{"title":"Books by Bhikkhu Analayo","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781614299998","title":"The Perfection of Wisdom in First Bloom","description":"\u003cb\u003eSee the formative years of Mahayana Buddhist literature \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ethrough the lens of the \u003ci\u003ePerfection of Wisdom\u003c\/i\u003e, expertly analyzed by the venerable scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this work we have a rare perspective on the early history of Mahayana Buddhism and the Perfection of Wisdom (\u003ci\u003ePrajnaparamita\u003c\/i\u003e), as far as this is still accessible in surviving texts. With his characteristic clarity and precision, Bhikkhu Analayo critically analyzes early Perfection of Wisdom literature based on the earliest extant versions of the \u003ci\u003eAstasahasrika Prajnaparamita\u003c\/i\u003e, or the \u003ci\u003ePerfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines\u003c\/i\u003e, one in Chinese and the other in Gandhari—one of the oldest surviving Mahayana manuscripts discovered to date. In reading this text from the viewpoint of early Buddhist literature, the author shows that what has generally been considered a sharp rupture in the formation of the Mahayana turns out to be more of a gradual evolution.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eWith his command of the languages of the ancient Buddhist world, scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo sifts through the layers of history and unveils new perspectives on the ideas and figures in early Perfection of Wisdom and Mahayana literature, covering such topics as the rhetoric of emptiness and the emerging bodhisattva ideal, as well as the status of women and the practice of self-immolation. In doing so, Bhikkhu Analayo reveals fresh insights into the gradual development that informs the emergence of early Perfection of Wisdom literature. This is a rare opportunity to peer through a window at the beginnings of Mahayana thought—before the traditions had coalesced into the familiar forms we see today.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301859963253,"sku":"9781614299998","price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781614299998_cf16891a-2e90-484d-b332-c191dd845e28.jpg?v=1786023463"},{"product_id":"9781614298885","title":"The Signless and the Deathless","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn insightful examination of the end of suffering that draws much-needed attention to two overlooked factors of Nirvana: signlessness and deathlessness.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNirvana is a critical part of the Buddhist path, though it remains a difficult concept to fully understand for Buddhist practitioners. In \u003ci\u003eThe Signless and the Deathless: On the Realization of Nirvana\u003c\/i\u003e, scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo breaks new ground, or rediscovers old ground, by showing the reader that realizing Nirvana entails “a complete stepping out of the way the mind usually constructs experience.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e With his extraordinary mastery of canonical Buddhist languages, Venerable Analayo first takes the reader through discussions in early Buddhist suttas on signs (Pali \u003ci\u003enimitta\u003c\/i\u003e), the characteristic marks of things that signal to us what they are, and on cultivating concentration on signlessness as a meditative practice. Through practicing bare awareness, we can stop defilements that come from grasping at signs—and stop signs from arising in the first place.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e He then turns to deathlessness. Deftly avoiding the extremes of nihilism and eternalism that often cloud our understanding of Nirvana, Venerable Analayo shows us that deathless as an epithet of Nirvana “stands for the complete transcendence of mental affliction by mortality”—ours or others’—and that it is achievable while still alive.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Advanced practitioners and scholars alike will value the work for its meticulous academic expertise and its novel way of explaining the highest of all Buddhist goals—the final end of suffering.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56303981953397,"sku":"9781614298885","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781614298885_56ff0dd7-b5df-4cd5-9d4b-dd345d75ce89.jpg?v=1786023445"},{"product_id":"9781614298410","title":"Daughters of the Buddha","description":"\u003cb\u003eA testimony to the invaluable contributions made by the women who were direct disciples of the Buddha—and a source of inspiration to Buddhist women today.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt’s a common perception that the earliest textual records don’t contain many, if any, teachings by the Buddha’s female disciples; yet, this is not the case. In fact, the earliest discourses record a range of teachings from Buddhist women, lay and monastic. Unfortunately their important contributions have so far not received the attention they deserve. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e In \u003ci\u003eDaughters of the Buddha\u003c\/i\u003e, esteemed scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo examines the accounts of the first female disciples in the canonical scripture, taking the reader back to the earliest period in the history of Buddhism that can still be accessed today. He dedicates each of the twenty-one chapters in the volume to an individual and remarkable woman, sharing her particular insights and teachings with the reader. Both nuns and laywomen are featured in these pages, and their diversity of voices and richness of thought will serve as instruction and encouragement for modern scholars and practitioners alike.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56304194683253,"sku":"9781614298410","price":23.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781614298410_667a774c-f50e-4d1a-9d88-4645f566dca4.jpg?v=1786023439"},{"product_id":"9781614299172","title":"Abiding in Emptiness","description":"\u003cb\u003eAn incisive look into the early Buddhist teachings on emptiness, and a manual for bringing those teachings into our everyday lives.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBefore the growth of the Mahayana and the Perfection of Wisdom, the Buddha gave his own teachings, to his attendant Ananda, on the importance of emptiness (Pali \u003ci\u003esunnata\u003c\/i\u003e, Sanskrit \u003ci\u003esunyata\u003c\/i\u003e) in formal meditation and everyday practice. In this volume, renowned scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo explores these teachings and shows us how to integrate them into our lives.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Bhikkhu Analayo draws from instructions found in the Greater and the Smaller Discourses on Emptiness (the \u003ci\u003eMahasunnatasutta\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eCulasunnatasutta\u003c\/i\u003e). In each chapter, he provides a translation of a pertinent excerpt from the discourses, follows this with clear and precise explanations of the text, and concludes by offering instructions for practice.