A Guide to the Buddhist Path

Sangharakshita is the founder of the Triratna Buddhist Community, a worldwide Buddhist movement. He has a lifetime of teaching experience and is the author of over 40 books.

Preface PART ONE Introduction THE BUDDHA - Who is the Buddha? - Archetypal Symbolism in the Biography of the Buddha - The Symbolism of the Five Buddhas, 'Male' and 'Female' - The Five Wisdoms THE DHARMA - The Word of the Buddha - Wrong View, Right View, Perfect View - The Wheel of Life and the Spiral Path - The Six Realms - The Twelve Links - Stopping the Wheel - The Spiral Path THE SANGHA - The Traditional Significance of the Sangha - The Primacy of Going for Refuge - What Members of the Spiritual Community Do - Communication - Friendship - Unfailing Mutual Kindness PART TWO Introduction MORALITY - The Criterion of Ethics - The Five Precepts - The Principle of Non-Violence - The Principle of Non-Exploitation - Contentment - Levels of Communication - Awareness MEDITATION - A System of Meditation - The Five Basic Methods of Meditation - Alienated Awareness and Integrated Awareness - The Four Brahma-Viharas - The Dhyanas - The Symbolism of the Five Elements in the Stupa - The Stupa Visualisation Practice WISDOM - The Three Characteristics of Existence - The Bodhicitta - How the Bodhicitta Arises - Enlightenment, Eternity, and Time - The 'Goal' of Nirvana - Enlightenment Further Reading Notes Index