Buddhism
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The religion founded by the Buddha in approximately the 5th century BCE in the Ganges River Valley.
Table of Contents
- Articles (8)
- Audio/Video (15)
- Booklets (10)
- Canonical Works (9)
- Essays (2)
- Monographs (12)
- Papers (1)
- Subtopics (3)
Articles (8)
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Freud in particular developed the concept that freedom means acting on one’s desires. … From a Buddhist standpoint, this notion is totally twisted
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Meditation makes us better people. Does that make it mandatory?
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🥇 Best Of The Library
…recognize that this view is not scientific discovery: it is ideology.
Audio/Video (15)
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A concise introduction and overview of Buddhism. A perfect entry point for beginners, and touchstone for everyone.
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A short overview of Buddhism from my own teacher. An excellent talk to revisit now and then.
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Ven Hong Ci eloquently invites us to get off the treadmill of pursuing sense pleasures, and to live fully in the present moment.
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The monks of Abhayagiri chanting the canonical poem on life’s highest blessings from the Khp.
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too many people live life as if they’re in a fast car: looking through the window, always going on to the next thing
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The monks from Abhayagiri chanting the much beloved sutta on Loving-Kindness: Snp1.8.
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A short and sympathetic introduction to Buddhism especially for non-Buddhist Westerners.
Booklets (10)
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A lucid and compelling introduction to Buddhism from a renowned contemporary scholar. Recommended for newcomers.
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🥇 Best Of The Library
What lies behind this insistence on love is a worry: without a deep-seated fear that one day love would no longer exist (or exist in the same way) why would anyone feel that they have to insist upon it so much?
Canonical Works (9)
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⭐ Recommended
It would be good, lord, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief
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⭐ Recommended
A recipe for the good life, from having good friends to the realization of Nibbāna, this chant is a favorite of Theravada Buddhists the world over, myself included.
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🥇 Best Of The Library
Who was the Buddha in his own words? In this story, he calls himself the “Tathagata” or “Truth-Arriver”, and he responds to a question on what will become of him after his death. The Buddha explains that he doesn’t talk in such terms, as he has overcome all such notions as “I am the body” or “I am the mind” so how could such a question ever be answered? He ends the discourse by famously saying that all he teaches is suffering and the end of suffering, thus redirecting our attention from empty philosophical musings to the things that matter most.
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Gives some vivid imagery to illustrate the Buddhist outlook on life. While explicitly couched as similes, the images in this sutta demonstrate that even the earliest texts were no strangers to literary style.
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What do you think, chief? Could a broad rock rise up or float because of prayers?
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⭐ Recommended
One should sustain this recollection
Essays (2)
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The idea of the Buddha nature, or the earlier idea that “this mind is brightly shining, but it is defiled by visiting defilements,” point to a potential for good deep in everyone…
Monographs (12)
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⭐ Recommended
A deeply human, simple but powerful retelling of the Buddha’s life story from a renowned modern master. My most highly recommended biography of the Buddha.
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The best academic textbook for introducing Buddhism.
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🥇 Best Of The Library
In this beautiful letter to a friend (and one of my favorite books period), Thay offers practical advice and encouragement to cultivate mindfulness: the quality of presence and wakefulness in our life. From washing the dishes to answering the phone, he reminds us that each moment holds within it the seeds of understanding and peace. Highly recommended for all, especially newcomers to Buddhism or meditation, or anyone looking to brighten their day.
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A classic introduction to Buddhist philosophy for a modern audience. Walpola Rahula’s book has had a dramatic impact on the shape of Buddhist thought in the West but its interest is far from merely historical: it remains one of the most lucid and sympathetic introductions available in English, even today. Highly recommended for newcomers to Buddhism or anyone looking for a solid grounding in Buddhist doctrine.