The Venerable Dr Walpola Sri Rahula was a Buddhist monk and scholar. He received a traditional training and education in his native Sri Lanka before studying at the University of Calcutta and the Sorbonne. He held a chair at Northwestern University, Illinois, and was the Vice-Chancellor of Vidyodaya University, Colombo. He is widely regarded as one of the most qualified and enlightened scholars of the Buddhist tradition, with a deep knowledge of the original texts.

"By far the best introduction to Buddhism available."

• List of IllustrationsForewordPrefaceThe Buddha 1 The Buddhist Attitude of Mind THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS2 The First Noble Truth: Dukkha3 The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya: ‘The Arising of Dukkha’4 The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha: ‘The Cessation of Dukkha’5 The Fourth Noble Truth: Magga: ‘The Path’6 The Doctrine of No-Soul: Anatta7 ‘Meditation’ or Mental Culture: Bhavana8 What the Buddha Taught and the World Today SELECTED TEXTS AbbreviationsSelected BibliographyGlossaryIndex

The Venerable Dr Walpola Sri Rahula was a Buddhist monk and scholar. He received a traditional training and education in his native Sri Lanka before studying at the University of Calcutta and the Sorbonne. He held a chair at Northwestern University, Illinois, and was the Vice-Chancellor of Vidyodaya University, Colombo. He is widely regarded as one of the most qualified and enlightened scholars of the Buddhist tradition, with a deep knowledge of the original texts.

"By far the best introduction to Buddhism available."

• List of IllustrationsForewordPrefaceThe Buddha 1 The Buddhist Attitude of Mind THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS2 The First Noble Truth: Dukkha3 The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya: ‘The Arising of Dukkha’4 The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha: ‘The Cessation of Dukkha’5 The Fourth Noble Truth: Magga: ‘The Path’6 The Doctrine of No-Soul: Anatta7 ‘Meditation’ or Mental Culture: Bhavana8 What the Buddha Taught and the World Today SELECTED TEXTS AbbreviationsSelected BibliographyGlossaryIndex

The Venerable Dr Walpola Sri Rahula was a Buddhist monk and scholar. He received a traditional training and education in his native Sri Lanka before studying at the University of Calcutta and the Sorbonne. He held a chair at Northwestern University, Illinois, and was the Vice-Chancellor of Vidyodaya University, Colombo. He is widely regarded as one of the most qualified and enlightened scholars of the Buddhist tradition, with a deep knowledge of the original texts.

"By far the best introduction to Buddhism available."

• List of IllustrationsForewordPrefaceThe Buddha 1 The Buddhist Attitude of Mind THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS2 The First Noble Truth: Dukkha3 The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya: ‘The Arising of Dukkha’4 The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha: ‘The Cessation of Dukkha’5 The Fourth Noble Truth: Magga: ‘The Path’6 The Doctrine of No-Soul: Anatta7 ‘Meditation’ or Mental Culture: Bhavana8 What the Buddha Taught and the World Today SELECTED TEXTS AbbreviationsSelected BibliographyGlossaryIndex