Q:    How did you come to write Along the Path?
A:    During winter of 2003, Michelle (Decary) and I were studying Pali language at Dhamma Giri, in India. Several of us were sharing travel stories when a teacher at the meditation center suggested that the travel writer among us write a guide for meditators in India. He declined, saying he didn't have enough travel experience in India, or the time. Then someone proposed that Michelle and I write the book, since we had both the Indian travel experience and the time. So our journey "along the path" began, and we started weaving together stories from the Buddha's life with travel reflections and inspirations we had while traveling in India.

Q.    How long did it take to write?
A.    It took six and a half years from that time to publication. There were a lot of pauses while we sat and served and I did my Ph.D. Also, the book was done with the help of many volunteers, Dhamma workers. The main text was written by Michelle and me, but a number of anecdotes were written by meditators from around the world. Twelve artists donated art work, and various people commented on the manuscript. From start to finish, in every way, there were contributions by meditators. Because we were producing the book without any commercial intention, we had such amazing help from so many wonderful, skilled, and talented people.

Q.    How did you approach the subject of the book?
A.    The book is in three parts: the first part provides practical information on traveling to India; the other two center on important events that occurred at the various places visited by the Buddha and the teachings he gave there. We focus on stories that highlight the Dhamma rather than historical or archaeological features. These places are important not so much because of the monuments we see but because of what was taught there. Ultimately, we feel it is very important to meditate in these places because it is an expression of the Dhamma. In each chapter we have a section entitled "site sitting" in which we indicate the most important places to meditate. The term "site sitting" reminds us to be mindful at all times, even while traveling.
    Earlier we had been on a pilgrimage to Myanmar with Goenkaji [S.N. Goenka] and 500 meditators. There were 15 buses and we were being shuffled from one site to the next. Most people had very little knowledge of the places they were visiting. We were fortunate because we were on a bus with several Dhamma teachers who were familiar with these locations. However, this experience made us reflect on the meditation scene in India where many Vipassana meditators were unaware of the events that had occurred at the various pilgrimage places even though there were meditation centers close to them. We understood their significance and we experienced a feeling of deep devotion when we meditated at them. So, the book is, in a way, a response to the lack of knowledge among meditators regarding the importance of these places and is meant to help them gain a deeper sense of the Buddha's teachings in the very places where those teachings were first given. We want to encourage people to meditate in these places, to become "site-sitters," and discourage them from being just sight-seers.

Q.    Do you have anything else planned?
A.    We will be starting a blog with the idea of keeping the information in the book up-to-date. The information in the book is largely open-ended so that it doesn't quickly become dated. However, we have received a lot of requests for more specific information from readers of the book. The blog will be a way for meditators to send us or to post information about specific sites, problems, travel tips, etc., that will supplement the book.

In 1999 the Buddhist Publication Society and Pariyatti executed a copublishing agreement so that quality editions of classic and modern scholarly Buddhist works would be easily available in America. Bhikkhu Ñānamoli's translation of the Pāli-language Visuddhimagga, The Path of Purification was the first title published, in both a hardcover and softcover edition, under the new BPE imprint established specifically for the purpose. The book was reprinted by Pariyatti in 2003 and 2006. It seems appropriate to commemorate this summer's new Pariyatti reprint of The Path of Purification with a little historical background to this critical Buddhist work.

By the 5th century CE, Buddhism was on the wane in India: various Buddhist sects had arisen, each claiming to be the authentic representative of the Buddha's sangha. According to tradition, it was at this time that the precocious and eloquent monk Buddhaghosa expressed to his teacher, the Ven. Revata Mahathera, a wish to compose an authentic and concise commentary on the Pāli Tipiṭaka. The fruit of his determination, the Visuddhimagga, a profound and coherent compendium of Buddhist doctrine and metaphysics--originally written by hand with a stylus on palm leaves--is both a concise synopsis of the Buddha's teaching and a systematic manual of meditation. Composed of three parts, it discusses:

The text describes the progression from initial discipline to nibbāna, considering seven stages of purity: sīla (virtue), citta (mind), ditthi (view), transcending doubt, discernment of what is the true Path, discernment of progress on the Path, and deliverance freed from clinging.
 
Of the numerous works, mostly commentaries (aṭṭhakathā), that Buddhaghosa wrote, the Visuddhimagga is generally recognized as the most important Theravāda text next to the canon itself, and its author the most renowned compiler and exegete.
 
