The primary teachings shared by all
schools of Buddhism are “What the Buddha Taught”. It is a
book that explains the core of the Buddhism in a simple language. The Reverand
Rahula discusses The Buddhist Attitude of Mind, The First Noble Truth: Dukkha,
The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya, The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha, The Fourth
Noble Truth: Magga, The Doctrine of No Soul: Anatta, Meditation or Mental
Culture: Bhāvanā, What the Buddha Taught and the World
Today respectively.
There
is a growing interest about Buddhism all over the world. But, due to political
reasons, more (especially Americans) are attracted to the Dalai Lama and the
Mahayana Buddhism. So, Dr. Rahula Thero’s book is an eye opener for those who
seek the Theravada Buddhism. Dr. Rahula thero is highly qualified to write this
book.
It
has been discussed in this book almost everything which is commonly accepted as
the essential and fundamental teaching of Buddha. These are the doctrines of
the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Five Aggregates, Karma,
Rebirth, Conditioned Genesis (Paticcasamuppāda), the doctrine of No-Soul (Anatta),
Satipatthāna
(the Setting-up of Mindfulness). The Western reader will find it difficult to
read the books and comprehend it at the beginning but the reader is
expected to go through the book once or twice to understand it fully.
