Acknowledgements from the Publisher

We at Bodhinyana International Foundation (BIF), a registered non-profit organization in Hong Kong, wish to express our deepest gratitude to Ajahn Brahm, our Spiritual Advisor. Ajahn Brahm has kindly granted BIF the exclusive right to publish his version of The Word of the Buddha. This work, rendered in contemporary English with significantly improved accuracy, is based on the book of the same title, first published in German in 1906 by the eminent German monk Ñāṇatiloka Mahāthera (1878-1957). Like the original, Ajahn Brahm’s version serves as a compact sourcebook of the teachings of the Buddha. It can also be used as a companion to Ajahn Brahm’s 12-part lecture series of the same title. Both the videos and the podcasts can be accessed through this link: https://bswa.org/teaching/word-buddha-ajahn-brahm/

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the four anonymous donors, whose selfless contributions have made the publication of 2,000 copies of the first edition possible for free distribution. Their generosity has allowed us to share these teachings with a wider audience, and we are truly grateful for their support. We also wish to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Anne Cheung and Aosi Mak for their meticulous editing and formatting of this book; Corina Chan and Gerald Lee for their attentive proofreading of the final draft; Désirée Bucks and Gary Ling for their exceptional design and printing assistance; and Freddie Sze for providing the copyright of the photo featured on the cover. The cover design showcases a historic Dhammacakka statue, depicting the Buddha giving his first sermon, The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dhamma (Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta). This statue moved Ajahn Brahm to tears whenever he beheld it at the Sarnath Museum outside Benares, India.

Finally, and most importantly, this publication is dedicated to the late Mr. William Betts and Mrs. Hazel Betts, whose “door of their house”, which inspired the title of Ajahn Brahm’s first book, Opening the Door of Your Heart, was always open to their younger son Peter. A fine Englishman, Peter skilfully “let go” of himself from a Cambridge-educated theoretical physicist to a fully-ordained Theravāda Buddhist monk 50 years ago this year, 2024. The Betts’ unconditional love and care have been the foundation of Ajahn Brahm’s journey, enabling him to spread the Dhamma—the Teachings of the Buddha—far and wide for half a century through profound devotion and selfless service.