Download or read book The Pocket Buddha Reader written by Anne Bancroft and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is the core of the Buddha's teaching in his own words, as it was memorized word for word by his disciples and written down two hundred years after his death. These selections from the Buddhist scriptures deal with the search for truth, the way of contemplation, life and death, living in community, and many other topics, serving as an excellent introduction to the Buddha's teaching. Whether addressed to monks and nuns, householders, outcastes, or thieves, the Buddha's teachings are characterized by one main concern: conveying the reality of our bondage to suffering--and the supremely good news that liberation is possible. It is a concern as relevant for people today as it was for the people of north India a millennium and a half ago.