Buy new:
$17.00
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$17.00
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Friday, May 10. Order within 13 hrs 45 mins
In Stock
$$17.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$5.94
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Item may not include associated media. Moderate damage on pages. Minor packaging damage observed during inspection. Item may not include associated media. Moderate damage on pages. Minor packaging damage observed during inspection. See less
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 13 hrs 45 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$17.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Early Buddhist Discourses (Hackett Classics)

by John J. Holder (Editor, Translator)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 50 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.00","priceAmount":17.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"2MaNHXUXPom5bLmmqAEZCGmZGvNSLIcvJGweab75bMfKEI5lF0z093jMisdUb1yEH5wdDD%2FewOU%2BkfBgvVctgjUy60o1VK9N8WeeN6IDb3jh6jtvez8yKtpK7DJQMRrDuXOu25wR%2Fwg%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$5.94","priceAmount":5.94,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"5","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"94","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"2MaNHXUXPom5bLmmqAEZCGmZGvNSLIcv%2FTXPY8qv2uu5EI4%2FhOFGR6Be8m38TPlTsDCHXg4ax3v%2BeL92EwfoBQpS4dojqOahZjufAPoyl5QWdYjY4RC4%2FWdpipTASKR6hhUi5%2FocLjDGxx7JRDak%2FkrLH4APTfDek6%2BzjYdqhvK708AyC0Uiem2M97V3Artn","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Twenty discourses from the Pali Canon--including those most essential to the study and teaching of early Buddhism--are provided in fresh translations, accompanied by introductions that highlight the main themes and set the ideas presented in the context of wider philosophical and religious issues. Taken together, these fascinating works give an account of Buddhist teachings directly from the earliest primary sources.

In his General Introduction, John J. Holder discusses the structure and language of the Pali Canon--its importance within the Buddhist tradition and the historical context in which it developed--and gives an overview of the basic doctrines of early Buddhism.

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. ISBN-10
    0872207927
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0872207929
  3. Publisher
    Hackett Publishing Co.
  4. Publication date
    March 15, 2006
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
  7. Print length
    240 pages
  8. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Frequently bought together

Early Buddhist Discourses (Hackett Classics)
$17.00
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Dialogues and Essays (Oxford World's Classics)
$14.78
Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
The Essential Mengzi: Selected Passages with Traditional Commentary (Hackett Classics)
$13.00
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John J. Holder is Associate Professor of Philosophy, St. Norbert College.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hackett Publishing Co. (March 15, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0872207927
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0872207929
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 50 ratings

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
50 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Michael Chumley
5.0 out of 5 stars The best introduction to Buddhism and Buddhist primary sources!
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2009
Verified Purchase
One can't say enough good things about this first-class introduction to early Buddhist writings. The editor and translator John J. Holder has done an absolutely splendid job of selecting the most important writings of the early Buddhist canon and translating them into very clear, modern English.
The book has the single best brief overview of Buddhism that I've ever encountered and each selection from the early discourses also carries a terrific introduction that explains the meaning of the discourse and its overall importance in Buddhist philosophy.
This far and away bests the many other good introductions to Buddhist scriptures currently available (e.g. from Penguin, Oxford Classics, etc) and is a great bargain for the price.
For many years now Hackett Publishing has lead the way in translations of Western philosophical classics and literature and they are now doing the same splendid job for the philosophies and literature of Asia.
If you have any interest in Buddhism and it's primary texts this is the best place to start!
24 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
dhamma learner
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2010
Verified Purchase
This book is very well written and highly recommended as an introduction to Buddhism for college students and fans of philosophy. You can also download questions that help you understand the basic ideas of each chapter from the publisher's website. The focus of this book is for a scholarly setup rather than that of a Buddhist practitioner but still it is a great book regardless. You can also purchase "In the Buddha's words" from Bikkhu Bodhi, "Sayings of the Buddha" from Rupert Gethin, "Dhammapada" from Gil Fronsdal or "Dhammapada" from the Oxford Classics as complements to this book.
11 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful sampling and translations of Buddhist suttas!
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2012
Verified Purchase
I like this book a lot. John Holder has chosen 16 suttas to translate, with short commentary at the beginning of each. This is a great book if you're new to Buddhism, just starting to read suttas, or if like me, you want a translator other than Bhikku Bodi.

John does a great job of introducing each sutta, and then translating the sutta's themselves. The book is concise, and shares Buddha's most important teachings.

I recommend this book for everyone, no matter what your experience is with Buddhism.
9 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Shambhala
4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Selection
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2018
Verified Purchase
Although reading the Pali canon is like chewing cardboard, here there is an excellent selection of sixteen Suttas that according to Holder are the most significant and representative of Buddha's teachings.
It contains a good explanatory introduction about the canon and a short introduction to each Sutta.
Helpful
 Report
Casey Machula
5.0 out of 5 stars Introductions are fabuluous
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2013
Verified Purchase
This is an extremely well-edited text. The introductions are lucid and penetrating. And the edior eliminated the painfully repetitive parts of the primary source texts, which is very much appreciated. One comes away with a better understanding of Buddhism than one could ever get from a secondary source like, say, Hagen's "Buddhism Is not What You Think" or even Penguin Classic's "Buddhist Scriptures." This is one source I'm sure to consult many times.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Andy
5.0 out of 5 stars A+
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2019
Verified Purchase
A+
Helpful
 Report
Felicia L. Jenkins
5.0 out of 5 stars ... required textbook for PHIL 1301 and price was the best.
Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
A required textbook for PHIL 1301 and price was the best.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Song
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2017
Verified Purchase
Essential foundations of Buddhism
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Pearce
5.0 out of 5 stars What The Buddha Taught
Reviewed in Canada on January 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
Several of the Buddha's teachings are discussed and analyzed with the author's translation. Included is the discourse on the noble quest, the teaching to the Kalama's (don't blindly believe), the greater discourse on the destruction of craving, and many more. A great way to become familiar with and understand some of the Buddha's most important teachings.
Report