The Words of the Buddha | Bhikkhu Bodhi

Teachings

The Buddha's teachings were initially transmitted orally, a practice rooted in the cultural norms of ancient India. Bhikkhu Bodhi explains that the Buddha taught for 45 years, and his teachings were memorized by monks and nuns, as writing spiritual texts was not customary at the time 1. This oral tradition continued for centuries until the teachings were eventually documented in Sri Lanka, forming the Pali Canon. Bhikkhu Bodhi notes that Ananda, the Buddha's cousin, played a crucial role in preserving these teachings by memorizing and reciting them at the first Buddhist Council 2.

Ananda had an extremely well-trained mind with a great capacity for memorization, and so he was the one who preserved all of the teachings in his memory.

--- Bhikkhu Bodhi

The Pali Canon is divided into three major groups: the Vinaya, the Sutta Pitaka, and the Abhidhamma Pitaka, each serving different purposes within the Buddhist tradition.

   

Reading

Engaging with Buddhist texts today can be challenging due to their repetitive and dense nature. Bhikkhu Bodhi suggests that this repetitiveness was a method to reinforce teachings during oral transmission, as monks would chant these discourses to memorize them 3. For modern readers, he recommends starting with introductory books rather than diving directly into canonical texts. Bhikkhu Bodhi highlights "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula as a popular starting point for understanding the fundamental teachings of Buddhism 4.

I don't suggest beginning by going into the canonical texts, because one could easily get lost in those.

--- Bhikkhu Bodhi

These resources provide a more accessible entry into the vast and profound world of Buddhist philosophy.