While not critical to understand the Buddha's teaching they provide a nice element to the overall organization of the work along with a more academic analysis of the teachings.

The topics covered in this work are core elements of Buddhist theology and it is both an excellent source for someone new to Buddhism or a longtime practitioner. While Buddhism is a unique religion, the teachings can be interpreted in different ways, and so I highly recommend this work to those of different religions since the wisdom this book contains can be highly informative and helpful even to adamant Christians, Muslims, atheists and so many more.

Summary of In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

The works of the Buddha can feel vast, and it is sometimes difficult for even longtime students to know where to look, especially since the Buddha never explicitly defined the framework behind his teachings. Designed to provide just such a framework, In the Buddha's Words is an anthology of the Buddha's works that has been specifically compiled by a celebrated scholar and translator. For easy reference, the book is arrayed in ten thematic sections ranging from "The Human Condition" to "Mastering the Mind" to "The Planes of Realization." Each section comes with introductions, notes, and essays to help beginners and experts alike draw greater meaning from the Buddha's words. The book also features a general introduction by the author that fully lays out how and why he has arranged the Buddha's teachings in this volume. This thoughtful compilation is a valuable resource for both teachers and those who want to read the Buddha on their own.

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