Introduction.


Many books have been written on Buddhism. This book is my modest contribution to that vast field of written Dhamma.

I had a keen interest in Buddha Dhamma. After I was introduced to Buddhist Meditation I had a desire to know more about the teachings of the Buddha. I searched for less academic books written in a simple language on the profound aspects of the teachings of the Buddha. I did not find such a handy , convenient, easy to “carry-about book”.

It was then that I conceived the idea of writing a small book in simple English containing the essentials of the teachings of the Buddha for a beginner in meditation, so that he will have the necessary requirements of the teaching in a single book without having to look for different texts in different books.

Therefore, I collected material from books, the discourses of the Buddha, information I had gathered in discussions with a few experienced meditators I had the privilege to meet , and added to it some of my own experiences in meditation,. I also prepared a step by step method of meditation according to the teachings of the Buddha, which I had noted and put together in the course of my meditation retreats.

The collection of discourses which is called the Abhidhamma, is included in the Buddhist canonical writing the Tripitaka, but unlike the discourses contained in the Sutta Pitaka, Abhidhamma gives no instructions to meditate.

However, in the course of my search for material for a book on meditation, I came across Ms.Nina van Gorkom’s book on “ Abhidhamma in Daily Life ”, which I read assiduously the subject being rather complex, but having read it I realised that Abhidhamma contains precious information about “mind and matter” which would help a meditator understand better the “ instrument “ – the mind , with which he works in his practice for the development of the mind..

Even if it were to be argued that the Abhidhamma is only of academic value for students of Buddhism, rather than of practical interest to meditators, I think at least some of the analytical exposition of “mind and matter” would interest meditators who in the course of their meditation begin to see the reality of a being as a ‘ mind-matter entity’.

Therefore, in writing this book I have also put into it without going into greater details, what I think is relevant for a meditator to know about the mind, and how it functions as described in the Abhidhamma,.

This book is written for both a Buddhist, and a non- Buddhists readership in an easily accessible format not necessarily to be read from the beginning to the end, but as a book of reference to look for a word, a subject of interest, to understand how the mind reacts to its environment, find answers to problems in meditation, or to know mental processes arising in the course of meditation. Some Chapters may contain matters that had been discussed in other Chapters which makes each chapter self-contained.

Any comment and observation will be very much appreciated.

Charles.S.Perera

53 rue du Petit Pont,
Gagny, France.

e-Mail to: perera.charles@gmail.com

30 December,2010.