During the summer of 1952, the monk Ñānamoli first wrote of his intention to translate the Visuddhimagga into English. In 1948 at age 43, after serving in British Intelligence during WWII, a disillusioned Osbert Moore had left England for Sri Lanka. The following year he became a novice Buddhist monk, and in 1950 was fully ordained as Bhikkhu Ñānamoli. At the Island Hermitage, situated on two tiny interconnected islands in a brackish lagoon near Dodanduwa, he began his studies with Ñyanatiloka Mahathera, learning Pāli and adjusting, in austere rural simplicity, to the quiet life of a Buddhist monk.
 
He took up the translation task, he said, for his own edification, and because the only published version was no longer obtainable. By the end of 1953 his translation had been completed and put aside, but early in the following year he received a request to publish his recent translation. Spending all the daylight hours every day, it took him from April to October of 1954 to prepare the 1000-page manuscript, typing about five pages a day and then revising them, and having someone read through them while he simultaneously composed a preface and an introduction.
 
The First Edition of his Visuddhimagga translation, The Path of Purification, was published in 1956 by Ananda Semage in Colombo, followed by a Second Edition in 1964.
 
Ven. Ñānamoli's translation of the Visuddhimagga--the work for which he is perhaps best remembered--would alone have to be considered an outstanding achievement of distinguished Buddhist scholarship. It is all the more remarkable when one considers that the translation was begun when he had been familiarizing himself with abhidhamma concepts and studying Pāli for, at most, four years, and was completed within 18 months. His rapidly acquired but profound knowledge of Pāli made it possible for him to expose to fortunate English readers some of the most difficult texts of the Theravāda canon. His very first translation, The Path of Purification, is now virtually universally accepted as the definitive translation of Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga.

These two exceptional monks, the Ven. Buddhaghosa and his Dhamma-brother Ñānamoli, working on the same small island, though separated by some 1,500 years, together contributed to pariyatti, as pursued in English, a superlatively articulate and concise summation of the requisite stages of purity on the Noble Path to nibbāna, the intended destination of every serious practitioner.
 
As for the importance of the Visuddhimagga to this quest, we should let the translator have the last word. In his Introduction to The Path of Purification, the Ven. Ñānamoli writes: "The Visuddhimagga is perhaps unique in the literature of the world. It systematically summarizes and interprets the teaching of the Buddha contained in the Pāli Tipiṭaka, which is now recognized. . . as the oldest and most authentic record of the Buddha's words. As the principal noncanonical authority of the Theravāda, it forms the hub of a complete and coherent method of exegesis of the Tipiṭaka, using the 'Abhidhamma method' as it is called. And it sets out detailed practical instructions for developing purification."

Our thanks to everyone who helped make Pariyatti's recent fundraising campaign a success. Donations of $84,000 helped us surpass our goal by $14,000! Pariyatti's services are indeed valued and supported.

We'll be able to go back to press with several books this year. First up: The Vision of Dhamma: Buddhist Writings of Nyanaponika Thera, essays on the Dhamma. The book will be available in April and can be preordered now.

The final podcast from S.N. Goenka's Meditation Now tour is a 94-minute, bilingual Dhamma talk in English and Mandarin, given August 4, 2002, at the Sheraton LaGuardia, New York. All of the talks from the tour are now available as podcasts.

Pariyatti's podcasts are a rich resource for Dhamma inspiration. Thanks to our volunteers who since October 2005 have managed to post 54 episodes through January 2010.

We now have the award-winning film The Dhamma Brothers back in stock. This film documents the introduction of a ten-day Vipassana meditation course into a maximum-security prison, and some of the participants (also available with the companion book, Letters from the Dhamma Brothers, at a discount). Jenny Phillips, author of the book and one of the film's producers, reports that PBS television stations in the United States will begin airing the film in April.

The Manual of Light (Alin-Kyan) and The Manual of the Path to Higher Knowledge (Vijjamagga Dipani) are two advanced expositions of the Buddha's teaching by the renowned Burmese scholar-monk and meditation master, the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw (1846-1923).

The expositions are intended for those who are familiar with the works of the Ledi Sayadaw. Topics include Dependent Origination, Kamma, Causality, Nibbana. An elucidation of the attributes of one who can attain higher knowledge is followed by a description of the method of attaining the three branches of higher knowledge of the Noble Ones: Higher knowledge of the truth of impermanence, of the truth of suffering, and of the truth of impersonality and conditionality. Next, ten items on how to observe these truths directly are enumerated and described systematically.

