Reading tipps for a beginner - Pali canon!

[Atrey]

Hello all,
I have a question about buddhist literature and would appreciate your suggestions and tipps.

As a beginner, having read only a few of 'modern' buddhist books, some of them are Light on Enlightenment by Christopher Titmuss and Peace is every step by Thich Nhat Hanh. Now I would like to explore the Pali canon. Going to the source of all seems to be the best idea.

Now here comes the question - considering the extensivity of the Pali canon, on which part should I focus? Which of the three pitakas is important for a non-ordained buddhist like me? In which of them is Dhammapada?

I found a book in amazon called In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Bodhi, is that a good beginner literature?
These questions may seem a bit uninformed but I'm a beginner and need help!

Thanks!

[bodom]

I found a book in amazon called In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon by Bhikkhu Bodhi, is that a good beginner literature?

In my opinion that is absolutely the best book to start with if you are going to be looking into reading the suttas for the first time.

In which of them is Dhammapada?

The Dhammapada is located in the Khuddhaka Nikaya, one of the many books of the Sutta Pitaka.

[daverupa]

Going to the source of all seems to be the best idea.

on which part should I focus?

Aside from the above endorsement, I would definitely recommend the most recent edition of Bhikkhu Bodhi's Majjhima Nikaya. It's a very well-rounded Nikaya, hits all the main points, and (if this variable matters to you) has a delightful onionskin leaf similar to most Bibles which tends to encourage mindful page-turning. It can be quite an inspiring read.

[Atrey]

Thank you all for answering!

In my opinion that is absolutely the best book to start with if you are going to be looking into reading the suttas for the first time.

That's good to hear! I'm ordering it today

The Dhammapada is located in the Khuddhaka Nikaya, one of the many books of the Sutta Pitaka.

Do you maybe know whether Khuddhaka Nikaya can be found in the book?

Thanks!

[Atrey]

Aside from the above endorsement, I would definitely recommend the most recent edition of Bhikkhu Bodhi's Majjhima Nikaya. It's a very well-rounded Nikaya, hits all the main points, and (if this variable matters to you) has a delightful onionskin leaf similar to most Bibles which tends to encourage mindful page-turning. It can be quite an inspiring read.

Thank you for the recomending me Majjhima Nikaya.


All the main points wrapped in a delightful onionskin leaf...I can already imagine myself reading!

[bodom]

The Dhammapada is located in the Khuddhaka Nikaya, one of the many books of the Sutta Pitaka.
And Sutta Pitaka can be found in the book?

Yes all the suttas in this book are taken from the Sutta Pitaka. Keep in mind this is only an anthology of suttas and contains a selection of discourses, not the whole lot. The Sutta Pitaka is huge and in its entirety contains tens of thousands of suttas. In the Buddhas Words is a very comprehensive anthology though and covers all the essentials teachings of the Buddha.

You can view the book online here:
http://books.google.com/books/about/In_ ... OD5TeajGoC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here is also a PDF showing the table of contents:
http://downloads.wisdompubs.org/website ... review.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And finally here in this thread is contained talks on the book by the author himself Bhikkhu Bodhi:

Bhikkhu Bodhi Lectures: In the Buddha's Words
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2392" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Do you maybe know whether Khuddhaka Nikaya can be found in the book?

Yes there are a few suttas from the Khuddaka Nikaya, taken specifically from the books of Udana and Itivuttaka.

Here is an excellent outline of the Tipitaka with a list of all the books that can be found therein:

Tipitaka
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[plwk]

And Sutta Pitaka can be found in the book?

If it was, it would be thicker than the Bible, Quran and Wicca book of spells...all in one

See Bhikkhu Bodhi's collection of the Nikayas of the Sutta Pitaka or 'Teaching Basket' (so far only 3 has been produced and pending the Anguttara & Khuddaka Nikayas)

Another source: http://www.pariyatti.org/Bookstore/cata ... CatPos=166" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Online:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sutta.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://what-buddha-said.net/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/spectra/sutta_pitaka" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.leighb.com/suttas.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://metta.lk/tipitaka/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?tit ... tta_Pitaka" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Kare]

Since you live in Germany, you might be interested in some texts in German. There are several good collections.

