Sunday 16 March 2014

Buddha and His Teachings - Dr Kingsley Heendeniya


"Buddha and His Teachings is a unique presentation of the doctrine of not-self, the doctrine upon which the Dhamma was set rolling for more than 2,500 years ago. The author identifies misinterpretations of the Dhamma, that have lasted for 2000 years, to continue the work begun by his mentor Venerable Nanavira Thera, who became a cult figure after he wrote Clearing the Path. This book provides the percipient reader an insight of the teachings of the Buddha, composed from Suttas and related texts, along with copious annotations for further study, and a glossary of Pali words used in the Dhamma – all written in a lucid style." 

"Dr Kingsley Heendeniya is well known for his regular writings on Dhamma. He devotes his time entirely to the study of the discourses of the Buddha. Presently retired from the ministry of Health and Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, Sri Lanka, he was also a consultant in Health Services and Research to agencies such as WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and World Bank. He has travelled widely often leading international study groups. He lives with his wife in Sri Lanka." 

The book is written to the invitation of the publisher to complement their series of titles on the great religious that the extent today. My aim is to give an overview of the life and times of the Buddha - who does not need any introduction - and his teachings, in a planned collection of essays, to indicate particularly, as another book is in this genre do not why we taught it. The book will be sold worldwide and therefore, I shall limit esoteric words, omitting also diacritical marks, used scholarly for correct enunciation of Pali. The Buddha spoke Prakrit, a spoken dialect in northern India, now extinct. His teaching was written down in Sri lanka in Pali, a precise language developed from it, used exclusively in the Dhamma. (The Dhamma is written also in Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese, Thai, Korean, English, German, French etc.) I have included a list of useful Pali words with their diacritical marks.

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