A MANUAL OF BUDDHISM
Published by the Buddhist Missionary Society, 1992
Buddhist Vihara
123, Jalan Berhala
50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS BOOK
CHAPTER 1
THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA
The Birth
The Naming Ceremony
The Ploughing Festival
Prince Siddhattha’s Youth
Renunciation
The Search
His Struggle for Enlightenment
Temptation of Mara the Evil one
The Middle Path
The Enlightenment
CHAPTER 2
SOON AFTER THE ENLIGHTENMENT
A paean of Joy - Udana Gatha
The Seven Weeks after the Enlightenment
The First Two Converts
CHAPTER 3
THE BUDDHA PROPOUNDS HIS DHAMMA
Invitation to teach the Dhamma
On the Way to Benares To Teach the Dhamma
The Five Monks
CHAPTER 4
THE FIRST DISCOURSE
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
CHAPTER 5
THE SENDING OF THE MISSIONERS
The Conversion of Yasa
Exhortation to the First Missioners
Conversion of Thirty Young Men
Conversion of the Three Kassapa Brothers
The Buddha meets King Bimbisara
Conversion of Sariputta and Moggallana
CHAPTER 6
THE BUDDHA VISITS HIS BIRTHPLACE
King Suddhodana desires to see the Buddha
THE BUDDHA GOES ON HIS ALMS-ROUND
The King sees the Light
The Buddha and Princess Yasodhara
The Buddha and His stepbrother Nanda
The Buddha and Prince Rahula
The Buddha and Ananda
The Buddha and Devadatta
CHAPTER 7
THE BUDDHA’S MINISTRY
The First Twenty Years
The Order of Nuns
Angulimala
Anathapindika
Visakha
CHAPTER 8
THE BUDDHA’S DAILY ROUTINE
The Forenoon Session
The Afternoon Session
The First Watch
The Middle Watch
The Last Watch
CHAPTER 9
THE BUDDHA’S GREATNESS
The Buddha and the Caste System
The Buddha and Women
His Tolerance towards Dumb Animals
His Greatness
CHAPTER 10
THE BUDDHA’S PARINIBBANA
Mara
An Exhortation
The Venerable Dhammarama’s High Regard for the Buddha
The Buddha’s Last Meal
The Buddha assented by His silence
His Last Convert
The Last Scene
The Buddha’s Last Moment
CHAPTER 11
KAMMA
Kusala Kamma
Akusala Kamma
The Cause of Kamma
The Doer of Kamma
Where is Kamma?
Classification of Kamma
Is everything due to Kamma?
Utu Niyama
Bija Niyama
Kamma Niyama
Dhamma Niyama
Cita Niyama
CHAPTER 12
REBIRTH
Reasons to believe in a Past Birth
The Cause of this Rebirth Process
The Wheel of Life
The Modes of Birth and Death
The Four Modes of Birth
How Rebirth takes place
No-Soul Anatta Pancakkhandha
How is Rebirth possible without a Soul to be Reborn?
CHAPTER 13
THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS
CHAPTER 14
NIBBANA
Definition
Is Nibbana Nothingness?
Sopadisesa and Anupadisesa Nibbana Dhatu
Three Distinct Characteristics of Nibbana
Where is Nibbana?
What attains Nibbana?
CHAPTER 15
THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH
CHAPTER 16
NIVARANA OR HINDRANCES
CHAPTER 17
THE THREE COUNCILS
The First Council
Tipitaka
The Second Council
Ten Unlawful Points
The Third Council
CHAPTER 18
ASOKA AND HIS MISSIONS
Asoka’s family
Asoka becomes King
His Conversion to Buddhism
Asoka’s Missioners
The Mission to Ceylon
CHAPTER 19
THE MANGALA SUTTA
Blessing
CHAPTER 20
PARABHAVA SUTTA
Downfall
CHAPTER 21
THE METTA SUTTA
Loving Kindness
CHAPTER 22
THE VYAGGHAPAJJA SUTTA
Causes of Worldly Progress
Causes of Spiritual Progress
ABOUT THIS BOOK
This is a fairly comprehensive book enabling the reader to appreciate
and understand certain important finer aspects of Theravada Buddhism. This
book would also serve as a reference, for both Teachers and Students alike,
gain a good insight into the fundamentals of Buddhism.
The author, the late Venerable Narada Maha Thera was a well-known Buddhist
Missioner. He is also the author of many
other Buddhist Publications. We are grateful to him for his kind
permission, enabling; this reprint to be effected in Malaysia.
Special thanks are due to Ven. U. Nipuna Mr. Tan Teik Beng, Mr. Eddy
Yu Chen Lim, Ms. Quah Pin Pin and Ms. Chong Hong Choo for their valuable
assistance in the reproduction of this book.
K. SRI DHAMMANANDA J.S.M.
Buddhist Missionary Society
Buddhist Vihara, Jalan Berhala,
50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
September,1992