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Books > Religion & Spirituality > Non-Christian religions > Religions of Indic & Oriental origin > Buddhism > General
First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor &
Francis, an informa company.
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not
used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad
quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are
images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to
keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the
original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain
imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made
available for future generations to enjoy.
The philosophy of Buddhism, originating in India, has undergone
considerable changes in its adoption in the Far East. It has, in
Japan, assumed a more practical aspect, and has come to play an
important role in the everyday life of action. But in this process
Japanese Buddhism has split itself into many sects with greatly
differing doctrines, though all profess a method destined to
elevate the soul and a method of action. The understanding of this
spiritual movement is an important key to the understanding of the
contemporary Japanese state of mind, and The Buddhist Sects of
Japan gives the first complete account of it in the English
language.
Buddhist origins and discussion of the Buddha's teachings are
amongst the most controversial and contested areas in the field.
This bold and authoritative book tackles head-on some of the key
questions regarding early Buddhism and its primary canon of
precepts. Noting that the earliest texts in Pali, Sanskrit and
Chinese belong to different Buddhist schools, Roderick S. Bucknell
addresses the development of these writings during the period of
oral transmission between the Buddha's death and their initial
redaction in the first century BCE. A meticulous comparative
analysis reveals the likely original path of meditative practice
applied and taught by Gautama. Fresh perspectives now emerge on
both the Buddha himself and his Enlightenment. Drawing on his own
years of meditative experience as a Buddhist monk, the author
offers here remarkable new interpretations of advanced practices of
meditation, as well as of Buddhism itself. It is a landmark work in
Buddhist Studies.
Using the example of China's Wutai Shan-recently designated both a
UNESCO World Heritage site and a national park-Robert J. Shepherd
analyzes Chinese applications of western notions of heritage
management within a non-western framework. What does the concept of
world heritage mean for a site practically unheard of outside of
China, visited almost exclusively by Buddhist religious pilgrims?
What does heritage preservation mean for a site whose intrinsic
value isn't in its historic buildings or cultural significance, but
for its sacredness within the Buddhist faith? How does a society
navigate these issues, particularly one where open religious
expression has only recently become acceptable? These questions and
more are explored in this book, perfect for students and
practitioners of heritage management looking for a new perspective.
The Light of Wisdom Vol. I contains the root terma ---hidden
treasure text --- of Padmasambhava, The Gradual Path of the Wisdom
Essence and its commentary The Light of Wisdom by Jamgon Kongtrul
the Great. Annotations on the commentary Entering the Path of
Wisdom spoken by Jamyang Drakpa and recorded by Jokyab Rinpoche are
included as well as clarifications from other masters.
Volume I presents in-depth explanations of the Vajrajana Buddhist
perspective. It begins with the nature of the ground, the buddha
nature present in all beings, continues with the teachings that are
common to all vehicles, and concludes with the Mahayana and the
link to Vajrayana.
This essence of the causal and resultant vehicles,
Especially the core of the realization the three sections of the
inner tantras,
Linking together the ground with the path,
Makes you abandon the temporary defilements along with their
tendencies,
Realize fruition and quickly accomplish the welfare of self and
others,
In this way it is in conformity with each yet exalted above them
all.
-Padmasambhava
The root text of Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, a terma revealed by the
great treasure- finder Chokgyur Lingpa, and its commentary by
Kongtrul Rinpoche, the great translator in person, form together a
complete scripture that embodies all the tantras, statements and
instructions of the Nyingma School of the early translations, which
is most rare to find in the past, present, or future.
-Kyabje Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche
Since the Buddha did not fully explain the theory of persons that
underlies his teaching, in later centuries a number of different
interpretations were developed. This book presents the
interpretation by the celebrated Indian Buddhist philosopher,
Candrakirti (ca. 570-650 C.E.). Candrakirti's fullest statement of
the theory is included in his Autocommentary on the Introduction to
the Middle Way (Madhyamakavatarabhasya), which is, along with his
Introduction to the Middle Way (Madhyamakavatara ), among the
central treatises that present the Prasavgika account of the
Madhyamaka (Middle Way) philosophy. In this book, Candrakirti's
most complete statement of his theory of persons is translated and
provided with an introduction and commentary that present a careful
philosophical analysis of Candrakirti's account of the selflessness
of persons. This analysis is both philologically precise and
analytically sophisticated. The book is of interest to scholars of
Buddhism generally and especially to scholars of Indian Buddhist
philosophy.
