Book 1 - The Founding Principles of Buddhism
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Maung Myo Sein |
Buddha’s first and foremost sermon ‘The
Wheel of Truth’ preaches Four Noble
Truths on which the entire Buddhism is
founded.
Buddha’s idea of life is suffering.
But his attitude of suffering is neither
pessimistic nor optimistic, but realistic.
Therefore liberation from suffering is
the ultimate goal of his teachings.
There are many authoritative writings on Buddhism. Also many invaluable commentaries have been discussed Buddha’s teachings. But you need a certain knowledge of the religion to understand what Buddha says. Therefore Maung ventures this humble book in simple English, the “Founding Principles of Buddhism.” Maung's book is readily intelligible for those who would like to know what the Buddha actually taught. This book contains Buddha’s first and foremost sermon “Dhammakakkippa Vuttana Sutta” (Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth ) and his second “Anattalakkhana Sutta” and their sequel “Patticcasamuppada” (Dependent Origination) . The first sermon preaches, Four Noble Truths, the second about no soul-not self or soul-lessness and the third about the cycle of births and deaths in this Samsara.
The whole Buddhism is based on those sermons, the fundamental factors for the real understanding and realization of Buddha’s Dhamma. They explain everything necessary to show convincingly the true sufferings of life in this unending process of repeated births. In writing this book, the author's sincere wish is to make available to foreign readers the vast treasures and essence of the Buddha’s teachings. Any reader after reading a certain part of the book out of curiosity and interest, pursues to read further, will discover more about the essence of Buddha’s Dhamma.
Then if this book proves useful to him, Buddhist or not, and if he gains some knowledge of Buddhism and eager to go further in his studies about the religion my object of writing this book is well fulfilled. All the materials in this book are excerpts, extracts, adaptations, reproductions, ideas and thoughts from the sermons, discourses, speeches and writings of those Revered Sayadaws and noted laymen mentioned in the references.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maung Myo Sein was born in 1925. A graduate of Rangoon University in year 1950 with Political Science, Modern History, English Language and Literature. Director of Bureau of Special Investigation, Myanmar Customs also as Director, and retired in 1978.
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