(538 pp., Metta Forest Monastery, 2010, Free Distribution)

This book is an eye-opener. In it, Ajaan Thanissaro puts into context the Buddha’s teachings from the Pali Canon. He shows how every time the Buddha taught, he was attuned to the circumstances at hand, that how he taught was a deliberate expression of what he taught. The book explores the four types of approaches the Buddha used when responding to questions. How did he choose among the four? And why should we care? Readers of the book will find out, but here’s a taste:

“If we want to understand and use [the Buddha’s] teachings for their intended purpose, we have to view them in terms of the questions they were and were not meant to answer.”

Each chapter (except the last) includes illustrative readings from the Canon; expertly translated by the author, they comprise over half the book. Skill in Questions is challenging and not for beginners, but it ranks among Ajaan Thanissaro’s most important writings.

To obtain a copy of the book, visit www.dhammatalks.org or write to Metta Forest Monastery, P.O. Box 1409, Valley Center, CA 92082.

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From the Spring 2011 issue of Inquiring Mind (Vol. 27, No. 2)

© 2011 Matthew Grad