The Buddha and His Teachings

The book begins with the life of the Buddha, narrating Prince Siddhattha’s birth at Lumbinī, his upbringing, marriage, encounter with old age, sickness, death, and renunciation, followed by his training under teachers, austerities, enlightenment, and the proclamation of the Dhamma. It then explains the Buddha’s early ministry, the first sermon, the spread of the Saṅgha, his relations with family members, royal patrons, supporters, opponents, and his final passing away. The second part turns to doctrinal exposition, beginning with the nature of the Buddha’s teaching and its distinctive characteristics, then developing major themes such as the Four Noble Truths, kamma and rebirth, paṭicca-samuppāda, planes of existence, no-soul, Nibbāna, meditation, and the path to liberation. The final chapters broaden the discussion to the arahant state, Bodhisatta ideal, pāramī, Brahmavihāra, worldly conditions, and the practical problems of human life, making the book both a doctrinal manual and a guide to Buddhist practice.