In the Hope of Nibbana The Ethics of Theravada Buddhism

Buddhism is deeply woven into the fabric of life in Myanmar (Burma), where an insular history made it an ideal place to study the influence of the Buddha's teaching on a culture and people. The author provides an overview of Buddhist psychology, the process of self-perfection, and a description of the ultimate goal of Nibbana. The layperson's dedication to performing meritorious actions "in the hope of Nibbana" is a central theme, along with the struggle to align ethical values with the realities of the modern world. Dr. Winston L. King, a professor of religious studies, also authored Buddhism and Christianity: Some Bridges of Understanding; A Thousand Lives Away; and Theravada Meditation: The Buddhist Transformation of Yoga. In the Hope of Nibbana was written after two years of study in Burma during the early 1960s; he wrote a postscript for this new edition shortly before he passed away at the age of 92.