Buddhadhamma Volume IV
Buddhadhamma is a compendium of the Buddhist Pali Canon. It is divided into two parts: part one contains the objective and balanced truths that are the foundation of the Buddhist system of practice (the Middle Teaching). A great deal of explanation is devoted to descriptions of these interrelated natural laws coupled with their ethical importance. Part two contains teachings on the Middle Path, as an extension and practical application of Buddhist principles. The book contains twenty-one chapters and runs to more than one thousand pages.
Buddhadhamma is widely held to be a masterpiece of modern Buddhist scholarship and Thai literature. In 1982 Buddhadhamma was awarded first prize for literary prose by the Bangkok Bank Foundation. It has been accepted among scholars as a work of international standards and is widely viewed as the most significant Thai contribution to Buddhist scholarship in the last two hundred years.
Ajahn Payutto’s distillation of the major principles of the Pali Canon and the commentaries into one book has caused some people to refer to this work as the most ‘scientific’ presentation of Buddhism in Thai history (some say in any language). It has been suggested that if a person does not have the time to read the whole of the Canon, then just read this one book—Buddhadhamma.
Ajahn Payutto has stated that his work attempts to deal with the ‘rediscovery of Buddhist values based on clear understanding and wise use of tradition along with an understanding of contemporary issues.’
The Buddhadhamma Foundation, a non-profit publishing company in Bangkok, is presently sponsoring a complete English translation of Buddhadhamma. With Ajahn Payutto’s blessing, Robin Moore is doing the translation work for this project. The plan is to finish this translation before the end of the year 2013.
For a list of the finished chapters which have been published as separate volumes please visit the Publications Page.
If you wish to acquire copies of any of these publications, please send an email via the contact page.