The Life and Teachings of the Buddha, according to the oldest texts

800 Pages·2016·8.67 MB·English

by  Allan R. Bomhard

C B F
HARLESTON UDDHIST ELLOWSHIP
The Life and
Teachings of
The Buddha
According to the oldest texts

Compiled from various sources by
Allan R. Bomhard
Study Guide and Reference Manual

The Life and
Teachings
Of the Buddha
According to the oldest texts
COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES BY
Allan R. Bomhard
C(cid:3457)(cid:3450)(cid:3467)(cid:3461)(cid:3454)(cid:3468)(cid:3469)(cid:3464)(cid:3463) B(cid:3470)(cid:3453)(cid:3453)(cid:3457)(cid:3458)(cid:3468)(cid:3469) F(cid:3454)(cid:3461)(cid:3461)(cid:3464)(cid:3472)(cid:3468)(cid:3457)(cid:3458)(cid:3465)
Charleston, SC USA

2015 (2559)
Charleston Buddhist Fellowship edition originally prepared in 1999 (2543).
Extensively revised between November 2007 (2551) and January 2008 (2552).
Expanded and revised again between March and June 2009 (2553).
Further corrections and refinements were made between November and December
2009 (2553) and again in 2012 (2556).
Revised, corrected, and expanded at the end of 2013 (2557) and the beginning of
2014 (2558).
The most recent corrections were made in May 2015 (2559), including the change
of title to The Life and Teachings of the Buddha, according to the oldest texts.
The doctrinal positions expressed in this book are based
upon the original teachings (aggavāda) of the Buddha.
The Charleston Buddhist Fellowship edition of this work is intended exclusively for use
in private study and is not intended for publication or resale. It is printed for free
distribution and may be copied or reprinted for free distribution, in total or in part,
without written permission.
Table of Contents

Preface ………………………………………………………………………….. ix
The Pāḷi Language ……………………………………………………………… xi

PART ONE: THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

1. The Buddha: From Birth to Renunciation …………………………………...… 1
2. His Struggle for Enlightenment ………………………………………………... 15
3. Buddhahood ……………………………………………………………………. 23
4. After His Enlightenment ……………………………………………………….. 29
5. The Invitation to Expound the Dhamma ………………………………………. 35
6. Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: The First Discourse ………………………… 45
7. The Teaching of the Dhamma …………………………………………………. 63
8. The Buddha and His Relatives ………………………………………………… 73
9. The Buddha’s Chief Opponents and Supporters ………………………………. 93
10. The Buddha’s Royal Patrons …………………………………………………... 109
11. The Buddha’s Ministry ………………………………………………………… 117
12. The Buddha’s Daily Routine …………………………………………………... 131
13. The Buddha’s Parinibbāna ……………………………………………………... 135

PART TWO: BACKGROUND

14. What is Buddhism? ……………………………………………………………. 157
15. Some Salient Characteristics of Buddhism ……………………………………. 167
16. The Original Teachings of the Buddha ………………………………………... 183
17. The Pāḷi Canon ………………………………………………………………… 197
18. The Three Councils ……………………………………………………………. 273
19. The Buddhist Schools …………………………………………………………. 277
20. The Sangha …………………………………………………………………….. 293
ii THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA, ACCORDING TO THE OLDEST TEXTS

PART THREE: THE DHAMMA

21. The Four Noble Truths ………………………………………………………… 303
22. The Noble Eightfold Path ……………………………………………………… 353
23. Kamma ………………………………………………………………………… 387
24. What is Kamma? ………………………………………………………………. 395
25. The Working of Kamma ………………………………………………………. 413
26. The Nature of Kamma …………………………………………………………. 425
27. What is the Origin of Life? ……………………………………………………. 431
28. The Buddha and the So-Called “Creator God” ………………………………... 437
29. Reasons to Believe in Rebirth …………………………………………………. 463
30. Paṭicca-Samuppāda: Dependent Origination …………………………………. 469
31. The Perceptual Process in Detail ……………………………………………… 491
32. Modes of Birth and Death …………………………………………………….. 517
33. Planes of Existence ……………………………………………………………. 519
34. How Rebirth Takes Place ……………………………………………………… 525
35. What is it that is Reborn? (Anattā — No Soul) ………………………………. 531
36. Moral Responsibility …………………………………………………………... 539
37. Karmic Ascent and Karmic Descent …………………………………………... 541
38. Nibbāna ………………………………………………………………………... 545
39. Characteristics of Nibbāna …………………………………………………….. 551
40. The Way to Nibbāna …………………………………………………………... 559
41. Meditation: Training the Mind ………………………………………………... 565
42. How to Meditate ……………………………………………………………….. 587
43. Mindfulness of Breathing: The Ānāpānasati Sutta …………………………… 599
44. The Seven Stages of Purification ……………………………………………… 617
45. Hindrances (Nīvaraṇa) ………………………………………………………… 635
46. Insight …………………………………………………………………………. 639
47. The Jhānas (Absorptions) ………………………….………………………….. 647
48. The State of an Arahant ……………………………………………………….. 699
49. The Bodhisatta Path …………………………………………………………… 705
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

50. Perfections (Pāramī / Pāramitā) ……………………………………………….. 713
51. The Sublime States (Brahmavihāra) …………………………………………... 733
52. Eight Worldly Conditions (Aṭṭhalokadhamma) ……………………………….. 753

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa.