The Dharma or the Religion of Enlightenment: An Exposition of Buddhism

The book is arranged into seven compact sections. “The Four Noble Truths” defines Dharma and presents suffering, its origin in desire, emancipation from suffering, and the Eightfold Path. “Preach the Doctrine that is Glorious” presents the Buddha’s missionary injunction to teach for the welfare of many. “The Ten Commandments” formulates Buddhist morality through bodily, verbal, and mental restraint. “The Seven Jewels of the Law” explains purity, calmness, comprehension, bliss, wisdom, perfection, and enlightenment, together with meditations, moral powers, spiritual faculties, wisdom, and righteousness. “The Abhidharma Outlined” is the philosophical core of the work, treating karma, saṃskāra, anātman, transiency and permanence, the soul, reincarnation without soul-transmigration, selfhood, enlightenment, and nirvāṇa. “A Summary of the Tenets of Buddhism” consolidates the doctrinal framework. “Explanations” provides clarifying notes on important terms and ideas.