Skip to main content

just starting, book recommendations for beginners



https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/ei2gl9/could_someone_recommend_a_book_to_help_me/
Could someone recommend a book to help me understand The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path better and in more detail?
I am interested in learning about Buddhism and just starting. I thought starting with the core pillars would be a good place to start.


Here, are all of Thanissaro Bhikkhu's books (all free, downloadable ebooks available or you can request a print copy).

https://www.dhammatalks.org/

click under the "for beginners tab".

That's probably the best place to start.

His book "Wings to awakening" covers 37 factors of which 4NT and noble eight fold path are among them, and he covers at great length and in detail, which is why I would recommend going through the beginner material above first, otherwise the detail is going to go over your head.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Lucid24.org: What's new?

Link to lucid24.org home page :    4šŸ‘‘☸   Remember, you may have to click the refresh button on your web browser navigation bar at to get updated website. 2026 1-30 Overhauled the DN, MN, SN menu pages - Supreme navigation January 30, 2026 2025 12-16 2025-12 December: Major update on look and feel of Lucid24.org 2024 9-17 Lots of new stuff in the last 2 and a half years.  Too many to list. Main one justifying new blog entry, is redesign of home page. Before, it was designed to please me, super dense with everything in one master control panel. I've redesigned it to be friendly to newbies and everyone really. Clear structure, more use of space.  At someone's request, I added a lucid24.org google site search at top of home page. 2022 4-14 Major update to lucid24.org, easy navigation of suttas, quicklink: the ramifications 4-2 new feature lucid24.org sutta quick link 3-28 A new translation of SN 38.16, and first jhāna is a lot easier than you think šŸ”—šŸ“notes relat...

My thoughts on Dalai Lama kissing boy, and the solution

HHDL = His holiness, the Dalai Lama I've collected good references here, including the actual video, and snippets from forums discussions containing valid critcism and explanations of cultural context, and most importantly, what the rules of the actual vinaya that buddhist monks are supposed to follow: 1min. video: Dalai Lama kissing boy and asking him to suck his tongue At the time of this writing, HHDL is about 88 years old. He has an exemplary record devoting his life to compassionate service to all living beings,  as a Tibetan Buddhist monk. In this age of 'me too',  everyone with a cell phone with high resolution cameras, and the ability to quickly publicize any indiscretion or sexual crime, we've seen sexual predators in positions of power being exposed and convicted. Leaders of large corporations,  governments, professional sports, doctors, leaders in all religions. Tibetan Buddhism has an especially poor track record with corrupt sexual predators. https://thewal...

Explanation from B. Thanissaro regarding Ajahn Mun biography section where he has conversations with (living) Buddhas

Ajahn Mun Bio, account of conversation with Buddhas excerpt from p.172 Venerable ƃcariya Mun Bhýridatta Thera: A Spiritual Biography by ƃcariya MahĆ£ Boowa Ñãõasampanno.   http://www.forestdhamma.org/ebooks/english/pdf/Acariya_Mun__A_Spiritual_Biography.pdf On the nights subsequent to ƃcariya Mun’s attainment of vimutti, a number of Buddhas, accompanied by their Arahant disciples, came to congratulate him on his vimuttidhamma. One night, a certain Buddha, accompanied by tens of thousands of Arahant disciples, came to visit; the next night, he was visited by another Buddha who was accompanied by hundreds of thousands of Arahant disciples. Each night a different Buddha came to express his appreciation, accompanied by a different number of Arahant disciples. ƃcariya Mun stated that the number of accompanying Arahant disciples varied according to each Buddha’s relative accumulation of merit – a factor that differed from one Buddha to the next. Many critics cite that passa...