The Buddha – His Life and Teachings

The Buddha – His Life and Teachings is a quality introductory book about the founder of Buddhism. The author presents the life of Siddhartha Gautama in a clear, systematic and accessible way – from his birth into a royal family in ancient India, through his luxurious childhood and youth, four encounters that inspired him to renounce, his ascetic life, to his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and the beginning of his preaching.

The book covers in detail the fundamental Buddhist teachings: the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the concepts of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and the non-existence of a permanent “self” (anatta), and the ideas of karma, rebirth and nirvana. Raskin also explains the basic directions of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana) and their influence on the modern world.

The text is written in a popular-scientific style – without too much philosophical jargon, but with enough depth to provide the reader with a solid understanding. The emphasis is on the practical application of Buddha's teachings in everyday life, awareness and the search for inner peace.