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Step by step, beginning with daily life and concluding with Nirvana, Bhikkhu Analayo unpacks the Buddha’s teachings on the foundational teaching of emptiness.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56304630235509,"sku":"9781614299172","price":23.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781614299172_4149de9d-f9c4-45be-b49d-e23d2a5bdaae.jpg?v=1786023455"},{"product_id":"9781614299912","title":"Rebirth in Early Buddhism and Current Research","description":"\u003cb\u003eJoin a rigorous scholar and Buddhist monk on a brisk tour of rebirth from ancient doctrine to contemporary debates in this paperback reissue of a reader favorite.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this fascinating book, professor and monk Bhikkhu Analayo illuminates a spectrum of views on rebirth, from ancient scriptures to contemporary research. In four brisk chapters, the book leads readers through the following points:\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe presentation of rebirth in the earliest Buddhist sources and the way it relates to core doctrine;\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe debates about rebirth throughout Buddhist history and up to modern times, including the role of confirmation bias in the evaluation of evidence;\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe current research on rebirth, including near-death experiences, past-life regression, and childhood recollection of previous lives;\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eAn examination of a particular case of xenoglossy, the ability to speak languages one has not been taught. As a very young boy, the Sri Lankan Dhammaruwan would chant Pali-language scriptures that he had not apparently learned in his present life.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eRebirth in Early Buddhism and Current Research\u003c\/i\u003e brings together the many strands of the debate on rebirth in one place, making it both comprehensive and compact. It is not a polemic but an interrogation of the evidence, inviting readers to draw their own conclusions.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56304630399349,"sku":"9781614299912","price":21.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781614299912_aa3bc7b6-c7bb-464f-a263-503042d98223.jpg?v=1786023462"},{"product_id":"9781911407553","title":"Mindfulness in Early Buddhism","description":"An invaluable resource for Buddhist scholars, meditation teachers, and practitioners wishing to deepen their own practice of mindfulness. In this in-depth guide, the author examines all aspects of mindfulness practice, explores the history of mindfulness in the Buddhist tradition, and provides instructions for meditation practice.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308509442421,"sku":"9781911407553","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781911407553_14600dcb-0975-4d9c-86ff-d78b528f3de0.jpg?v=1786029660"},{"product_id":"9781899579549","title":"Satipaṭṭhāna","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta is the root Buddhist text for\u003cstrong\u003e teachings on mindfulness and the breath\u003c\/strong\u003e and is the basis of much insight meditation practice and secular mindfulness today. This book by Bhikkhu Anālayo is \u003cstrong\u003ea thorough and insightful guide to this deceptively simple yet profound Buddhist teaching.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'... a gem ... I learned a lot from this wonderful book and highly recommend it to both experienced meditators and those just beginning to explore\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe path.' \u003c\/em\u003eJoseph Goldstein\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'This book helps to fill what has long been a glaring gap in the scholarship on Early Buddhism, offering us a detailed textual study of the \u003c\/em\u003eSatipaṭṭhāna\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSutta, \u003cem\u003ethe foundational Buddhist discourse on meditation practice....\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'This book should prove to be of value both to scholars of Early Buddhism and to serious meditators alike. Ideally, it will encourage in both types of reader the same wholesome synthesis of scholarship and practice that underlies the author's own treatment of his subject.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBhikkhu Bodhi\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'Ven Anālayo has produced a very thorough and comprehensive study of the Buddha's discourse on \u003c\/em\u003esatipaṭṭhāna\u003cem\u003e. It is to be recommended not only for\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe way in which it examines these instructions in meditation in the context of the early discourses and in relation to the traditional interpretations of\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ethe Pāli commentaries, but also for the way in which it encompasses the observations and interpretations of both modern scholars of Buddhism and\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eteachers of meditation. For anyone interested in the theory and practice of \u003c\/em\u003esatipaṭṭhāna \u003cem\u003emeditation this is a most valuable guide.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRupert Gethin\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'....an indispensable guide...surely destined to become the classic commentary on the \u003c\/em\u003eSatipaṭṭhāna\u003cem\u003e.'\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChristopher Titmuss\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308620329333,"sku":"9781899579549","price":17.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781899579549_fed3d0db-3327-4300-afdf-6826b5d8a1ef.jpg?v=1786029461"},{"product_id":"9781909314993","title":"A Meditator's Life of the Buddha","description":"Analayo offers an inspiring biography of the Buddha based on the early discourses and focusing on his meditative development and practice. By focusing on the Buddha as a meditator, Analayo seeks to provide inspiration and guidance to all meditators, of any tradition and of any level of experience. Each of the twenty-four chapters concludes with suggestions to support meditative practice.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309093466485,"sku":"9781909314993","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781909314993_c695ea9f-f30c-4380-a132-a98f886eb42c.jpg?v=1786029357"},{"product_id":"in-love-with-wisdom","title":"In Love with Wisdom","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57499451949429,"sku":"9798890700056","price":30.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9798890700056.jpg?v=1786694761"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-bhikkhu-analayo.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}