Buddhism in Translations: Passages Selected from the Buddhist Sacred Books

The work introduces Buddhism through selected translations from Pāli sacred texts, beginning with the life of the Buddha and then moving into central doctrinal themes: sentient existence, non-self, dependent origination, karma, rebirth, meditation, Nirvāṇa, and monastic discipline. Its structure allows the reader to encounter Buddhism through primary textual passages rather than through a purely interpretive exposition. The main chapters present a comprehensive map of early Buddhist thought and practice: the Buddha’s career, the analysis of personality and existence, the moral law of karma, the cycle of rebirth, the cultivation of meditation and wisdom, the attainment of liberation, and the organization of the Buddhist Saṅgha. The anthology therefore functions as both a doctrinal primer and a classical sourcebook for early Buddhist studies.