Access to Insight 4+

Readings in Theravada Buddhism

Bill Parousis

    • 4.8 • 58 Ratings
    • Free

Screenshots

Description

Not so much "an eBook" as a huge library of eBooks, this might just be the best application about Buddhism on the App Store!

This is the entire offline version of John Bullitt's widely recognized and highly recommended Access to Insight (www.accesstoinsight.org) web site, a massive compilation of material about Theravada Buddhism and Buddhism in general.

Herein are contained over 1,000 *actual suttas* (skt: 'sutras') from the Tipitaka (body of Buddhist canonical texts) translated into contemporary English with scholarly rigor and precision by recognized subject domain experts. Suttas are not simply modern essays and interpretations; they are actual written discourses historically attributed to Siddhartha Gotama, the Buddha, who founded Buddhism nearly 2,500 years ago.

A massive and thorough collection of essays by world-renound monks and scholars on the subjects of Buddhist philosophy, meditation, and practice is also included.

This is high quality material that is suitable reading for personal interest or academic study. Much of the material has also been published in printed form.

To aid the reader, indexes are available by subject, author, title, sutta title, proper name of historical figure, simile/metaphor, and even traditional numerical association.


Usability Features of the Software

The reader works much like a web browser. Double tap on the screen to hide or show the toolbar and status bar. Landscape and portrait modes are supported, as are bookmarks which save the current scroll position of the current page.


Network access not required!

Except for the search and audio features, network access is not required. The full text is stored locally on your device.


Audio

Many of the sutta translations also link to iPhone accessible online audio readings on suttareadings.net.


Excerpts from "What is Access to Insight?" by site owner John T. Bullitt:

"Access to Insight is an Internet website dedicated to providing accurate, reliable, and useful information concerning the practice and study of Theravada Buddhism, as it has been handed down to us through both the written word of the Pali canon and the living example of the Sangha."

"The readings assembled here represent just a selection of the Buddha's teachings. These are the ones that, over the years, I've personally found to be helpful in deepening an understanding of Dhamma practice. This collection is not meant to be an exhaustive archive of Theravada Buddhist texts."

"Everything available at Access to Insight is offered in full cooperation with the authors, translators, and publishers concerned, with the clear understanding that none of it is to be sold. Please help yourself to whatever you find useful."

What’s New

Version 4.1.1

Fixed text resizing issue on iPad.

Ratings and Reviews

4.8 out of 5
58 Ratings

58 Ratings

Bespantheos ,

Genuine texts, essential Buddhist reading

There are a number of so-called "Buddha quotes" apps, which are mostly pithy sayings and pseudo-Buddhist-sounding, New Age pablum. There isn't necessarily annoying deeply wrong with such stuff in general, but when it claims authority by attaching the Buddha's name to it, well... That's misleading and, potentially, detrimental to one's progress on the Path. Fortunately, we have Acces to Insight, which corrects this issue in a major way. The core texts are all legitimate suttas from the Pali canon (the earliest and most authoritative record of the historical Buddha's teachings), with scholarly yet readable translations; in addition, ATI provides many more recent commentaries and texts from Thailand, the US, and other places, which are clearly identified by author and translator, so that no one will mistake them for ancient texts or proceed under false assumptions. There is, quite simply, nothing else even remotely like ATI that is both widely available and free. If you want to gain a more historical understanding of Buddhist thought and practice, with easy, on-the-go access, then ATI is your best bet, no question about it.

Developer Response ,

Thanks for the thoughtful review. Yeah, I love ATI for its depth.

VikiAccount ,

Insightful and Uplifting

The website has been around for many years, and the teachings found here have been influential in my life. I started learning dhamma while in my teens, 25 years ago, and it truly helped me to find myself.

The detail, authenticity, and presentation help to make the teachings sink in. Although I am not a practicing Buddhist, but a Christian, I recommend anyone seeking balance in their lives to study the principles found here and they will improve their lives.

WannabeMonk ,

Authentic Buddhism at its Core

The Dharma in this app helped me learn fluent German, obtain a 68k scholarship, and race in a track state championship against someone who went on the play for the NFL. Practicing Dhamma is work, but it’s the most fulfilling and rewarding work I found in my years on this earth.

App Privacy

The developer, Bill Parousis, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

More By This Developer

You Might Also Like

Tipitaka Pali Reader
Books
84000 - All Buddha's Words
Books
Tika Nissaya
Books
PitakaGuide
Books
Attha Nissaya
Books
Pali Nissaya
Books