The pragmatic nature of the Buddha's teaching makes it perennially relevant to all times, and perhaps especially useful for coping with the difficulties of the present age.
Leaving aside metaphysical and theological considerations, the Buddha's teaching focuses on what each person can do here and now to overcome the roots of suffering.
The heart of this teaching is meditation, which aims at two goals: the calming down of the restless mind and the arousing of insight into the true nature of existence. The present widely acclaimed book explains the methods of Buddhist meditation in a concise yet complete account according to the oldest Buddhist tradition, that based on the Pali Canon.
The aim of the book is essentially practical. While providing all the information necessary to achieve proper understanding, the stress is on the need for practice and personal commitment. This work will both instruct the beginner and inspire the experienced meditator.
Tranquility & Insight: An Introduction to the Oldest Form of Buddhist Meditation, Amadeo Sole-Lenis, BPS Pariyatti Editions, Paperback, 210 pages, $12.95
The Anglo-Catalan author Amadeo Sole-Leris (1926-2017) was a professional linguist. He was a graduate of London University (King's College), at which he taught for 25 years. A practitioner of Vipassana meditation and a student of Pali, he published translations of Pali texts into Spanish and Catalan, and wrote on meditation and general Buddhist subjects for a variety of periodicals in Europe and Asia. His ability to bring clarity to the different interpretations, and especially to highlight the significant aspects of the Buddha's teaching for today's reader, was farsighted. Basing his work on the Theravada tradition -- whose Pali Canon encompasses the oldest compilation of teachings-- he skillfully made available, to both the practitioner and the general Western reader, the Buddha's authentic teachings in accessible language grounded in philological and doctrinal care.
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