Investigating the Dhamma

A Collection of Papers

By:  Bhikkhu Bodhi

This book brings together eight essays of Bhikkhu Bodhi, five of which were earlier published in academic journals and volumes, and three not published before. Most of the essays are critical responses to various modern interpretations of the Dhamma that the author considers to be at odds with the Buddha’s teachings, in particular as transmitted and interpreted by the Theravāda school of Buddhism. The other essays are in depth discussions of important Buddhist doctrinal terms.

While Dhamma Reflections, the previous collection of essays by Bhikkhu Bodhi, contains short essays written for a wide Buddhist readership, the present book contains longer essays written for those wishing to deepen and rectify their understanding of important yet often misunderstood Buddhist concepts such as mindfulness, dependent origination and not-self. The essays, written by an American Buddhist scholar with an academic background in Western philosophy, are of interest to practicing Buddhists as well as academics.

The titles of the essays are:
1. Aggregates and Clinging Aggregates;
2. Dance or Cessation?
3. Anattā as Strategy and Ontology;
4. A Critical Examination of Ñāṇavīra’s “A Note on Paṭiccasamuppāda”;
5. Review of Buddhism without Beliefs;
6. The Jhānas and the Lay Disciple;
7. What Does Mindfulness Really Mean? and
8. Deconstructing Constructions.

Note: This book has been issued free to our members for the first mailing 2015.