THIS INDISPENSABLE VOLUME IS A LUCID AND FAITHFUL ACCOUNT OF THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS. “FOR YEARS,” SAYS THE JOURNAL OF THE BUDDHIST SOCIETY, “THE NEWCOMER TO BUDDHISM HAS LACKED A SIMPLE AND RELIABLE INTRODUCTION TO THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE SUBJECT. DR. RAHULA’S WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT FILLS THE NEED AS ONLY COULD BE DONE BY ONE HAVING A FIRM GRASP OF THE VAST MATERIAL TO BE SIFTED. IT IS A MODEL OF WHAT A BOOK SHOULD BE THAT IS ADDRESSED FIRST OF ALL TO ‘THE EDUCATED AND INTELLIGENT READER.’ AUTHORITATIVE AND CLEAR, LOGICAL AND SOBER, THIS STUDY IS AS COMPREHENSIVE AS IT IS MASTERLY.”
DHAMMAPADA IS ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN BOOKS OF THE PITAKA. IT IS A COLLECTION OF THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA EXPRESSED IN CLEAR, PITHY VERSES. THESE VERSES WERE CULLED FROM VARIOUS DISCOURSES GIVEN BY THE BUDDHA IN THE COURSE OF FORTY-FIVE YEARS OF HIS TEACHING,
AT THE HEART OF BUDDHISM IS A SIMPLE CLAIM: THE REASON WE SUFFER—AND THE REASON WE MAKE OTHER PEOPLE SUFFER—IS THAT WE DON’T SEE THE WORLD CLEARLY. AT THE HEART OF BUDDHIST MEDITATIVE PRACTICE IS A RADICAL PROMISE: WE CAN LEARN TO SEE THE WORLD, INCLUDING OURSELVES, MORE CLEARLY AND SO GAIN A DEEP AND MORALLY VALID HAPPINESS.