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Contemporary Western Writers and Teachers

Thanissaro Bhikkhu

(Geoffrey DeGraff; 1949- )

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Note: Thanissaro Bhikkhu has also translated into English many books by masters of the Thai forest tradition including Ajaan Lee, Ajaan Fuang, Upasika Kee Nanayon, and Ajaan Maha Boowa.

Download the complete set of texts listed below
(excluding The Buddhist Monastic Code, Mind Like Fire Unbound, and Wings to Awakening, which, because of their size, must be downloaded individually).

Affirming the Truths of the Heart: The Buddhist Teachings on Samvega & Pasada, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 13k/4pp.)
Popular interpretations of Buddhism today often ignore the importance of two powerful emotions, emotions that propelled the Buddha -- and all those who have sought Awakening since -- towards the goal of Awakening: samvega, a sense of urgency to escape the round of meaningless existence; and pasada, a clarity and serene confidence that allows one to proceed confidently towards the goal without lapsing into despair. In this short essay the author explores the meaning of these essential emotions and how we can encourage them to blossom in our lives.
Basic Breath Meditation Instructions, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1994; 8k/3pp.)
A guided meditation, from the talk, "Using Meditation to Deal with Pain, Illness & Death".
The Buddhist Monastic Code: The Patimokkha Training Rules Translated and Explained, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1996; multi-part HTML book; 1273k/574pp.)
A comprehensive modern commentary to the 227 rules observed by Theravada monks. This book is now in widespread use at English-language Theravada monasteries around the world. (Printed copies of this book are available free of charge upon request from: Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082 USA. For delivery to Asia or Australia, please write instead to: Phrakhru Pariyatti Dhammasamodhan, Wat Makut Kasatriyaram, Krung Kasem Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.)
This book is also available in the following format:
- The Buddhist Monastic Code -- archived hypertext edition (complete set of HTML files, zipped)
The Customs of the Noble Ones, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 18k/6pp.)
A popular theory today maintains that the Buddha's teachings have survived all these years thanks to Buddhism's ability to adapt to the customs of whatever culture it finds itself at a particular moment in history. The history of the Thai forest Kammatthana tradition, however, stands in stark opposition to this notion. In fact, as the author argues in this essay, history suggests that the Dhamma truly survives only where people have been willing to adapt their own customs and habits so as to meet the Dhamma face-to-face, "on its own terms," in the wilderness.
Dhammapada: A Translation, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Barre, MA: Dhamma Dana Publications, 1997; multi-part HTML book; 288k/150pp.)
The Dhammapada, an anthology of verses attributed to the Buddha, has long been recognized as one of the masterpieces of early Buddhist literature. Only more recently have scholars realized that it is also one of the early masterpieces in the Indian tradition of kavya, or belles lettres. This translation of the Dhammapada is an attempt to render the verses into English in a way that does justice to both of the traditions to which the text belongs. This translation also grew from the translator's conviction that the text deserved to be offered freely as a gift of Dhamma. As few good-quality translations of this beloved text are currently available as gifts, the translator was inspired to make his own. Thus was this translation born. Printed copies of this book are available free of charge from Dhamma Dana Publications.
This book is also available in the following formats:
- Dhammapada -- archived hypertext edition (complete set of HTML files, zipped)
- Dhammapada -- Microsoft Word 6.0 for Windows/Macintosh (zipped archive; 75k)
The Economy of Gifts, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 12k/4pp.)
This short essay explores the vital role of giving (dana) in Theravada Buddhism, especially as it is expressed in the relation between the lay and monastic communities. These mutually dependent communities support one another by means of an economy based entirely on generosity itself, thus offering us a refreshing alternative to modern Western materialism.
Emptiness, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 7k/3pp.)
In this short essay the author explains the role of emptiness in the practice of meditation.
The Healing Power of the Precepts, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 11k/3pp.)
Many people today have come to the Buddha's teachings in search of emotional and spiritual healing. In this short essay the author reminds us that the single most effective tool for healing a wounded heart may be found in the cultivation of sila, or virtuous conduct.
Karma, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1996; 8k/2pp.)
