The Buddha before Buddhism: Wisdom from the Early Teachings
Gil Fronsdal
Nov 2016 · Shambhala Publications
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About this ebook
This easy-to-understand translation of one of the earliest surviving Buddhist texts offers a pathway to awakening that is simple, straightforward, and free of religious doctrine
One of the earliest of all Buddhist texts, the Atthakavagga, or “Book of Eights,” is a remarkable document, not only because it comes from the earliest strain of the literature—before the Buddha, as the title suggests, came to be thought of as a “Buddhist”—but also because its approach to awakening is so simple and free of adherence to any kind of ideology. Instead the Atthakavagga points to a direct and simple approach for attaining peace without requiring the adherence to doctrine.
The value of the teachings it contains is not in the profundity of their philosophy or in their authority as scripture; rather, the value is found in the results they bring to those who live by them. Instead of doctrines to be believed, the “Book of Eights” describes means or practices for realizing peace. Gil Fronsdal’s rigorous translation with commentary reveals the text to be of interest not only to Buddhists, but also to the ever-growing demographic of spiritual-but-not-religious, who seek a spiritual life outside the structures of religion.
One of the earliest of all Buddhist texts, the Atthakavagga, or “Book of Eights,” is a remarkable document, not only because it comes from the earliest strain of the literature—before the Buddha, as the title suggests, came to be thought of as a “Buddhist”—but also because its approach to awakening is so simple and free of adherence to any kind of ideology. Instead the Atthakavagga points to a direct and simple approach for attaining peace without requiring the adherence to doctrine.
The value of the teachings it contains is not in the profundity of their philosophy or in their authority as scripture; rather, the value is found in the results they bring to those who live by them. Instead of doctrines to be believed, the “Book of Eights” describes means or practices for realizing peace. Gil Fronsdal’s rigorous translation with commentary reveals the text to be of interest not only to Buddhists, but also to the ever-growing demographic of spiritual-but-not-religious, who seek a spiritual life outside the structures of religion.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Peter Hofstee-Schenk
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July 8, 2020
Clearly written book on an Buddhist text that might be written before the many Buddhist texts that have gained popularity.
About the author
GIL FRONSDAL is part of the Vipassana Teachers' Collective at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He has a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Stanford. He practiced in both the Zen and Insight Meditation worlds, ordaining as a Soto priest in 1982 and as a Theravada monk in Burma in 1985. He's guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California. He's also one of the most prolific publishers of audio dharma talks today, through the venues of Dharma Seed, Audio Dharma, Zencast, and elsewhere.
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