Bhikkhu Ñānamoli

The Life of the Buddha

The Life of the Buddha

Composed entirely of texts from the Pali canon, this unique biography presents the oldest authentic record of the Buddha’s life and revolutionary philosophy.

The ancient texts are rendered here in a language marked by lucidity and dignity. A framework of narrators and voices connect the canonical texts. Vivid recollections of his personal attendant Ananda and other disciples bring the reader into the Buddha’s presence, where his example offers profound inspiration and guidance on the path to freedom.

We have used this work as a reference for our own text The Life of the Buddha.


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About Bhikkhu Ñānamoli

Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli (1905 – 1960) was born in England and became a monk in Sri Lanka in 1949. During the eleven years he spent as a monk, he acquired a remarkable command of the Pali language and a wide knowledge of the canonical scriptures within a comparatively short time.

He is remembered for his reliable translations from the Pali into lucid English and translated some of the most difficult texts of Theravada Buddhism, including Buddhaghosa’s Path of Purification.

You yourselves must strive, the Buddhas only point the way

Buddha, Dhp 276