The Great Thoughts of Gotama the Buddha

The book is organized into two main chapters. Chapter I presents three foundational sections: “Life of the Buddha,” which outlines the Buddha’s biography from birth and renunciation to awakening, teaching, the founding of the Saṅgha, and final passing; “The Buddhist Doctrine,” which explains the core doctrinal framework of early Buddhism, including suffering, causality, the Middle Way, self-denial, Nirvāṇa, and liberation; and “Extracts from the Buddhist Doctrine,” which introduces primary doctrinal selections. Chapter II expands the anthology in a systematic manner, beginning with an Introductory section, then “The Founder and the Arahants,” including Gotama’s autobiographical material, prophecies attributed to him, and the ideal of the arahant. The section “Training” treats progress, faith, moral habits, proper and improper conduct, meditation, contemplation, and the principle of not relying merely on hearsay. “Relations with Others” covers right views, heresies, marvels, amity and malice, care for the sick, parents, Dhamma for the laity, caste, devas, sacrifice, and animals. “Evolution” addresses evolution and the unity of humankind. “The Teaching” presents major doctrinal categories such as causality, self, deeds and transmigration, the Way, crossing over, rivers of life and death, the great ocean, Dhamma, essence, escape, Nirvāṇa, the Deathless, and the Incomposite. The final section, “Transcendent,” points toward the highest dimension of Buddhist realization beyond ordinary conceptual categories.