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# Getting Started

This is a fairly large and complex website, containing hundreds of books, articles, sutta translations, and more. If you're new to the site -- or to the teachings of Theravada Buddhism -- you may find the starting points listed below helpful in getting yourself oriented.

### General information about Theravada Buddhism:

- What is Theravada Buddhism?
- Theravada Buddhism: A Chronology
- A Sketch of the Buddha's Life: Readings from the Pali Canon
- Frequently-asked Questions About Buddhism

### Introduction to the Buddha's teachings:

- The Path to Freedom: A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings
- The Nobility of the Truths, by Bhikkhu Bodhi
- Refuge: an Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- Study Guides: anthologies of short passages suitable for individual or group study.

### Beginning meditation:

- A Guided Meditation, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
- Buddho, by Ajaan Thate
- Starting Out Small: A Collection of Talks for Beginning Meditators, by Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo

### Reading the Suttas:

- Befriending the Suttas:
  - Why should I read the suttas?
  - Which suttas should I read?
  - How should I read a sutta?
- The Buddha's first sermon

### Finding your way around the website:

- Just about everything is indexed:
  - Index by Subject
  - Index by Author
  - Index by Title
  - Index of Suttas
  - Index of Proper Names
  - Index by Number
  - Index of Similes
- Map of the website
- Frequently-asked questions about the website
- How to download the entire website

Need more help?

> Help is always just a click away: click on the Help link at the top left corner of each page.

Revised: Wed 10 April 2002