Nyanaponika Thera (1901–1994)

Review From LibraryThing:
This book consists of three parts. The middle part of this book contains a translation of the Satipatthana-sutta (30 pages) which claims to describe (p. 117) "the sole way [...] for the realization of Nibbana." The first part is an interpretation (by Nyanaponika Thera, henceforth called author) of this sutta together with a rudimentary introduction into a dedicated meditation practice (110 pages). The third part (60 pages) contains excerpts from the Pali-Canon and other sources that shall emphasize the importance of the sutta.

The first part took me by far the longest to read. The reason is not only that it occupies the most pages but rather that it is written in a very dry style and makes use of very sophisticated (intellectual and grammatical) constructions. Unfortunately, this dryness and sophistication seem appropriate for the subject at hand (maybe even necessary, for an analytical approach to the sutta). If one accepts this, however, one gets a concise and quite complete discussion of the core Buddhistic ideas.

The only real negative point that can be mentioned is that the author advertises the method put forth in the book/sutta as a panacea, e.g., (p.27) "The remedy that will prevent catastrophic developments [of modern civilization] is the Buddha's Middle Path."… (more)

A perennial favorite, Great Disciples of the Buddha is now relaunched in our best-selling Teachings of the Buddha series.

Twenty-four of the Buddha's most distinguished disciples are brought to life in ten chapters of rich narration. Drawn from a wide range of authentic Pali sources, the material in these stories has never before been assembled in a single volume. Through these engaging tales, we meet all manner of human beings - rich, poor, male, female, young, old - whose unique stories are told with an eye to the details of ordinary human concerns. When read with careful attention, these stories can sharpen our understanding of the Buddhist path by allowing us to contemplate the living portraits of the people who fulfilled the early Buddhist ideals of human perfection. The characters detailed include:

Sariputta Nanda Mahamoggallana Mahakassapa Ananda Isidasi Anuruddha Mahakaccana Angulimala Visakha and many more.
Conveniently annotated with the same system of sutta references used in each of the other series volumes, Great Disciples of the Buddha allows the reader to easily place each student in the larger picture of Buddha's life. It is a volume that no serious student of Buddhism should miss.… (more)

The Abhidhamma expounds a revolutionary system of philosophical psychology rooted in the twin Buddhist insights of selflessness and dependent origination. In keeping with the liberative thrust of early Buddhism, this system organizes the entire spectrum of human consciousness around the two poles of Buddhist doctrine—bondage and liberation—the starting point and the final goal. It thereby maps out, with remarkable rigor and precision, the inner landscape of the mind to be crossed through the practical work of Buddhist meditation. In this book of groundbreaking essays, Venerable Nyanaponika Thera, one of our age's foremost exponents of Theravada Buddhism, penetrates the Abhidhamma to make its principles intelligible to the thoughtful reader of today. Innovative and rich in insights, this book does not merely open up new avenues in the academic study of early Buddhism. By treating the Abhidhamma as a fountainhead of inspiration for philosophical and psychological inquiry, it demonstrates the continuing relevance of Buddhist thought to our most astute contemporary efforts to understand the elusive yet so intimate nature of the mind.… (more)