Words of the Buddha
Explore the Buddha’s earliest teachings through his words. Access over 989 texts with parallel Pāli-English translations and built-in study tools.
Reflection of the Day
“I do not see any other form that so completely obsesses a man’s mind as the form of a woman.”
— AN 1.1 ·

Fire: Investigating Recurrent Experience
The Buddha cast his entire framework of liberation in the language of fire and its cessation. This essay traces that structure using what we now understand about how fire actually works.
Experience is examined starting with the texture of a single moment, to the cascade of experience, across the terrain where consciousness takes root, and to the extinguishing that is Nibbāna.
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Parallel Texts
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Contextual Tooltips
Click any Pāli word or translated term for on-the-spot explanations that deepen understanding.
Bookmarks & Highlights
Save discourses and highlight key passages to build your personal collection of insights.
Discourses by Text Collections
Access over 2,100 discourses with parallel Pāli-English translations
| Collection | |
|---|---|
| The Path of Dhamma | 423 verses 100 %
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| As It Was Said | 112 sayings 100 %
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| Inspired Utterances | 69 utterances 86 %
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| Middle Length Discourses | 78 discourses 51 %
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| The Buddha's Ancient Discourses | 41 teachings 58 %
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| Connected Discourses | 487 discourses 17 %
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| Numerical Discourses | 920 discourses 10 %
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| Long Discourses | 0 discourses 0 %
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| Minor Passages | 4 passages 44 %
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Latest Discourses
View all →Dhammapada verses 360–382 depict the ideal bhikkhu as one who restrains the senses, body, speech, and mind, leading to freedom from suffering. Emphasis is placed on mindfulness, inner joy, collectedness, and self-reliance. Through discipline and reflection, the bhikkhu advances towards the peace of Nibbāna, shining like the moon freed from clouds.
Last updated on March 3, 2026
The Buddha explains to Venerable Rādha that a living being is defined by desire, passion, delight, and craving in form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.
Last updated on March 3, 2026
The Buddha teaches the abandoning of desire for all impermanent things through recognizing the fleeting nature of the six sense bases and their associated phenomena.
Last updated on March 3, 2026
The Buddha shares his own journey of seeking the path to awakening, from leaving the household life, to studying under two meditation teachers, to attaining full awakening and an account of teaching the Dhamma to his first five disciples.
Last updated on March 2, 2026
Just after the Buddha's awakening, he identifies the four establishments of mindfulness as the direct path to Nibbāna. Brahmā Sahampati confirms this teaching and praises the one who understands it.
Last updated on March 2, 2026
Anthologies
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An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon
In In the Buddha’s Words, Bhikkhu Bodhi curates a rich anthology of discourses drawn from the Pali Canon that capture the full breadth of the Buddha’s teachings. Through these selected suttas, readers explore key themes such as impermanence, not-self, and the path to awakening, revealing how suffering arises and can ultimately be transcended. Each section is introduced with Bhikkhu Bodhi’s insightful commentary, which clarifies the practical application of the Dhamma in daily life. The book’s thematic structure provides a coherent roadmap to the Buddha’s profound insights, emphasizing their timeless relevance in overcoming the human predicament. In essence, In the Buddha’s Words serves as an invaluable guide for anyone seeking a clear and transformative overview of Early Buddhism.
By Bhikkhu Bodhi
The heart essence of the Buddha’s original teachings
In Noble Truths, Noble Path, Bhikkhu Bodhi brings together key suttas from the Saṁyutta Nikāya that illuminate the essence of the Buddha’s teaching - the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. Through these discourses, readers see how suffering arises, why it persists, and how it can be ended, culminating in Nibbāna. Each chapter, introduced by Ven. Bodhi, follows the structure of the Four Noble Truths, offering a clear roadmap to understand and overcome the human predicament. The book emphasizes the universal relevance of the Buddha’s radical insights and guides us toward liberation from the cycle of rebirth, making it an invaluable resource for anyone seeking a concise yet profound overview of Early Buddhism.
By Bhikkhu Bodhi
A daily learning feed of the Buddha’s teachings — learn, reflect, and apply in practice.