Unravelling the Mysteries of Mind and Body Through Abhidhamma

Unravelling the Mysteries of Mind and Body Through Abhidhamma by Sayalay Susil. Abhidhamma is a Pali word , the language in which the Theravadin records of the teachings of the Buddha have been recorded. The word is composed of the two parts, ‘abhi’ meaning ‘higher’ or ‘greater’ and ‘dhamma’ which means ‘reality’ or ‘truth’ (it [...]

The Life and Work of Buddhaghosa

The Life and Work of Buddhaghosa is the biography of Buddhaghosa a 5th-century Indian Theravadin Buddhist commentator and scholar. Buddhaghosa’s best-known work is the Visuddhimagga, or Path of Purification, a comprehensive summary and analysis of the Theravada understanding of the Buddha’s path to liberation. The interpretations provided by Buddhaghosa have constituted the orthodox understanding of Theravada scriptures since [...]

For the Stilling of Volcanoes by Sujiva

For the Stilling of Volcanoes is written byVen. Sujiva, the founder of Santisukharama, is a Malaysian Theravadin Buddhist monk. He is a well known and respected Vipassana meditation teacher who has dedicated his life to the teaching and propagation of Vipassana meditation. For the Stilling of Volcanoes is brief guide to various meditation forms, including some very [...]

The Venerable Phra Acharn Mun Bhuridatta Thera Meditation Master

The Venerable Phra Acharn Mun Bhuridatta Thera Meditation Master is the biography of the late Venerable Meditation Master Phra Acharn Mun Bhuridatto. It is the result of compiling of information supplied by a number of his contemporary disciples who had been under his guidance at different times. This is a detailed biography of a dedicated Buddhist monk i [...]

How to Develop Metta – Loving Kindness

How to Develop Metta – Loving Kindness – by Chanmyay Myaing Sayadaw is another newer (2007) book from the Bodhiyarama Hermitage in Malaysia. According to the scriptures, metta is the wish for the welfare and happiness of all living beings. Metta only wishes for the well-being of all living beings, metta has no expectations and [...]

Rude Awakenings and Great Patient One by Ajahn Sucitto and Nick Scott

Rude Awakenings and Great Patient One by Ajahn Sucitto and Nick Scott are based on the notes of their six months pilgramage, retracing the footsteps of the Buddha thorugh India. Rude Awakenings and the sequel Great Patient One are the heady record of survival and spirituality set against the dramatic backdrop of one of India’s most lawless [...]

Everything is Teaching us – A Collection of Teachings by Venerable Ajahn Chah

A great thing about the Theravada tradition is that all books are given away for free. As they say: “The gift of Dhamma surpasses all other gifts.” This also goes for this work “Everything is Teaching us – A Collection of Teachings by Venerable Ajahn Chah”. Here Ajahn Chah stresses the importance of not solely [...]

Forest Path – Talks, essays, poems, drawings and photographs from the community at Wat Pah Nanachat

Forest Path  - Talks, essays, poems, drawings and photographs from the community at Wat Pah Nanachat was published in 1999 from the Wat Pah Nanachat monastary in Northeast Thailand. The monastary was founded in 1975 as a place for studying the Buddhistic Theravada Forest Tradition for foreigners or non-thai speakers. This book consists of a selection of [...]

The Practice Which Leads To Nibbana

The Practice Which Leads To Nibbana is another newer work (1998) from the Pa Auk Tawya monestary in Burma. It was written for guest and also foreigners visiting the monestary. From the introduction: “The method of meditation that is taught at Pa Auk Tawya Monastery is based on the Visuddhimagga commentary. That method involves several stages [...]

The Workings of Kamma

The Workings of Kamma by Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw from the Pa-Auk Forrest Monestary in Myanmar (Burma) is an in depth explanation of the concepts of Kamma or Karma. The book uses stories, suttas, graphical illustrations and dhamma talks from the monestary to underline its conclusions. Download the work here (504 pages): The Workings of Kamma

Contemplation of the Mind – Practising Cittanupassana

Contemplation of the Mind – Practising Cittanupassana by Bhikku Khemavamsa is ‘hands on’ manual for those yogis who are interested in adding a new level to their Vipassana meditation work. Cittanupassana means the ‘Contemplation of the Consciousness’ as mentioned in the Mahasatipatthana Sutta. Often Cittanupassana is simply translated as ‘the watching of the mind.’ Download [...]

On the Path to Freedom – A Mind of Wise Discernment and Openess

On the Path to Freedom – A mind of wise discernment and openess by Sayadaw U Pandita is a compilation of dhamma discourses given to foreign yogis at the Mahasi Meditation Centre in Myanmar during 1986 – 1987. These lectures are advanced, practical instructions for meditators in the Theravada tradition as it is thought in [...]

A Manual of the Excellent Man by Ledi Sayadaw

A Manual of the Excellent Man – Uttamapurisa Dīpanī. Ledi Sayadaw was the “father” of the insight meditation tradition in Burma. Before he became famous, only a few monks practised insight meditation, and even fewer lay people. He lived during the time of the British Raj, when many ignorant Buddhists were converting to Christianity. Because of [...]

Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation

Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation by Mahasi Sayadaw was published in 1991. Vipassana meditation also called insight meditation is a basic approach used by diverse traditions. Mahasi Sayadaw, died in 1982, was a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk and meditation master who had a significant impact on the teaching of Vipassana meditation in the West and throughout Asia. [...]

The Practical Way To Nibbana – The Four Foundations of Mindfulness

The Practical Way To Nibbana  a series of lectures drawing on the original instructions from Mahasatipatthana Sutta - The Great Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness. This is one of the core texts in Theravada Buddhism and it has something that most of the old scriptures lack – an understanding of the individual practitioners personality and how it affects his meditations [...]