Reading list

A first path in Buddhism

The Buddha’s core teaching, read in the earliest texts.

Beginning. 7 steps

Orientation

Tradition
Buddhism
The three jewels, the Four Noble Truths, and the major living traditions.

Text
The Dhammapada
The Buddha, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881
Begin with the opening chapter of pairs, on the mind as the forerunner of all things.
Text
Buddhist Suttas
The Buddha, tr. T. W. Rhys Davids, 1881
The first teaching on the Four Noble Truths, then the account of the Buddha’s last days.

Concept
Dukkha
What “suffering” means in Buddhist teaching, and why it is the first truth.
Concept
Non-self (anātman)
The teaching of non-self, and how it differs from saying that persons do not exist.
Text
The Questions of King Milinda
tr. T. W. Rhys Davids, 1890
The chariot dialogue: a classic illustration of non-self in conversation.

Concept
Nirvāṇa
What is extinguished, and why the texts describe the goal mostly by negation.

Cite this entry

Chicago (bibliography): “A first path in Buddhism.” Reading list. The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society. Last modified November 7, 2026. https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/a-first-path-in-buddhism.
Chicago (note): “A first path in Buddhism,” reading list, The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society, last modified November 7, 2026, https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/a-first-path-in-buddhism.
MLA: “A first path in Buddhism.” The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society, 7 Nov. 2026, www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/a-first-path-in-buddhism.
BibTeX: @misc{reading-lists-a-first-path-in-buddhism, title = {{A first path in Buddhism}}, howpublished = {The Library, Unitive Knowledge Society}, note = {Reading list. Last modified November 7, 2026}, year = {2026}, url = {https://www.unitiveknowledge.org/reading-lists/a-first-path-in-buddhism} }