'Once upon a time there was a rich old man who lived in a vast
mansion ...' Aware that whatever our age, we never lose our
responsiveness to story, myth and drama, the Buddha often told
stories and parables, and in the Mahayana phase of the development
of Buddhism, the stories became ever more mythical and magical. In
this volume, Sangharakshita introduces us to the strange and
wonderful worlds of three of the best-loved Mahayana sutras, worlds
from which - if we pay close attention - we can return with
treasures in the form of teachings and advice. Thanks to
Sangharakshita's imaginative and creative approach to these sutras,
their gems, mythical or even magical though their origins may be,
turn out to be exchangeable for hard currency - the practical
business of how we are to live our lives in the everyday world.
From the transcendental critique of religion and the means of
unification offered by the Vimalakirti-nirdesa to the light shed on
economics, ecology and politics by the Sutra of Golden Light, and
the vision of life as a journey offered by the White Lotus Sutra,
these commentaries offer a unique and transformative perspective on
the value of human existence.
Providing a rigorous analysis of Buddhist ways of understanding
religious diversity, this book develops a new foundation for
cross-cultural understanding of religious diversity in our time.
Examining the complexity and uniqueness of Buddha's approach to
religious pluralism using four main categories - namely
exclusivism, inclusivism, pluralistic-inclusivism and pluralism -
the book proposes a cross-cultural and interreligious
interpretation of each category, thus avoiding the accusation of
intellectual colonialism. The key argument is that, unlike the
Buddha, most Buddhist traditions today, including Theravada
Buddhism and even the Dalai Lama, consider liberation and the
highest stages of spiritual development exclusive to Buddhism. The
book suggests that the Buddha rejects many doctrines and practices
found in other traditions, and that, for him, there are
nonnegotiable ethical and doctrinal standards that correspond to
the Dharma. This argument is controversial and likely to ignite a
debate among Buddhists from different traditions, especially
between conservative and progressive Buddhists. The book fruitfully
contributes to the literature on inter-religious dialogue, and is
of use to students and scholars of Asian Studies, World Religion
and Eastern Philosophy.
Ideal for courses in beginning Sanskrit or self-study, this
textbook employs modern, tried-and-tested pedagogical methods and
tools, but requires no prior knowledge of ancient languages or
linguistics. Devanagari script is introduced over several chapters
and used in parallel with transliteration for several chapters
more, allowing students to progress in learning Sanskrit itself
while still mastering the script. Students are exposed to annotated
original texts in addition to practise sentences very early on, and
structures and systems underlying the wealth of forms are clearly
explained to facilitate memorisation. All grammar is covered in
detail, with chapters dedicated to compounding and nominal
derivation, and sections explaining relevant historical phenomena.
The introduction also includes a variety of online resources that
students may use to reinforce and expand their knowledge: flash
cards; video tutorials for all chapters; and up-to-date links to
writing, declension and conjugation exercises and online
dictionaries, grammars, and textual databases.
Buddhism is one of the oldest and largest of the world's religions.
But it is also a tradition that has proven to have enormous
contemporary relevance. Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who came to
be called the Buddha, the religion has spread from its origins in
northeast India, across Asia, and eventually to the West, taking on
new forms at each step of the way. Buddhism: What Everyone Needs to
Know offers readers a brief, authoritative guide to one of the
world's most diverse religious traditions in a reader-friendly
question-and-answer format. Dale Wright covers the origins and
early history of Buddhism, the diversity of types of Buddhism
throughout history, and the status of contemporary Buddhism. This
is a go-to book for anyone seeking a basic understanding of the
origins, history, teachings, and practices of Buddhism.
This book offers a systematic and radical introduction to the
Buddhist roots of Patanjala-yoga, or the Yoga system of Patanjali.
By examining each of 195 aphorisms (sutras) of the Yogasutra and
discussing the Yogabhasya, it shows that traditional and popular
views on Patanjala-yoga obscure its true nature. The book argues
that Patanjali's Yoga contains elements rooted in both orthodox and
heterodox philosophical traditions, including Sankhya, Jaina and
Buddhist thought. With a fresh translation and a detailed
commentary on the Yogasutra, the author unearths how several of the
terms, concepts and doctrines in Patanjali's Yoga can be traced to
Buddhism, particularly the Abhidharma Buddhism of Vasubandhu and
the early Yogacara of Asanga. The work presents the Yogasutra of
Patanjali as a synthesis of two perspectives: the metaphysical
perspective of Sankhya and the empirical-psychological perspective
of Buddhism. Based on a holistic understanding of Yoga, the study
explores key themes of the text, such as meditative absorption,
means, supernormal powers, isolation, Buddhist conceptions of
meditation and the interplay between Sankhya and Buddhist
approaches to suffering and emancipation. It further highlights
several new findings and clarifications on textual interpretation
and discrepancies. An important intervention in Indian and Buddhist
philosophy, this book opens up a new way of looking at the Yoga of
Patanjali in the light of Buddhism beyond standard approaches and
will greatly interest scholars and researchers of Buddhist studies,
Yoga studies, Indian philosophy, philosophy in general, literature,
religion and comparative studies, Indian and South Asian Studies
and the history of ideas.
