- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Vintage (Feb 12 1972)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0394716965
- ISBN-13: 978-0394716961
- Product Dimensions: 11 x 2 x 18.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 295 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #667,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The bird's eye view of Buddhism,
By
This review is from: The Buddhist Tradition: In India, China and Japan (Paperback)
This is a huge overview of the many sects and schools of Buddhism that developed in India, China, and then Japan. There is very little detail here, and the authors/editors don't dwell on anyone or any subject for long before moving on, but if you are looking for a survey, that is the book's great strength. Another thing to be aware of is that aside from introductions to each country's tradition at the start of the three major sections, the authors/editors prefer to say little and let Buddhist texts (in translation of course) speak for themselves. This might be a negative if you are looking for hand-holding and scholarly exegesis, but personally I found it very rewarding - no book on Buddhism I've ever read has made the various sutras and other texts so accessible, and in such manageable and well-chosen little chunks.I take one star off because at times a book of this length, yet with no stylistic consistency (due to the enormous variety of sources translated here) and little thematic unity can drag. Reading excerpt after excerpt can get tiring at times when you are looking for the deeper or unitive meaning of what is being taught. Another thing is there's a slight and generally well-concealed, but still evident, bias toward the Mahayana evidenced here, and the occasional derogatory remark toward the selfish little Hinayana school. To be expected, of course, from scholars whose area of expertise is purely Mahayanist nations (China/Japan), but out of place in an otherwise so balanced and scholarly work. All in all though this book will let you read a lot of the texts/sutras as they are in themselves, and introduce you to an enormous number of Buddhist thinkers, mystics, schools, traditions, lineages, and so on, while providing a decent picture of how Buddhism developed in India and then spread through China to Japan. Recommended for anyone interested in Buddhist history.
4.0 out of 5 stars
good resource,
By iain (Mesa, AZ) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Buddhist Tradition: In India, China and Japan (Paperback)
This book was used as a text in my university Buddhism class. It is not a detailed explanation of Buddhism but rather gives a glimpse into various traditions and important writings that have contributed to the growth of Buddhism. It quotes extensively from different sources and provides a glimpse into key points in history and from the lives of those who shaped Buddhism. Excellent book for students of Buddhism because of its informative and well-rounded approach. It may not be the best book, if read alone, for the more casual reader unfamiliar with the fundamentals of Buddhism.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent overview,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Buddhist Tradition: In India, China and Japan (Paperback)
This book is a very good introduction to the Buddhist tradition, historically and cross-culturally. The book incorporates excerpts from basic scriptures and major writings, in an effort to represent the mainstream of Buddhist thought. Although, as they state in the preface, there is "an enormous diversity within Buddhism and no fixed standard of orthodoxy" the editor and authors succeed in presenting the "common ground of discussion" they aim to reveal. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in beginning a study of Buddhist history, thought and culture.
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