3. The Way to NirvanaSix Lectures on Ancient Buddhism as a Discipline of Salvation

• Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications

• Author: L. De La Vallee Poussin

• Language: English

• Edition: 1982

• Pages: 182

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 19.5 cm x 13 cm

• Weight: 278 gm

About the Book:

This work by L. De La Vallee Poussin offers a deep insight into Buddhism, emphasizing its practical nature rather than dogmatic teachings. Focusing on the path to Nirvana, it examines the core principles of Buddhism, explaining its origins and its emphasis on practice over belief. The book addresses the root causes of human suffering, such as desire, and provides a framework for its cessation.

Divided into six chapters, it covers various aspects of Buddhist thought:

1. The Indian disciplines of salvation, with a focus on Buddhism as a practice of salvation.

2. Buddhism as a form of rationalism, aimed at freeing individuals from the cycle of rebirth and misery.

3. The nature of action, its consequences, and how it contributes to liberation.

4. The path to Nirvana, a state of nothingness beyond pain and pleasure.

5. Challenges in understanding deliverance, with a detailed analysis of the term “Nirvana.”

6. General principles of Buddhism, including the middle way (Madhyamika Marga) and the practice of meditation.

This book, part of the “Bibliotheca Indo-Buddhica” series (No. 3), is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the discipline of salvation in Buddhism and the pursuit of Nirvana. It is an essential read for those interested in Buddhist philosophy and thought.