WELCOME...
...to the virtual Reading Room at the BCBS website. Our goal is to make this a unique and growing source of information
for those pursuing the study of Buddhist texts as part of their Dharma practice. We feature both original interpretations of Pali texts created by the BCBS core faculty, as well as recommendations for books and other resources. As new material is added,
existing content will remain, so that over time a rich resource of tools for investigating Dharma texts will arise.
Changes to this material, new translations of Pali texts, and other news from BCBS are covered in our monthly email newsletter. Please click on "Sign up for our Email Newsletter" above if you would like to receive it. (You may opt out at any time through a link in the newsletter itself.)
If you have any thoughts about the Reading Room, you may email bcbswebmaster@dharma.org. (Please note this email is checked only periodically. Urgent BCBS business should go to bcbs@dharma.org)
Sutta Studies
Verse 9 Reflections for Practice now posted for the August 2010 full moon.
We continue with the Mettā Sutta, one of the best-loved poems of the Buddhist tradition, a jewel sparkling softly but compellingly through the centuries. Its message and appeal are truly timeless. The Mettā Sutta speaks of universal good will toward all creatures, giving shape to one of the most beautiful and fundamentally wholesome states of mind of which the human being is capable.
In addtion to several translations, we include analysis of themes and problems in translation by Andrew Olendzki, BCBS Senior Scholar, as well as reflections for using each verse in daily practice. (Reflections for a new verse are added each month.)
- various translations of the Mettā Sutta for comparison
- reflections for daily practice (Verse 9 Reflections now added)
- analysis of different translators' methods of evoking the Buddha's meaning
- analysis of the key terms, verse by verse, as well as themes, overall structure
- a word list of all key terms with annotations on the common translations
- full text in Pali with stress marks for chanting
- additional sources for further study
To get notice of new material added each month, sign up for the BCBS email newsletter. (See the "Sign Up" link at the top left of this page.)
Click here for a full description and links to individual features on the Mettā Sutta.
Recommended Books
The "New Books" category has been updated for the August 2010 full moon.
Annotations will be added to the existing list over time. Books from the previous full-moon listing in "New Books" are moved to the appropriate topic category. The annotations are moved as well, so you can see previous "new books" by looking for full annotations on the list. (This is the third version of the list since we began.) There is an updated pdf of the book list on the page if you would like to download and/or print it.
Using categories and recommendations, "Recommended Books" lists established classics in each category,
as well as highlighting new works of interest as they are published. Prepared by Mu Soeng, BCBS Scholar in Residence responsible for the BCBS library, it is organized into categories by topic (tradition, history, meditation, etc.) and will be updated periodically. It begins with the category "new books" showing recent publications of note from all categories.
Click here for listings of Recommended Books.
Other Dharma Text Resources
Many rich, helpful websites and other materials already exist for those interested in studying Dharma texts. We have compiled a list of the best ones we know, just in case you might have missed some of them. We focus on resources for studying Buddhist texts in particular, especially those in the Theravadin/Nikaya tradition. Many other places on the web have done an excellent job of listing general interest Dharma sites; for example, the Insight Meditation Society offers many of these here.
If you know of other text-related websites or other resources that you feel should be listed here, please email bcbswebmaster@dharma.org.
Click here for lists of other Dharma Text Resources.
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