This comparative study explores the relation between the Vimuttimagga and Visuddhimagga, the Path of Freedom and the Path of Purification, both classical meditation manuals of the Theravada tradition.

Whereas Western intellectuals seek the essence of Buddhism in its doctrines and meditation practices, the traditional Buddhists of Asia absorb the ideas and values of their spiritual heritage through its rich narrative literature about the Buddha and his disciples. The most popular collection of Buddhist stories is, without doubt, the Játakas. These are the stories of the Buddha's past births, relating his experiences as he passed from life to life on the way to becoming a Buddha. At times he takes the form of a bird, at times he is born as a hare, a monkey, a prince, a merchant, or an ascetic, but in each case he uses the challenges he meets to grow in generosity, virtue, patience, wisdom, and compassion.

1. Volume I
2. Volume II
3. Volume III

Volume I

Volume II

Volume III

The Community of Buddhist Nuns is one of the oldest women’s organizations in human history. In this book Dr. Wijayaratna explains how this community was started by the Buddha in the 5th century BCE, and how it developed gradually. To show the motivation and the way of life of these ordained women, the author uses the oldest texts of the Pali canon. Several chapters of this book discuss the position of Buddhist nuns in the field of the three famous monastic themes: poverty, chastity and obedience. This book describes in detail the structure of the organization of their Community, their day-to-day practices, and the virtues and mental discipline through which they strove to attain the sublime goal, Nibbana.

This book is an introductory guide to the rich, wonderful, and profound world of Buddhist similes. The Buddha used many similes as a skilful means to facilitate the understanding of teachings that otherwise could appear overly abstruse and dry to his listeners. Thus, contemplation of the similes and the explanations as given in this book will widen and deepen one's understanding of the Teaching of the Buddha.

This booklet, containing transcriptions of twelve talks by the renowned Buddhist nun Ayya Khema, is for all people everywhere who seek liberation from suffering and desire true happiness.

Ven. Nynatiloka was one of the pioneers of Buddhism in the modern world and the first European Buddhist monk. As the world's senior Western bhikkhu, ordained in 1903, Nyanatiloka attracted many disciples, through whose work his influence continues to be felt today, more than fifty years after his death. Nyanatiloka was also a renowned scholar and translator of Pali scriptures. His classic The Word of the Buddha, written more than a century ago, is still widely read.

The tale of how a prince came to abandon a life of luxury and comfort and went away to discover the secret of happiness, suffering much penury before he reached his goal, seems the stuff of fairy stories. Yet it was a real man who achieved such a selfless and extraordinary deed. We know this man as the Buddha, the All Enlightened One, and this is his life, told as simply as possible for children, in words and drawings for them to colour.

In eloquent, expressive language this book explores in depth the Buddha's significant teaching, “When seeing, just see; when hearing, just hear,” as it applies to the practice of insight meditation as taught by Mahasi Sayadaw. Along the way, the book touches on the two kinds of reality—ultimate and conventional—expounded in the Abhidhamma. The author explains these two realities through the example of a pointillist painting of Seurat that can be viewed in two ways. In addition, there are meditation instructions for beginners, an appendix on the perceptual process as described in Buddhist metaphysics, and a crossword puzzle of Pali terms.

2008, 146 pp. 21 cm BP 505S
Price: $ 4.00

This book contains all the known published and unpublished essays by S. Bodhesako: Beginnings, Change, The Buddha and Catch-22, The Myth of Sisyphus, Faith, and Being and Craving.

This compilation consists of five talks and three question and answer sessions by the renowned Thai Forest Tradition teacher Venerable Ajahn Chah. The selected talks mainly deal with the topic of meditation, both tranquillity meditation as well as insight meditation. Ajahn Chah discusses the beginning steps as well as the higher stages and this book is a source of inspiration for beginners as well as serious practitioners.

This little volume of Dhamma talks offered here to show a way out of our problems and sufferings, to give an idea of the Buddha's way to reach ultimate peace and happiness. If anyone becomes inspired to practice this path of moral conduct, meditation and insight, our world will be so much the better for it."