Discipline: The Canonical Buddhism of the Vinayapitaka (Buddhist Tradition Series) by John Clifford Holt - 1999

Condition: clean copy, dust jacket protected by plastic cover.
Content: This is a penetrating analysis of a heretofore neglected, yet centrally important portion of the Pali Canon. In identifying the pivotal role of discipline in the bhikkhu quest for nibbana the author finds that Vinaya rules represent a practical implementation of the Buddha's Dhamma. Specifically, adherence to this monastic code theoretically facilitates and overcoming of asavas, mental dispositions that foster attachments to the 'self' and thus perpetuate the process of samsaric kammic retribution. The formulation of Buddhist monastic law, therefore, need not be seen as the result of casuistry; rather, it is the consequence of a conscious attempt on the part of the early Buddhist tradition to identify behavioral expressions that at once generate and reflect a calmed, detached and disciplined mental and spiritual state.
158 pages, selected bibliography, index.