Beginnings

Suggested Entry Points to this Website

There are more than 1,300 web pages on this site, containing hundreds of books, articles, sutta translations, and more. If you're new to the site — or to the teachings of Theravada Buddhism — you may find these starting points helpful in getting yourself oriented.

General information about Theravada Buddhism:

• What is Theravada Buddhism?
• Theravada Buddhism: A Chronology
• A Sketch of the Buddha's Life: Readings from the Pali Canon
• Frequently Asked Questions About Buddhism

Introduction to the Buddha's teachings:

• The Path to Freedom: A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings
• The Nobility of the Truths, by Bhikkhu Bodhi
• Refuge: an Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• Study Guides: annotated anthologies of short passages from the Canon, for individual or group study
• Frequently Asked Questions About Buddhism
• Many of the Bodhi Leaves booklets offer personal reflections on Budddhism that newcomers often find helpful.

Beginning meditation:

• A Guided Meditation, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
• Buddho, by Ajaan Thate
• Starting Out Small: A Collection of Talks for Beginning Meditators, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

Reading the Suttas:

• Befriending the Suttas:
  • Why should I read the suttas?
  • Which suttas should I read?
  • How should I read a sutta?
• The Buddha's first sermon

Useful reference points:

• Site map
• Frequently asked questions about the website
• How to download the entire website
• The indexes:

  All texts: Index by Author Index by Subject Index by Title Suttas only: Index of Suttas Index of Proper Names Index of Similes Index by Number

Need more help?

Help is always just a click away: click on the Help link at the top left corner of each page.