The Path of Freedom: Vimuttimagga

by Soma Thera

The Path of Freedom, or Vimuttimagga, which serves as a meditation manual, is broadly considered a great and important work. It is similar to the Path of Purification, or Visuddhimagga, but less analytical and more practical in its treatment of the traditional meditation objects. Both are commentaries, not from the Pali Canon, but very relevant to it, especially to the section of the Pali Canon called the Abhidhamma which contains the philosophical treatises of the Buddha. There is considerable variance between traditions as to who is given credit for this great work, although it is widely held that it was written centuries after the time of the Buddha.

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy, Meditation, Religion

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mitch Bonaccorso · Rating 5 out of 5]

(by Daniel Ingram) This is the first great Theravada encyclopedia of meditation. Visuddhimagga (above) was probably based on it (though some scholars claim otherwise, but regardless, they are very similar in many ways). Lost in the original Pali, it is translated back from a surviving Chinese manuscript. Much more readable than the Visuddhamagga, still quite comprenensive but not as detailed. It is very highly recommended. I like this one a lot. If you want to see how far Western Theravada Buddhism has fallen from the glory of it roots, read this book and then read basically any book by a modern, Western, non-monastic teacher. The difference brings tears to my eyes. Also on BPS.
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