Thanissaro eBooks | dhammatalks.org Treatises
eBooks | dhammatalks.org
Treatises
The Buddha’s Teachings
The Buddha’s Teachings: An Introduction, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 15, 2018) A short introduction to the basic concepts and values underlying Buddhist practice, with special attention to clearing up common misinterpretations about what the Buddha taught.
Buddhist Romanticism
Karma Q & A
Karma Q & A, compiled by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 15, 2018) Kamma and rebirth are often understood to be teachings of fate and helplessness in the face of unknowable influences from the past. Instead of teaching fate, The Buddha’s teachings on kamma and rebirth are empowering, showing how people can develop skills in the present that will lead to the end of suffering. So, to help show how valuable these teachings are, here’s a set of answers, based on the Pāli Canon, to some questions frequently asked about these topics.
The Mind like Fire Unbound
On the Path
On the Path: An Anthology on the Noble Eightfold Path drawn from the Pāli Canon, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Feb. 13, 2021) This book aims to provide a well-rounded picture of the noble eightfold path for people who are interested in taking guidance from the earliest extant records of the Buddha’s teachings on how to reach the end of suffering and stress. The format is that of a discussion and analysis of each element of the path followed by pertinent sutta excerpts, similar to Wings to Awakening. The cross-references to the suttas are also hyperlinked to the new sutta pages on this site.
The Paradox of Becoming
The Paradox of Becoming, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 15, 2018) Although “becoming” is one of the most important concepts in the Buddha’s teachings, there is no full-scale treatment of it in English. This book attempts to fill that lack.
Refuge
Right Mindfulness
Right Mindfulness: Memory & Ardency on the Buddhist Path, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Feb. 13, 2021) For the past several decades, a growing flood of books, articles, and teachings has advanced theories about the practice of mindfulness which are highly questionable and—for anyone hoping to realize the end of suffering—seriously misleading. The main aim of this book is to show that the practice of mindfulness is most fruitful when informed by the Buddha’s own definition of right mindfulness and his explanations of its role on the path.
The Shape of Suffering
The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-arising, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 15, 2018) An explanation of dependent co-arising through the analogy of feeding and pulling from the vocabulary of complex, non-linear systems.
Skill in Questions
The Truth of Rebirth
The Truth of Rebirth: And Why It Matters for Buddhist Practice, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Dec. 15, 2018) A short treatise explaining that the Buddha did not teach the doctrine of rebirth because he was blindly following the cultural norms of his time. Instead, our resistance to this teaching is pointing to cultural biases of our own that impede progress on the Path.
The Wings to Awakening
The Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pāli Canon, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised Feb. 13, 2021) The 37 Wings to Awakening were the Buddha’s own summary of his teachings. This book contains sutta translations organized by topic with relevant discussion by the author. Internal cross-references are hyper-linked in the ebook versions, and in the online version external ones, i.e. to the Suttas, are as well.
With Each & Every Breath
With Each & Every Breath: A Guide to Meditation, by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. (revised May 10, 2020) A breath meditation manual by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu drawing on two sources: the Buddha’s own set of instructions on how to use the breath in training the mind, and Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo’s method of breath meditation — which builds on the Buddha’s instructions, explaining in detail many of the points that the Buddha left in condensed form.Regarding this latest revision: The audio recordings of Dhamma talks recommended at the end of each chapter now have links to their associated transcripts collected in the companion volume, Gather ’Round the Breath.
