Narada Maha Thera

Buddhism in a Nutshell

Buddhism in a Nutshell

This work contains some of the most important and inspiring discourses of the Buddha such as the Kalama Sutta, and many discourses with practical advice for lay people.

These essays help the layman expounds on the spiritual realization that will come to a better understanding of Buddha’s teachings.


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About Narada Maha Thera

The Venerable Narada Maha Thera born as Sumanapala Perera (July 14, 1898 - October 2, 1983) was a Buddhist monk and translator within the Theravāda tradition, and the head of the Vajirarama Temple in Colombo. He was popular in his home country of Sri Lanka, as well as abroad.

In 1929 he represented Sri Lanka in the opening ceremony for the new Mulgandhakuti Vihara Monastery in Sarnath, India, and in 1934 he visited Indonesia as the first Theravāda monk for 450 years. From then on he traveled to many different countries for missionary work, including Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Nepal and Australia. In 1956 he visited Great Britain and the United States and addressed a large crowd at the Washington Monument. He contributed to the ban-style of Dhamma teachings in the 1960s and brought the Buddha's teachings "to the daily lives of the Western middle class in Sri Lanka."

You yourselves must strive, the Buddhas only point the way

Buddha, Dhp 276