A very small and handy anthology (easy to carry in the pocket for reading at the bus etc.) is Reclam's 'Reden des Buddha'.
http://www.amazon.de/Reden-Buddha-Gauta ... 256&sr=1-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another collection with the same title has a more 'normal' pocket book size:
http://www.amazon.de/Die-Reden-Buddha-H ... 256&sr=1-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another small, but also good, collection is Reclam's 'Die vier edlen Wahrheiten. Texte des ursprünglichen Buddhismus'
http://www.amazon.de/Die-vier-edlen-Wahrheiten-urspr" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;ünglichen/dp/3150034205/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307176639&sr=1-2

Nyanatiloka's classical anthology, 'Das Wort des Buddha' is also very good.
http://www.buddha-haus-shop.de/product_ ... uddha.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And the Dhammapada exists in several translations in German:
http://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?_ ... da&x=0&y=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are lots of other German translations of the Pali texts. If you want to go for a complete version of one of the Nikayas, I recommend the Majjhima Nikaya, translated by Kay Zumwinkel:
http://www.amazon.de/Die-Lehrreden-Budd ... 845&sr=1-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If Amazon no longer sells this one, try the publisher, Jhana Verlag, or an antiquariat.

[Adrien]

And I think this is the translation of Bhikkhu Bodhi's "In the Buddha's words" in german :
http://www.amazon.de/den-Worten-Buddha- ... 363&sr=1-1

[Atrey]

Yes all the suttas in this book are taken from the Sutta Pitaka. Keep in mind this is only an anthology of suttas and contains a selection of discourses, not the whole lot. The Sutta Pitaka is huge and in its entirety contains tens of thousands of suttas. In the Buddhas Words is a very comprehensive anthology though and covers all the essentials teachings of the Buddha.

I didn't know there are so many of them, thanks for that information! There is so much to read, I'm looking forward to reading it it, in this existence and the next!

And finally here in this thread is contained talks on the book by the author himself Bhikkhu Bodhi:

This is really interesting, thanks!

[Atrey]

If it was, it would be thicker than the Bible, Quran and Wicca book of spells...all in one

It is really amazing how many how extensive Buddhas teachings are..a sea of wisdom! This motivates me additionally

See Bhikkhu Bodhi's collection of the Nikayas of the Sutta Pitaka or 'Teaching Basket' (so far only 3 has been produced and pending the Anguttara & Khuddaka Nikayas)

The first, the blue one is the one I found on amazon, I'm ordering it today.

[Atrey]

Since you live in Germany, you might be interested in some texts in German. There are several good collections.

Thank you for all the sources, they are good starting points for my reading list.

Allthough I must mention I'm not a native german speaker, my german is like my english, fluent but I usually buy books in english becuase they are less expensive than the german translation.

[BKh]

I've been working on a website with tips encouraging people to develop a daily practice with the suttas.

http://www.readingfaithfully.org

As others have said, In the Buddha's Words in an excellent choice. If you are willing to commit to a half an hour a day of reading, you could also start right in with reading one sutta from the Majjhima Nikaya/Middle Length Discourses each day.

I highly recommend developing a habit of reading the suttas every day, even just a page. And don't be concerned if you don't understand everything your first read through. Focus your attention on what you do understand. Plan to read the book at least a second time when you finish.

Oh, and don't forget you can listen to suttas, too. http://www.audtip.org

[Atrey]

I will check out your site, sounds very interesting.
Thank you for valuable advices!

[Adrien]

I've been working on a website with tips encouraging people to develop a daily practice with the suttas.

http://www.readingfaithfully.org

Good work ! I liked what I saw there !