This short introductory essay explains the nature of karma (Pali: kamma), or willful action. The process of karma is a complex interplay between the fruits of our past actions (over which we have no control in the present) and the choices we make in the present moment; it is not a bland justification for the misfortune of others ("Oh, it's just their karma!").
Life Isn't Just Suffering, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2000; 14k/5pp.)
Did the Buddha focus on suffering because he was a pessimist? Did he really say that life is suffering? Or was he a realist with something much more useful to say?
The Meaning of the Buddha's Awakening, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 9k/3pp.)
Although the Buddha's Awakening took place long ago in ancient India, the fact of his Awakening is very much alive today and has profound implications for how we approach Buddhist practice. In this essay the author explores both the What and the How of the Buddha's Awakening: what he awakened to and how he did it.
The Mind Like Fire Unbound: An Image in the Early Buddhist Discourses, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Barre, MA: Dhamma Dana Publications, 1993; Third edition, revised 1999; multi-part HTML book; 250k/100pp.)
Early Buddhism borrowed two of its central terms from the workings of fire. Upadana, or clinging, originally referred to the fuel that kept fire burning; nibbana, the name of the goal, to a fire's going out. This is the first book to examine these terms from the perspective of how the early Buddhists themselves viewed fire -- what they saw happening as a fire burned, and what happened to the fire when it went out -- to show what light this perspective throws on Buddhist doctrine in general, and the practice of meditation in particular. With extensive quotations from the Pali Canon, newly translated, this is also a useful sourcebook for anyone who wants to encounter Buddhist teachings in their earliest known context. Printed copies of this book are available free of charge from Dhamma Dana Publications.
This book is also available in the following format:
- The Mind Like Fire Unbound -- archived hypertext edition (complete set of HTML files, zipped)
Nibbana, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1996; 5k/2pp.)
This short essay sketches the use of fire imagery in early Buddhism to describe Nibbana, the goal of Buddhist practice. This essay is a good starting point before tackling the more comprehensive book on the same subject: The Mind Like Fire Unbound: An Image in the Early Buddhist Discourses.
No-self or Not-self?, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1996; 7k/2pp.)
Are the Buddhist teachings of not-self (anatta) to be taken as statements of metaphysical truth, or as a teaching device to assist the practitioner in reaching the final goal, which lies altogether outside the realm of "self" or "not-self"? As this compelling essay reveals, a careful look at the canonical teachings suggests the latter. (This is Ven. Thanissaro's second essay on the subject. For a more expanded treatment, with supporting quotes from the Pali Canon, see his 1993 essay, "The Not-self Strategy.")
The Not-self Strategy, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1993; 24k/8pp.)
Is the central Buddhist teaching of anatta (not-self) a statement of metaphysical truth, or is it a strategy for gaining release from suffering? In this essay the author demonstrates, through a careful reading of the key passages from the Pali Canon on the subject of anatta, that the latter may, in fact, be the case. (This is Ven. Thanissaro's first essay on the subject, containing quotes from the Pali Canon to support his argument. It originally appeared in the magazine "Insight" in 1994. For a more concise treatment see his 1995 essay, "No-self or Not-self?.")
One Tool Among Many: The Place of Vipassana in Buddhist Practice, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1998; 21k/7pp.)
What is the relationship between calm (samatha) and insight (vipassana) in Buddhist meditation? A careful reading of the suttas in the Pali Canon suggests that the two are not separate meditation methods (as many commentators -- classical and contemporary -- suggest), but two aspects of a single, unified practice. According to the suttas, correct meditation practice thus calls for us to develop both aspects and to bring them into balance.
The Path of Concentration & Mindfulness, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 21k/7pp.)
Did the Buddha teach that concentration and mindfulness are two distinct paths of meditation -- as is commonly understood -- or that they are two inseparable parts of a single unified path of practice? In this article, adapted from a talk given at CIMC in 1996, Thanissaro Bhikkhu suggests that the heart of insight practice as taught by the Buddha consists of the skillful development of both jhanic concentration and mindfulness.
Questions of Skill, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2001; 15k/5pp.)
