# What the Buddha Taught

What the Buddha Taught, by Theravadin Walpola Rahula, is a widely used introductory book on Buddhism. Using quotes from the sutras, Rahula gives his personal interpretation of what he regards to be Buddhism's essential teachings, including the Four Noble Truths, the Buddhist mind, the Noble Eightfold Path, meditation and mental development, and the world today.

## Background and reception

Rahula's book is an example of "Protestant Buddhism," the Sinhalese version of Buddhist modernism. Due to its rational presentation of Buddhism, which suited western expectations, What the Buddha Taught is a widely read and highly influential introduction to Buddhist thought.
A French translation was published in 1961. Walpola Rahula himself translated his book into French, encouraged by the orientalist Paul Demiéville, professor at the Collège de France.
Following in Paul Demiéville's footsteps, the work was very well received by specialists in Buddhology such as André Bareau, also a professor at the Collège de France and at the École pratique des hautes études, who wrote in a review:
   This book is an excellent introduction to Buddhism, clear and precise, based on the canonical texts, explained and commented on by one of the most learned Buddhist teachers of our time, and one of those who, without betraying it, seeks to adapt the Buddha's teaching to the demands of modern life. (...) Although this work is addressed to the general public, orientalists will be pleased to find a number of useful clarifications relating to some of the most important and controversial problems in Buddhist studies.
The "most important and controversial problems in Buddhist studies" to which A. Bareau alludes to are probably those relating to the "Protestant Buddhism" mentioned above. This work contributed to the discovery of Buddhism in France

## Contents

The book is divided in 8 chapters, completed by 10 selected suttas and 4 sections: Abbreviations, Selected Bibliography, Glossary, Index. There are 25 illustrations.
* Chapter I : The Buddhist Attitude of Mind
1. Man is supreme- 2. One is one’s refuge- 3. Responsibility- 4. Doubt- 5. Freedom of Thought- 6. Tolerance- 7. Is Buddhism Religion or Philosophy ?- 8. Truth as no label- 9. No blind faith or belief, but seeing and understanding- 10. No attachment even to Truth- 11. Parable of the raft- 12. Imaginary speculations useless- 13. Practical attitude- 14. Parable of the wounded man.
* Chapter II : The First Noble Truth: Dukkha
1. Buddhism neither pessimistic nor optimistic, but realistic- 2. Meaning of “Dukkha ”- 3. Three aspects of experience- 4. What is a “being ” ?- 5. Five Aggrgates- 6. No spirit opposed to matter- 7. Flux- 8. Thinker end Thought- 9. Has life a beginning?
* Chapter III : The Second Noble Truth: Samudaya : The Arising of Dukkha
1. Definition- 2. Four Nutriments- 3. Root cause of suffering and continuity- 4. Nature of arising and cessation- 5. Karma end Rebirth- 6. What is death ?- 7. What is rebirth ?
* Chapter IV : The Third Noble Truth: Nirodha : The Cessation of Dukkha
1. What is Nirvāṇa?- 2. Language and absolute Truth- 3. Definitions of Nirvāṇa- 4. Nirvāṇa not negative- 5. Nirvāṇa as Absolute Truth- 6. What is Absolute Truth ?- 7. Truth is not negative- 8. Nirvāṇa and Saṃsāra- 9. Nirvāṇa not a result- 10. What is there after Nirvāṇa ?- 11. Incorrect expressions- 12.What happens to an Arahant after death ?- 13.If no Self, who realizes Nirvāṇa ?- 14. Nirvāṇa in this life.
* Chapter V : The Fourth Noble Tuth : Magga : The Path
1. Middle Path or Noble Eighfold Path- 2. Compassion and Wisdom- 3.Ethical Conduct- 4. Mental Discipline- 5. Wisdom- 6. Two sorts of Understanding- 7. Four Functions regarding the Four Noble Truths.
* Chapter VI : The Doctrine of Non-Soul: Anatta
1. What is Soul or Self ?- 2. God end Soul : Self-protection and Self-preservation- 3. Teaching “Against the Current”-4. Analytical and Synthetical methods- 5. Conditioned Genesis- 6. Question of Free-will- 7. Two Kinds of Truths- 8. Some erroneous views- 9. The Buddha definititely denies “Atman”- 10. The Buddha’s silence- 11.The idea of Self a vague impression- 12. Correct attitude- 13. If no Self, who gets the result of Karma ?- 14. Doctrine of Anatta not negative.
* Chapter VII :Meditation or Mental Culture: Bhāvanā
1. Erroneous views- 2. Meditation is not escape from life- 3. Two forms of Meditation- 3.The Setting-up of Mindfulness- 4.“Meditation ” on breathing- 5.Mindfulness of activities- 6. Living in the present moment- 7 .“Meditation ” on Sensations – on Mind – on Ethical , Spiritual and Intellectual subjects.
* Chapter VIII : What the Buddha Taught and the World Today
1.Erroneous views- 2 . Buddhism for all- 3. In daily life- 4. Family and social life- 5. Lay life held in high esteem- 6. How to become a Buddhist- 7. Social and economic problems- 8. Poverty : cause of crime-9. Material and spiritual progress- 10. Four kinds of happiness for laymen. 11. On politics, war and peace- 12. Is it practical ?- 13. Asoka’a example- 14. The Aim of Buddhism.
- Setting in Motion the Wheel of Truth (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta).
- The Fire Sermon (Ādittapariyāya Sutta).
- Universal Love (Metta Sutta).
- Blessings (Maṅgala Sutta).
- Getting rid of All Cares and Troubles ( Sabbasava-Sutta).
- The Parable of the Piece of Cloth (Vatthupama Sutta
- The Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthana Sutta).
- Advice to Sigāla (Sigālovāda Sutta)
- The Words of Truth (Dhammapada
- The Last Words of the Buddha (from the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta
* Abbreviations, Selected Bibliography, Glossary, Index and 25 illustrations.

## Publication data

- Original edition: What The Buddha Taught. Oneworld Publications, Oxford. 1959. ISBN 0-8021-3031-3.
- Second édition: What the Buddha Taught, Grove Press, New York City, 1974, 151 pages, ISBN 9780802130310. Retrieved 19 March 2025.

## Translations

The book has been translated into multiple languages, including:
* French : Tr. Walpola Rahula who spoke French :
   * L'enseignement du Bouddha, d’après les textes les plus anciens. Éditions du Seuil, collection « Points / Sagesses » N°13. 1961. p. 200. ISBN 2-02-003177-9. Retrieved 18 March 2025., reprint: 1974, 1978, 2009, 2014. Also available on Internet Archive : L'enseignement du Bouddha. Retrieved 18 March 2025. ;
* Greek : Tr. Nyanadassana Mahathera, 2022 , title : Αυτά που ο Βούδας Δίδαξε. ISBN 978-618-86185-0-3.
* Italian : Tr. Maria Angela Falà , « L’insegnamento del Buddha », Piccola Biblioteca Adelphi, 745, 2019, 231p. ISBN 9788845934360.
* Spanish : Tr. ?, « Lo Que Buddha Enseno » , Editor Kier, 2005, 198 p., 9789501710076