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Product Description
Review
`Damien Keown ... His short account has been tried out in draft on students and is admirably lucid, anticipating and dealing well with the questions that are bound to come up.' Roger Farrington, The Middle Way, Vol. 71, No. 4, February 1997
`Damien Keown's book is a readable and wonderfully lucid introduction to one of mankind's most beautiful, profound, and compelling systems of wisdom. His impressive powers of explanation help us to come to terms with a vital contemporary reality.' Bryan Appleyard
`an excellent and highly readable account of a complex and multifarious subject. Even if you were to read nothing else, you would probably come away with a fair idea of what Buddhism is all about.' Looi Siew Tip, New Straits Times
`impressive' Sarah Marriott, Irish Times 13/5/00
Book Description
Concordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic introduction,
By alexliamw (New Haven, CT) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
The Very Short Introductions series continues to engage me with each volume I read. Buddhism has been an area of potential interest for me for a while as a student of Philosophy and someone who takes an interest in religion and belief, but I've never got round to actually studying its core principles and history, and this volume seemed like a perfect introduction, being as it is from a fantastic series. As a borderline liberal Christian/theistically-inclined agnostic I was intrigued by the Buddhist teachings, which Keown writes about in accessible but engaging style, and I certainly will be looking into the faith more in future. In our current world we all need to understand more about other traditions and be more open-minded about our own views, and for those who want to practise this by learning about Buddhism, I reccommend this book unequivocally.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short and sweet,
By FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (HALL OF FAME)
Ce commentaire est de: Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
Part of a series by Oxford University Press, this book, 'Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction', follows the same format as other texts in the Very Short Introduction series -- it has fewer than 150 pages, is well indexed, has a useful glossary, accessible and enjoyable narrative, and captures the essence in a very short space the major points of its topic. There are probably nearing 100 volumes in this Very Short Introduction series (making it, ironically, not a Very Short series), but among those that I have read, this text stands out as being one of the best.Damien Keown, of the University of London and the Royal Asiatic Society, addresses Buddhism past and present, East and West. Beginning with narrative tales the help to exhibit the principles, Keown examines in turn the major questions. First, with regard to Buddhism, is this -- is Buddhism really a religion? Often categorised as such, it is often the exception proving the rule. Many take strong spiritual and philosophical ideas from Buddhism (sometimes without knowing it) but do not subscribe the larger system of practices -- but perhaps most telling, Buddhism is a non-theistic way of being. Keown looks at seven dimensions of religion, and concludes that Buddhism does fit a broader definition of religion. Keown proceeds from there to look at the origins of Buddhism, the life of the Buddha, ideas of karma and reincarnation, and the central ideas of the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism. From these beginnings, Buddhism branches out, the largest grouping being the Mahayana (who get their own chapter), and other spreading first across Asia and then to the rest of the world. Like other books in this Very Short series, there are useful maps, a nice snapshot timeline, and suggestions for further reading, should the Very Short introduction not prove sufficient (and for many, this sample will leave the reader wanting more). I cannot speak too highly of this series, and of this volume on Buddhism by Keown in particular.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Highly recommend the Damien Keown version (May 2000),
By A Customer
Ce commentaire est de: Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction (Paperback)
Written by Damien Keown (the version which came out in May 2000, not the one written by M. Carrithers), A very short introduction to Buddhism is one of the best "short-form" books on Buddhism I have read. It has clarity and it is enlightening. The author makes a complex subject easily understandable for readers who may not have much knowledge of Buddhism. Even for advanced readers of Buddhism, the book was v enjoyable. That is why I have given away over 20 copies of this book, and keep finding myself buying more as gifts. I have never written a book rec until now, because I believe this book truly deserves one. It spreads lots of good karma!
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