• Immediately after his enlightenment, the Buddha gave a talk that contained within it the foundation for all further Buddhist teachings. The text of this remarkable discourse is presented here and is brilliantly illuminated by a respected, contemporary teacher of the Theravada tradition. This discourse by the Buddha, called �The Sutta That Set in Motion the Wheel of the Truth,� is revered by all schools of Buddhism, yet it isn�t studied regularly due to the density of the material it contains. Ajahn Sucitto�s engaging, chapter-by-chapter unpacking of the text makes it accessible for everyone, showing how it serves as a complete digest of all the Buddhist teachings, and thus, as a worthy guide for life. His commentary includes enlightening discussions of fundamental Buddhist ideas and principles such as:
• The Middle Way,
• The Eightfold Path,
• The Four Noble Truths,
• Buddhist cosmology,
• Karma,
• Enlightenment.

Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching, Ajahn Sucitto, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 225 pages, $16.95

Ajahn Sucitto (Bhikkhu Sucitto, born 4 November 1949) is a British-born Theravada Buddhist monk (Ajahn is the Thai rendition of acarya, the Sanskrit word for 'spiritual teacher'). He was, between 1992 and 2014, the abbot of Cittaviveka, Chithurst Buddhist Monastery. Sucitto was born in London and ordained in Thailand in March 1976. He returned to Britain in 1978 and took up training under Ajahn Sumedho at the Hampstead Buddhist Vihara. In 1979 he was one of the small group of monks, led by Ajahn Sumedho, who established Cittaviveka, Chithurst Buddhist Monastery, in West Sussex. In 1981 he was sent up to Northumberland to set up a small monastery in Harnham, which subsequently became Aruna Ratanagiri. In 1984 he accompanied Ajahn Sumedho in establishing Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Hertfordshire. In 1992 he was appointed abbot of Cittaviveka. On 26 October 2014, he resigned the post, but intends to continue teaching as before. Ajahn Sucitto's main work has been in teaching, editing and writing, although he was also largely responsible for the creation of the protocols and standards that flesh out the ten-precept training of the siladhara (nuns) Order.

	Contents: Turning the Wheel of Truth: Commentary on the Buddha's First Teaching
	A Note on the Text, Translation, and Abbreviations	ix
	Introduction: The Teaching and its Background	1
	The Turning of the Wheel Sutta	3
1.	A Path Through the Jungle	17
2.	The Budddha's Middle Way	25
3.	The First Noble Truth: Having to Hold On Is Suffering	33
4.	The Second Noble Truth: Craving	49
5.	Looking Again at the Second Noble Truth: The Blind Driver	61
6.	The Third Noble Truth: Switching Off the Dark	77
7.	The Fourth Noble Truth: The Great Way`	87
8.	Facing the Wall	99
9.	Abandonment: Stepping Out of the Fire	109
10.	Realization: Absolute Honesty	123
11.	Cultivation: The Wheel on the Road	137
12.	The Host of Mara	151
13.	Selfless Motivation	161
14.	Unshakable and Unsupported	171
15.	What Kondanna Saw	183
16.	Heaven (and Hell) on Earth	193
17.	It Doesn't Get Better Than This....or Does It?	205
18.	Light in the World	215
	Credits	226