BUDDHIST MEDITATION - In Theory and Practice - A General Exposition According to the Pali Canon of The Theravada School

Sep 28, 2026

Upload by Cart

Buddhist Meditation - In Theory and Practice presents a systematic exposition of Buddhist meditation grounded in the Pali Canon of the Theravada school. It argues meditation is central to doctrine and practice, aimed at mental purification and liberation. The work compiles major textual sources from Buddhist scriptures, arranged under appropriate headings and linked by a correlating explanatory commentary. Authorship is attributed to Venerable Paravahera Vajiranana Maha Thera, whose scholarship draws on extensive research in Cambridge and includes academic recognition through a doctorate.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages536

Reading Time22 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

Buddhist Meditation in Theory and Practice

Meditation as doctrine and practice

Compilation and systematic arrangement of scripture sources

Authorship, education, and scholarly contributions

Missionary lectures and influence in Europe and America

# BUDDHIST MEDITATIONIN THEORY AND PRACTICE ○ PARAVAHERAVAJIRANANA MAHATHERA Buddhist Meditation has been one ofthe most decisive factors in mouldingAsian religious life during the past twothousand years.Meditation is anintegral part of Buddhist religiousdoctrine and practice,because it isdirected entirely and exclusively tomental purification and liberation. This book has been acknowledgedby Buddhist scholars as the first timea work of this nature has beenattempted since the Pali Commen-tators of Theravada.Its author hasbrought together almost all theimportant textual sources of theBuddhist scriptures that have comedown to us,arranged them systema-tically under appropriate headingsand provided a connecting text whichcorrelates,explains and annotatesthem. The author,Ven.ParavaheraVajiranana Maha Thera obtained hisDoctorate in Philosophy fromCambridge University for this work.He was an indefatigable worker in thecause of Buddhism,having discoursedon the Buddha Vacana (the word ofthe Buddha)in Europe,America aswellas his native Sri Lanka. caildu # BUDDHISTMEDITATION IN THEORY AND PRACTICE A General Exposition According to the PaliCanon of The Theravada School ByPARAVAHERA VAJIRANANA MAHATHERA Ph.D Cantab. Buddhist Missionary Society50470 Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia. Publication of the Buddhist Missionary Society123,Jalan Berhala,50470 Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia. First Edition February 1962Buddhist 2505Second Edition 1975 This booi is copyright.No portion of it maybe reproduced by any process whatsoeverwithout the written permission of thePadhanaghara Maha Viharadhipathi. Third Edition Printed by P.K.S.,Petaling Jaya,Malaysia.ISBN 967-9920-41-0(1987) # Venerable Paravahera Vajiragnana Maha TheraThe renowned Buddhist Scholar and Educationist By Alec Robertson The Buddha Sasana has recently lost many distinguishedmembers of the Order of the Blessed One and indeed the VenerableNayaka Thera belongs to that galaxy of celebrated scholarsnoted for their erudition and piety who have faithfully preservedthe pristine teachings of the Buddha.The matchless beauty,intellectual splendour and the spiritual glory of the Buddha Sasanahave been kept aloft by these revered monks.The Venerable Dr.P.Vajiragnana Maha Thera's erudition was not only confinedto Buddhist philosophy but extended to the vast fields of Easternand Western Philosophy as well.In fact he studied Westernphilosophy at the Columbia University in New York.His deepinsight into Western and Buddhist philosophy is clearly borneout in the lecture he delivered on Nirvana under the auspicesof the Dona Alpina Trust Fund at the University of Ceylonin 1941. His vast learning and ripe scholarship could be gauged fromhis monumental masterpiece entitled “Buddhist Meditation”.This book,indeed,gives a comprehensive and a lucid expositionon Buddhist meditation and enriched the annals of Buddhistliterature.This work was the outcome of three years of research(from 1933 to 1936)at the Cambridge University under thesupervision of Dr.E.J.Thomas,then Deputy Librarian of theCambridge University and himself a celebrated Buddhist andPali Scholar.The Doctorate of philosophy was conferred onhim by the Cambridge University for this outstanding work. So far such a lucid and authoritative book on Buddhistmeditation in English has not been written,for the learnedThera has brought together almost all the most important textualsources of the Buddhist scriptures that have come down to us,arrange them systematically under the appropriate heads andprovided a connecting text which correlates,explains and anno-tates them.It has been acknowledged by Buddhist Scholars thatit is the first time that a work of this nature has been attemptedsince the day of the great Pali Commentators of Theravada asit aims at nothing less than a comprehensive survey of the BuddhistMeditational practices. The learned Thera's mature scholarship and learning was ofimmense value to even distinguished scholars like

FAQs

What role does meditation play in Buddhist doctrine and practice?

Meditation is integral to Buddhist religious doctrine and practice, directed entirely toward mental purification and liberation.

How does the book organize its discussion of Buddhist meditation?

It brings together important textual sources of Buddhist scriptures, arranged systematically under appropriate headings and connected by a text that correlates, explains, and annotates them.

Who is the author and what is his scholarly background?

Venerable Paravahera Vajiranana Maha Thera obtained his doctorate in philosophy from Cambridge University for this work, and is described as an indefatigable worker for Buddhism through lectures and scholarship.

Sep 28, 2026

Upload by Cart