Buddhist Writings
by Anonymous
Assigned by 1 of the 9 reading lists, catalogue entry only
- Written
- c. 3rd-1st century BCE, written down c. 29 BCE
- Form
- Scripture
- Language
- Other
- Length
- Medium · 250 pp120 to 300 pages
- Difficulty
- Demanding3 of 5 for a first-year reader
We recommendBuddhism in Translations, translated by Henry Clarke WarrenHarvard University Press, 1896The anthology the Harvard Classics excerpted; public domain and still a good sampler of the Pali texts.
These links go straight to Amazon and Bookshop.org and earn this site nothing today. Prices are the same either way. How this works.
The Harvard Classics selection draws on Henry Clarke Warren's 1896 anthology of texts from the Pali canon and its commentaries, the scriptures of Theravada Buddhism preserved in Sri Lanka. It is arranged in three parts. The Buddha gives the traditional life, from his birth as Prince Siddhattha through the great renunciation and enlightenment to his death. The Doctrine sets out the Four Noble Truths, dependent origination, the absence of a permanent self, karma and rebirth. The Order describes the rules and daily life of the monastic community.
No reading guide yet
The catalogue entry above is complete: the dates, the form, the themes and every program that assigns Buddhist Writings are verified against each program's published list.
What is missing is the part that takes real work: the summary, the key passages, and a recommended translation. The edition named below is the one most programs assign, so the buy links are useful already.