"The Buddha wasn't the sort of teacher who simply answered questions. He also taught which questions to ask." So begins the author, who explains here how the essence of Buddhist practice consists in learning how to ask skillful questions.
Refuge: an Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997; 209k/69pp.)
This short book provides an excellent introduction to the most basic principles of Buddhism: the Buddha, Dhamma & Sangha, collectively known as the Triple Gem or Triple Refuge. The material is divided into three parts: (I) a pair of introductory essays on the meaning of refuge and the act of going for refuge; (II) a series of readings drawn from the earliest Buddhist texts illustrating the essential qualities of the Triple Gem; and (III) a set of essays explaining aspects of the Triple Gem that often provoke questions in those who are new to the Buddha's teachings. Printed copies of this book are available free of charge from the author (Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Metta Forest Monastery, PO Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082, USA).
Right Speech, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 4k/2pp.)
For many of us, right speech is the most difficult of the precepts to honor. Yet practicing right speech is fundamental both to helping us become trustworthy individuals and to helping us gain mastery over the mind. So choose your words -- and your motives for speaking -- with care.
The Road to Nirvana is Paved with Skillful Intentions, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 14k/5pp.)
According to the basic principle of karma, our underlying intentions play a crucial role in determining the ultimate fruits of our actions. As the author explains in this essay, if we're genuinely interested in pursuing the goal of the Buddha's teachings, it's not enough that we act merely with good intentions; rather, we must learn, through honest self-reflection and association with virtuous and wise friends, to cultivate skillfulness in our intentions.
Samsara Divided by Zero, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (2000; 8k/2pp.)
How can the path of practice, which is fabricated, ever hope to deliver us to the goal -- nibbana -- which is itself unfabricated? A striking analogy from modern chaos theory helps untangle this ancient paradox.
That the True Dhamma Might Last a Long Time: Readings Selected by King Asoka, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (ed. and tr.; 2nd edition; 1996; 61k/20pp.)
A collection of short readings from the Pali Canon, which King Asoka (India, 273-232 B.C.E) selected as representative of the essence of the Dhamma. (See also The Edicts of King Asoka, by Ven. S. Dhammika.)
Trading Candy for Gold: Renunciation as a Skill, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1999; 13k/3pp.)
Which would you rather have: an unquenchable thirst for sense-gratification, or a stable, true, and lasting happiness? The choice is yours.
Using Meditation to Deal with Pain, Illness & Death, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1993; 33k/11pp.)
A talk given to a conference on AIDS, HIV and other Immuno-deficiency Disorders in Long Beach, CA, Nov. 13, 1993.
The Wings to Awakening: an Anthology from the Pali Canon, translated and explained by Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Barre, Mass.: Dhamma Dana Publications, 1996; multi-part HTML book; 350k/180pp.)
One facet of the Buddha's genius as a teacher was his ability to organize the vast body of spiritual teachings he left behind so that his students -- his contemporaries and all those who have come since -- could readily put the teachings into practice and reap their results. The "Wings to Awakening" (bodhipakkhiya-dhamma) is the Buddha's own list of his most important teachings, and includes teachings on the Four Frames of Reference, the Four Right Exertions, the Four Bases of Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Strengths, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and the Noble Eightfold Path. Toward the end of his life, the Buddha stated several times that as long as the teachings in this list were remembered and put into practice, his message would endure. The Buddha himself described the Wings to Awakening as being what was most worth mastering and passing along to others.
The material gathered in this anthology consists of over 200 newly translated passages from the suttas, along with extensive commentary to help the reader grasp their full meaning and their relation to the practice of meditation. This volume is thus both a treasure-house of important passages from the Canon covering the key points of the Buddha's teachings, as well as a practical manual to help the serious meditation student navigate through some of the most fundamental and profound points of Dhamma.
Printed copies of this book are available free of charge from Dhamma Dana Publications.
This book is also available in the following formats:
- Wings to Awakening -- archived hypertext edition (complete set of HTML files, zipped)
- Wings to Awakening -- Microsoft Word 6.0 for Windows/Macintosh (zipped archive; 280k)

Revised: Thu 8 March 2001

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