which dhamma texts would you pick?

[alan...]

500 people are going to be moving permanently to an island in the middle of nowhere. they know almost nothing about the dhamma but they all want to study it on the island. the island is cut off from the rest of the world for good, the people will move to it and have zero contact with the world forever more.

they have asked you to pick texts for them to study, there is no internet and no computers, no tvs or mp3 players on the island. you have a budget of $60 and that's it, and twenty minutes on a computer that is locked on amazon to order them. you will not see the books or the people, the books will be delivered to the people just before they depart, they will not come to your house or anything. you cannot go to the island with them. your only contact with them will be that the books you order will reach them, that's all.

what do you give them?

EDIT: the people have everything else they need, all they need is dhamma books.

[polarbuddha101]

In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi. The 5 Dialogues by Plato (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, are the important ones). The Experience of Samadhi: An In-Depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation By Richard Shankman. The Philosopher's Toolkit: A Compendium of Philosophical Concepts and Methods. Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation by Larry Rosenberg.

Or alternatively if I were not to supply them the philosophy books I'd add:

The Majjhima Nikaya

[alan...]

In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi. The 5 Dialogues by Plato (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, are the important ones). The Experience of Samadhi: An In-Depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation By Richard Shankman. The Philosopher's Toolkit: A Compendium of Philosophical Concepts and Methods. Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation by Larry Rosenberg.

Or alternatively if I were not to supply them the philosophy books I'd add:

The Majjhima Nikaya

good answer!!!

[manas]

500 people are going to be moving permanently to an island in the middle of nowhere. they know almost nothing about the dhamma but they all want to study it on the island. the island is cut off from the rest of the world for good, the people will move to it and have zero contact with the world forever more...

Crikey, for a minute there I thought you were talking about Australia...

Regarding dhamma books, I would want the entire sutta-pitaka, and comprehensive texts on learning pali fluently and thoroughly, for starters...I'll have to think about the rest though

[alan...]

500 people are going to be moving permanently to an island in the middle of nowhere. they know almost nothing about the dhamma but they all want to study it on the island. the island is cut off from the rest of the world for good, the people will move to it and have zero contact with the world forever more...

Crikey, for a minute there I thought you were talking about Australia...

Regarding dhamma books, I would want the entire sutta-pitaka, and comprehensive texts on learning pali fluently and thoroughly, for starters...I'll have to think about the rest though

$60 budget.

[manas]

Oops I forgot about this bit

you will not see the books or the people, the books will be delivered to the people just before they depart, they will not come to your house or anything. you cannot go to the island with them. your only contact with them will be that the books you order will reach them, that's all.

in which case I'm really stumped. I don't know if people could actually learn the Dhamma *just* from books, without losing their way. I thought that *some* occasional guidance and correction from someone who has walked the Path before is essential.

[reflection]

Depends on the persons. Some people who never have read anything about Buddhism before, I gave books that I taught would fit their personalities and interests. Doesn't have to be Therevada. For example, Buddhism Plain and Simple or something by Thich Nhat Hahn can fit people. If I'd given them suttas instead, they would not have been impressed.

I don't read a lot, but if I were to ship a clone of myself $60 worth of texts to use on the island, they'd be: The Brahmajala Sutta for sure, Nyanatiloka's The Word of the Buddha and Ajahn Brahmavamso's Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond. Those all seem to work for me. Still enough money left to buy an anthology of the suttas in my own language and a manual on how to build a boat. And I would include a note: read the heart most of all.

[Ben]

What is the point of this thread?

[polarbuddha101]

What is the point of this thread?

My guess is that Alan is trying to formulate some kind of perfect or near perfect collection of Buddha dhamma texts that he will read to the exclusion of all others until he has a comprehensive grasp of the overall whole of the path and goal and until his practice has become as strong as a river rushing towards the sea. Or something like that but less intense.

[Ben]

What is the point of this thread?

My guess is that Alan is trying to formulate some kind of perfect or near perfect collection of Buddha dhamma texts that he will read to the exclusion of all others until he has a comprehensive grasp of the overall whole of the path and goal and until his practice has become as strong as a river rushing towards the sea. Or something like that but less intense.

Yes I understand. But I think its a mistake.
As the saying goes, 'the proof of the pudding is in its eating'.
kind regards,

Ben

[Mr Man]

I imagined it was just a bit of fun.

[Ben]

I imagined it was just a bit of fun.

Sure. Don;t mind me I'm just being a cranky old man.

[alan...]

I imagined it was just a bit of fun.

Mr Man for the win.

[alan...]

Depends on the persons. Some people who never have read anything about Buddhism before, I gave books that I taught would fit their personalities and interests. Doesn't have to be Therevada. For example, Buddhism Plain and Simple or something by Thich Nhat Hahn can fit people. If I'd given them suttas instead, they would not have been impressed.

I don't read a lot, but if I were to ship a clone of myself $60 worth of texts to use on the island, they'd be: The Brahmajala Sutta for sure, Nyanatiloka's The Word of the Buddha and Ajahn Brahmavamso's Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond. Those all seem to work for me. Still enough money left to buy an anthology of the suttas in my own language and a manual on how to build a boat. And I would include a note: read the heart most of all.

yes i'm interested in other traditions as well if they get the ball rolling and keep up the momentum. i'm reading alan watts way of zen right now and am pretty impressed. not sure as of right now, i'm not even half way through it, but it might be on my list.

[lojong1]

I don't know if people could actually learn the Dhamma *just* from books, without losing their way.

They would have each other. They ought to be able to make some progress with...

the MAJJHIMA NIKAYA

[Ñāṇa]

The Dhammapada: Teachings of the Buddha

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha

Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah

The total for these three comes in under $60. Money well spent.

[bodom]

Without a doubt the two texts I would be bringing are Nyanatiloka"s anthology of suttas The Buddhas Path to Deliverance and Ajahn Chah's Food for the Heart.

[alan...]

The Dhammapada: Teachings of the Buddha

The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha

Food for the Heart: The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah

The total for these three comes in under $60. Money well spent.

all sound great. ajahn chah is really popular! i know little about him. is he as meticulous and specific as ajahn brahm? all i've read by him are snippets and quotes that seem vague, but then again snippets and quotes are frequently in themselves vague.

why the dhammapada? is it a commentary along with it?

[alan...]

Without a doubt the two texts I would be bringing are Nyanatiloka"s anthology of suttas The Buddhas Path to Deliverance and Ajahn Chah's Food for the Heart.

never read any nyanatiloka, i'll have to look into that. another ajahn chah mention! he must be good.

[alan...]

I don't know if people could actually learn the Dhamma *just* from books, without losing their way.

They would have each other. They ought to be able to make some progress with...

the MAJJHIMA NIKAYA

seriously! along with bhikkhu bodhi's notes that book is extremely comprehensive and useful!!! it's my desert island book if i had to pick one for sure.