One Stop Shop for the Wisdom of the Buddha

One Stop Shop for the Wisdom of the Buddha (The fact, faith, fable, fiction and fear-based teachings), is a critique of the Pali Canon, which are rare to say the least. It is also a comprehensive and detailed guide to the spiritual life, which took over nine years to write. It is a write up of the author’s experience of more than 35 years of urban and community life, while endeavouring to live by Buddhist principles.
It starts with an Introduction on why the Pali Canon is not a popular text to own - even among Buddhists. Chapter 1 starts by describing the centuries that preceded Buddhism. This is necessary as (the) Buddha drew heavily upon existing Vedic teachings, although he mostly re-represented them in the context of his renunciative teaching. Chapter 2 is a discussion of Buddhism in the context of several scientific doctrines (conservation of energy, cause and effect, thermodynamics). We come to understand why empiricism should be first and foremost in Buddhist practice. Chapter 3 continues on a practical basis and thoroughly explains posture, and how to spot and deal with distracting thoughts. Unlike other books on meditation, the reader investigates for themselves the practices being expounded for themselves in the moment.
Chapter 4 to 8 draws on over 100 citations from over 40 discourses from the Pāli Canon. There are line-by-line analyses and elucidations explaining the purpose of Buddhist meditation and ethics. These are the fact-based teachings.
Chapters 9 to 11 discuss further meditation, including the ultimate Descent into Voidness, the different levels of spiritual beings, and a comparative study of kammic and societal law. Descent into Voidness was described by the Buddha’s assistant Sāriputta as the finest of all meditations. It is something the author has achieved many times. It is nothing less than Temporary Liberation, herein described from the author’s experience, in step-by-step detail, from beginning to end.
Chapter 12 to 19 presents rebirth and the varied Buddhist echelons of existence which is compared with modern astrophysical theory. There are more faith teachings, such as Buddhist Cosmogony, miracles and psychic powers, including how to develop them. There is an investigation into how human was the Buddha, the cyclic nature of self(ishness), how to evaluate a teacher of Buddhism, how to earn merit, and Dhamma for householders. All these undergo serious scrutiny and comparison in the light of modern sensibilities.
The last two chapters return to more practical issues, such as attending a meditation retreat, what to expect, what happens to a retreatant’s psychology and how to handle it.
The final chapter gives a salutary summing up of the downside of the renunciative life.

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