the Open Buddhist University
A place to chill and learn about Buddhism.
A Free Buddhist Education
Rigorous academics and thorough content coverage, the University offers a comprehensive foundation in Buddhist studies.
For the Digital Generation
Completely free and open source, take the world of Buddhism with you everywhere you go.
A general introduction to Buddhism suitable for everyone.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi and others
Read :
Ven Master Hsing Yun, Peter Harvey, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Walpola Rahula, Ayya Khema, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Ajahn Jayasaro, Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro, Ajahn Brahm, U Chan Htoon, and Peter D. Santina
An introduction to Buddhist practice focusing on how ethics and meditation work together to improve our lives.
Featuring:
Bhante Yuttadhammo
Read :
Thubten Yeshe, Bhikkhu Cintita, and Ananda Pereira
An introduction to the history and forms of Buddhism, including analysis of the Sangha and what it takes to call yourself a Buddhist.
Featuring:
Read :
Richard Robinson, Willard L. Johnson, Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro, Bhikkhu Cintita, T. B. Karunaratne, Laurence Khantipalo Mills, Ven Pategama Gnanarama, and Ven Thubten Chodron
An introduction to the Buddhist Canon suitable for everyone based on Bhikkhu Bodhi’s popular anthology, In The Buddha’s Words.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Read:
Bhikkhu Bodhi and Bhante Shravasti Dhammika
An introduction to Buddhist Philosophy for students starting to feel comfortable reading the suttas. Primarily based on the Theravada school, the class will include some additional material to round out its presentation.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Read:
Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Ajahn Suchart, and Luangta Maha Boowa
In this course we cover ethics from three angles—theory, practice and mythology—believing that none is intelligible without the rest. A course that, hopefully, will engage your heart as well as your head.
Featuring:
Read:
Peter Harvey, Maurice Walshe, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera, Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli Thera, and Bhikkhu Bodhi
A thorough tour of the Pāli texts which report the Buddha’s character, accomplishments, life, and history.
Featuring:
Read:
Bhikkhu Anālayo, Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli Thera, Laurence Khantipalo Mills, Peter Harvey, and Susan E. Jootla
A rigerous tour of key words and images used in the Early Buddhist Texts, this course unpacks early Buddhist philosophy from the unique perspective of the rhethoric it deployed. This course also serves as an introduction to Pāli for nonspecialists.
Featuring:
Read:
Bhikkhu Anālayo and Hellmuth Hecker
A rigerous tour of the Majjhima Nikāya led by Bhikkhu Bodhi and supplemented by the excellent comparative scholarship of Bhikkhu Anālayo, this course will give you an excellent grounding in the most readable and important of the Early Buddhist Texts.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Read:
Bhikkhu Anālayo, Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli Thera, Bhikkhu Bodhi, and Bhante Sujato
An ongoing series of talks by Bhikkhu Bodhi going sequentially through the Numerical Discourses, explaining how the collection was compiled and how we might apply its wisdom to our everyday lives.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Read:
Bhikkhu Bodhi and Bhante Sujato
A short course on part of the Madhyama Āgama held in 2013, the sutras covered (MA 72-86) revolve around the interdependence of samatha and vipassana meditation and their co-creation of wisdom. Bhikkhu Anālayo makes the difficult subject accessible in his inimitably methodical style.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Anālayo
Read:
This course weaves together two free monographs and a number of booklets to explore Nirvana from a critical perspective, giving a thorough introduction to the meaning, logic and history behind the Buddhists’ ultimate goal.
Featuring:
Read:
Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Amaro, Soonil Hwang, Ajahn Geoff Ṭhānissaro, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera, Helmuth von Glasenapp, Bhikkhu Kaṭukurunde Ñāṇananda, Mahāsi Sayadaw, and Bhante Yuttadhammo
An advanced course on the subtle components of the mind and how to understand their inner workings in order to put an end to our raging whirlpool of selfish thinking.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Anālayo
Read:
Bhikkhu Kaṭukurunde Ñāṇananda
A gentle introduction to the Pāli Language is suitable for everyone, based on Lily DeSilva’s excellent Primer and taught by the Most Venerable scholar, Bhikkhu Bodhi.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Read:
Lily de Silva
Begin to read the Pāli Canon in its original language, in this intermediate Pāli course taught from Gair and Karunatillake’s excellent progressive reader and guided step-by-step, as always, by Bhikkhu Bodhi.
Featuring:
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Read:
James W. Gair and W. S. Karunatillake
A line-by-line, character-by-character introduction to the art of reading ancient, Buddhist Chinese, this expansive course covers everything from the fundamentals to epigraphy and the esoteric texts.
Featuring:
Read:
John Kieschnick and Simon Wiles