Top Five Buddhism Websites for Newbies

What are the best Buddhism websites for a beginner to use?

There are thousands of websites that relate to Buddhism, so it’s hard to find ones that are helpful and top-notch.  

Not to worry, just like the eightfold path, here is a list of my top five websites that you may want to check out.

1. BuddhaNet: (www.buddhanet.net) This website has been around since 1996 and has a wealth of information for anyone who is interested in Buddhism.  If you are just starting out on the path, check out their Buddhist Studies page which gives plenty of information including a quick 5-minute introduction to Buddhism.  But there is plenty more from daily quotes, magazine, audio, ebooks, etc.  This is why BuddhaNet tops my #1 position.
2. Tricycle’s Buddhism for Beginners:  (www.tricycle.org/topic/buddhism-for-beginners/) The magazine “Tricycle” features a good number of stories and other information in their print and online magazine.  They have a section in the magazine just for beginners that covers different topics.  On the website, this section topic is a great place to check out their articles geared just for beginners.
3. SuttaCentral (Scripture): (www.suttacentral.net) This is a great resource of scripture in early Buddhism from a variety of sources.  If you are digging deeper into Buddhism, and want to research various scriptures, this is a good place to go.  Additionally, if you are focused on Theravada Buddhism the ever-popular Access to Insight (www.accesstoinsight.org) is filled with not only scripture but articles and other resources.
4. FGSITC (Books/Publications):  (www.fgsitc.org) Mahayana Buddhism is one of the largest branches of Buddhism, and there is a wealth of different scripture out there.  Fo Guang Shan International Translation Center (FGSITC) offers a plethora of free books, guides, scripture, chanting booklets, pamphlets, and more through their website.  This includes both ebooks and printed books.  An invaluable resource for those starting out!
5. Fake Buddha Quotes: (www.fakebuddhaquotes.com) You are bound to see plenty of “quotes” by the Buddha out there.  But are they real?  Sadly, most are not or they can be modified from the original meaning.  Bodhipaksa, a meditation teacher, created this very popular website and now a book! (affiliate link) that helps weed fact from fiction.  This is a great site to look through so you can learn some real teachings!

This is but a ridiculously small sampling of the many websites out there.

My website also features a wealth of information.  Check out my “Buddhism Basics” collection of articles here:  https://alanpeto.com/collections/basics-in-buddhism/