This volume from the Buddhist Publication Society (BPS) is the first time these works have appeared in English translation. Other titles by the Ledi Sayadaw from BPS include A Manual of the Excellent Man (Uttamapurisa Dipani); The Requisites of Enlightenment (Bodhipakkhiya Dipani); A Manual of Insight; Manual of Mindfulness; The Noble Eightfold Path and Its Factors Explained. (All are available at Pariyatti.org.)

New titles from BPS include Collected Wheel Publications, Wheel booklets 1 through 75, published together in five volumes, and the very inspiring The Life of Nyanatiloka Thera, a German-born scholar-monk who was the first European Buddhist monk.

Pariyatti's annual fundraising campaign is underway to raise $70,000. To date, challenge donations of $35,000 have been matched by gifts totalling $19,000. If you value our nonprofit services, please consider making a contribution now. Your support is essential. With a gift of $100 or more, you'll receive a discount of 20% off all titles for one year. Donations of any amount can be made online, by check, or by phone. We will send a receipt for your records; your donation is tax-deductible in accordance with U.S. tax regulations.

Do you wonder why Pariyatti needs financial support to continue operations? The book-selling side of Pariyatti is the most visible, but it is only one of the services we provide. We also publish, import, distribute (for Buddhist Publication Society, Pali Text Society, and Vipassana Research Institute), and keep more than 1,000 titles in stock. None of these activities is "profitable" in the conventional sense, but is no less worthwhile.

This month's podcast is an 82-minute talk by S.N. Goenka, followed by Q&A, given August 4, 2002, at the Helen Hills Hills Chapel at Smith College, Northampton, MA. This and previous podcasts can be seen, heard, and downloaded here.

A new book by Paul R. Fleischman, M.D. entitled An Ancient Path, is now available. Featured are public talks on Vipassana meditation given to medical professionals or academics in Europe and America in 2007. Dr. Fleischman practiced psychiatry for 30 years, is the author of several books and articles (including Karma and Chaos and Cultivating Inner Peace), and is a long-time Vipassana practitioner and teacher. 192 pages, $10.95

New from Pariyatti Press! Along the Path: The Meditator's Companion to the Buddha's Land is a comprehensive, practical, and inspiring guide for those traveling to the sacred sites of the Buddha's life. Charming drawings and detailed maps are provided throughout the book's 424 pages. This guide offers a rich anthology of deeply inspiring stories relating to each of the sites, detailed descriptions, insider information on what to see, and tips on transportation, accommodation, and local cuisine. Spirited narratives from experienced travelers are interspersed throughout the book. The first chapter covers the basics of planning your trip, arrival, and suggested intineraries for a pilgrimage; subsequent chapters are organized by region, beginning with The Middle Land, or Majjhima Desa. Authors Kory Goldberg and Michelle Decary draw on their abundant personal experiences and those of fellow practitioners on the path. Available from Pariyatti or local booksellers. ISBN 978-1-928706-56-4, $21.95

It's not too late to place your holiday orders online or by telephone (360.978.4998). We are shipping orders through Monday, December 21 and will resume again on January 4. You can place orders and make year-end donations via our website while we're doing inventory and spending time with family. Gift ideas include two newly published books, gift certificates, art cards, or a Pariyatti membership.

Best wishes from all of us at Pariyatti!
Luke  Carl  Eric  Jill  Julie

This month's podcast is a 14-minute video called Time to Breathe. Students of a primary school in the UK visit the Dhamma Dipa meditation center to learn to observe their respiration (anapana).  Includes interviews with children, their parents, and the teachers. This and previous podcasts can be seen, heard, or downloaded here.

A new book by Paul R. Fleischman, M.D. entitled An Ancient Path, is now available. Featured are public talks on Vipassana meditation given to medical professionals or academics in Europe and America in 2007. Dr. Fleischman practiced psychiatry for 30 years, is the author of several books and articles (including Karma and Chaos and Cultivating Inner Peace), and is a long-time Vipassana practitioner and teacher.

Pariyatti's fall fundraising campaign is underway to match challenge donations of $37,000 and raise an equal amount in support from others who value Pariyatti's uplifting mission. With a gift of $100 or more, members receive a discount of 20 percent off all titles. Donations of any amount can be made online, by check, or by phone. We will send a receipt for your records; your donation is tax-deductible in accordance with U.S. tax regulations.