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Siddhartha

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Basic buddhist concepts are discussed in thematic excerpts taken from selected texts.

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Read a short story of the Buddha's life

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elcome to Shambhala’s Buddhism page. The aim of this page is to give you, the reader, a taste of the books on Buddhism available through Shambhala Publications—along with many great features to introduce you to Buddhist thought and practice. Joseph Goldstein’s discussion of the Buddha’s life story is a good place to start for an introduction to the key events of the Buddha’s life, as well as for understanding their significance for us today.

Do you have questions about some of the main elements of Buddhist thought? Visit our Buddhism Basics section to read our authors’ explanations of important themes, such as karma, attachment, the Four Noble Truths, koans, and more. Also on Shambhala's Buddhism page, you'll find excerpts from new books, as well as sneak previews of upcoming books. Our featured book selection will highlight one of our titles—brand new, or perhaps a classic—that’s worth checking out.

Weekly quotes from Buddhist teachers and Buddhist scriptures offer inspiration. Our handy glossary provides a place to look up key terms from the main Buddhist traditions, and our resources section offers suggestions on where else to look for more information on Buddhism.

In the Face of Fear

edited by Barry Boyce and the Editors of the Shambhala Sun

Introduction

I believe the Buddha’s teachings are what we need right now. They are made precisely for times like these. For all of us who are suffering groundlessness, fear, or loss—because of the world’s problems or just our own—Buddhist wisdom is the right medicine.

The Buddha is sometimes called the Great Physician. Twenty five hundred years ago, he made a precise diagnosis of the human condition—our condition. It is as accurate and relevant today as it was then. He diagnosed our problem as dukkha, which we generally translate as “suffering.” Then he discovered its cause, and he proposed a cure. Today we call this diagnosis and cure the Four Noble Truths.

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Then the venerable Ananda approached the Lord, prostrated himself and sat down to one side. Sitting there the venerable Ananda said to the Lord:

"Half of this holy life, Lord, is good and noble friends, companionship with the good, association with the good."

"Do not say that, Ananda. Do not say that, Ananda. It is the whole of this holy life, this friendship, companionship, and association with the good."

—Adapted from the Samyutta Nikaya

Selected from Teachings of the Buddha