What the Buddha Taught [J0338]

1974 PB, a second and enlarged edition of the 1959 original, in nice clean condition. 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." This edition contains a selection of illustrative texts from the Suttas and the Dhammapada (specially translated by the author), sixteen illustrations, and a bibliography, glossary, and index.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "This book gave me a very good overview of Buddhism - clarifying dukkah specifically - and then elaborating on the means to relieve or eliminate it."; "It is a great book to help get you started on Buddhism, it talks a lot about the teachings of the Buddha and helps you understand clearly how Buddhism works."; "This felt like a very succinct and helpful intro to Buddhism, perfect for me as someone previously unaware of the exact core teachings of it beyond vague generalities from pop culture. The chapter on how the Buddha's teachings translate to modern living is somewhat outdated as the book was published in the 50s, but otherwise quite a lovely and thought provoking read."