Written by one of the world's top scholars in the field of Pali
Buddhism, this new and updated edition of How Buddhism Began,
discusses various important doctrines and themes in early Buddhism.
It takes 'early Buddhism' to be that reflected in the Pali canon,
and to some extent assumes that these doctrines reflect the
teachings of the Buddha himself. Two themes predominate. Firstly,
the author argues that we cannot understand the Buddha unless we
understand that he was debating with other religious teachers,
notably Brahmins. The other main theme concerns metaphor, allegory
and literalism. This accessible, well-written book is mandatory
reading for all serious students of Buddhism.
Buddhism is rich in fascinating practices and rituals. From well
known rituals such as chanting sutras or painting mandalas to
lesser known rites associated with death or stupa consecration, or
derived from contact with other religions, this book offers
students a unique understanding of the living tradition. It draws
on eye witness reports of Buddhism on the ground, but also provides
a reflective context within which the practices can be understood
and appreciated. It covers religious and lay practices, art and
festivals, regional and temporal variations, socio-political
practices, and much else. Written by an authority on the topic,
each chapter introduces a ritual or practice, describes it as the
author has observed it and then goes on to discuss its context and
significance. All entries include a list of further reading as well
as photographs to help students deepen their understanding.
First published in 1952. The Real Tripitaka gives an account of the
seventh century pilgrim's adventures, spiritual and material, both
in India and after his return to China. In addition the book
contains an account of a Japanese pilgrim's visit to China in the
ninth century, which describes the Wu-t'ai Shan, China's great
place of Pilgrimage, and an eye-witness's account of the great
persecution of Buddhism in 842-845 A.D.
The last century witnessed a gradual but profound transformation
of the West's religious landscape. In today's context of diversity,
people are often influenced by, and sometimes even claim to belong
to, more than one religious tradition. Buddhism and Christianity is
a particularly prevalent and fascinating combination. This book is
the first detailed exploration of Buddhist Christian dual
belonging, engaging - from both Buddhist and Christian perspectives
- the questions that arise, and drawing on extensive interviews
with well-known individuals in the vanguard of this important and
growing phenomenon.
The book looks at whether it is possible to be authentically
Buddhist and authentically Christian given the differences in
beliefs and practices. It asks whether Buddhist Christians are
irrational, religiously schizophrenic or spiritually superficial;
or whether the thought and practice of Buddhism and Christianity
can be reconciled in a way that makes possible deep commitment to
both. Finally, the book considers whether the influence of Buddhist
Christians on each of these traditions is something to be regretted
or celebrated.
Buddhist Philosophy: A Comparative Approach presents a series of
readings that examine the prominent thinkers and texts of the
Buddhist tradition in the round, introducing contemporary readers
to major theories and debates at the intersection of Buddhist and
Western thought. * Takes a comparative, rather than oppositional,
approach to Buddhist philosophy, exploring key theories and debates
at the intersection of Eastern and Western thought * Addresses a
variety of topics that represent important points of convergence
between the Buddhist and Western philosophical traditions *
Features contributions from a wide array of acclaimed international
scholars in the discipline * Provides a much-needed cross-cultural
treatment of Buddhist philosophy appropriate for undergraduate
students and specialists alike
Providing an overall interpretation of the Buddhist monument
Borobudur in Indonesia, this book looks at Mahayana Buddhist
religious ideas and practices that could have informed Borobudur,
including both the narrative reliefs and the Buddha images. The
author explores a version of the classical Mahayana that
foregrounds the importance of the visual in relation to Buddhist
philosophy, meditation, devotion, and ritual. The book goes on to
show that the architects of Borobudur designed a visual world in
which the Buddha appeared in a variety of forms and could be
interpreted in three ways: by realizing the true nature of his
teaching, through visionary experience, and by encountering his
numinous presence in images. Furthermore, the book analyses a
particularly comprehensive and programmatic expression of Mahayana
Buddhist visual culture so as to enrich the theoretical discussion
of the monument. It argues that the relief panels of Borobudur do
not passively illustrate, but rather creatively "picture" selected
passages from texts. Presenting new material, the book contributes
immensely to a new and better understanding of the significance of
the Borobudur for the field of Buddhist and Religious Studies.
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