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What the Buddha Taught
How should we study Buddhism? What kind of mindset should we adopt if we are not religious followers, but want to learn about the timeless wisdom embodied in the Buddha’s teachings?
These are the questions I asked myself when I started a Facebook group, titled What the Buddha Taught. The title is based on a book originally published in 1959 by a prominent Buddhist scholar, Wapola Rahula. It has been used as a standard textbook for a college-level introductory course in Buddhism. While the bulk of the contents is based on the Theravada tradition and the Pali Canon, the book serves to give a succinct overview of what original Buddhism might look like. In particular, I like the book’s philosophical and non-religious approach. It is appropriate for both the religious students and the secularists. I particularly like its first chapter, which introduces the “Buddhist attitude of mind.” In my opinion, this is the best chapter in the book. For it clearly distinguishes Buddha’s founding spirit from the spirit of other religions such as Christianity and Islam — Buddha encouraged critical thinking.
It is for this reason that What the Buddha Taught is a perfect textbook for non-religious people, academics, and secularists. I have been inspired by this book. I have read it over a dozen times. Following Buddha’s founding spirit of free inquiry, my Buddhist study group does not automatically…
