The Middle Way

The Story of Buddhism

By: Jinananda

Narrated by: David Timson, Anton Lesser

General interest in Buddhism has never been higher. The story and teachings of a man who lived 2,500 years ago have a special resonance for us today, perhaps because he taught a way of life that was not based on belief in a creator god but rather on personal experience. "Test my words for yourself," he said. But what lies behind those distinctive images of the Buddha, seated with unshakeable poise, with eyes half-closed and a slight smile? How did Buddhism develop, from the austere style which governed the life of the yellow-robed monks in ancient India to the more colorful, even magical expression of Tibet? And where does Zen fit in?

Jinananda, a Western-born Buddhist, divides the subject into the Three Jewels: The Buddha (a life of the historical figure), the Dharma (an account of the fundamental teachings), and the Sangha (the disciples, both lay and monastic, throughout the world). With extracts from some of the main sutras, Jinananda explains the key concepts that lie behind a system of thought and behavior that, like the universe itself, is continuously expanding.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©1997 Jinananda (P)2012 Naxos Audiobooks Ltd.

Informative. Challenging. and Gentle.

It takes several times through to understand what is so simply set out... And it's lovely. The voice of David Carradine as the Buddha is a perfect fit.

An excellent listen

Really glad I selected this title with this months credit. It brought a lot of clarity to the subject and the way it is broken down into Buddha, Dharma, Sangha really works. Highly recommended.

Rocking...

I've got a lot of audible books on Buddhism. So far this has been my favorite one, and have listened to it numerous times. Lot's of information and told in a very easy way to listen to. The voice they used for Gotama Buddha is now burned into my brain as the voice of Gotama Buddha.

Check it out, it's totally worth it.

Clear and Interesting

I got this to take a break from modern Buddhist teaching and its "Feel good/Self-help" quality and review the basics. This book is a clear and comforting path. It covers the main story of the Buddha, important parts of the Dharma, and the history of the different lineages and sangha. The reading is enlivening, and it is written as a logical step-by-step understanding. Definitely a good way to review the "bones" of the practice.

My life changing book!

It’s an amazing audio book that got me enlightened while listening to it the very first time!! Since then, I have listened to it hundreds of times!!