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Review
offers a valuable improvement over What the Buddha Taught, its most likely competitor as an introductory textbook./Richard S. Cohen University of California, San Diego/ Religious Studies Review Volume 25 Number 3 July 1999
At last! A general introduction to what is common to Buddhism across the broad range of practice, culture and history that I can recommend unhesitatingly to friends Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike. ... this book is good in the beginning, middle and end. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Mike Murray/The Middle Way/Journal of the Buddhist Society/ Feb 2000 Vol 74 No 4
`'...Combining as it does readability and exact scholarship, elegance and erudition, this new OPUS series volume provides the novice with a solid foundation for his studies, and his elders food for reflection.'' THES Friday 2 April 1999
`This recent title stands out by its careful scholarship, lucid style, and sensitive appreciation of the subtleties of Buddhist doctrine.. This introductory work brings to its task not only careful scholarship and wide knowledge of Buddhist thought, but also a warm, sympathetic appreciation of Buddhism evident throughout its pages. No doubt, it is this sympathy that enables Gethin to penetrate beneath the surface crust of formal doctrine and discern deep connections between srains of Buddhist thought that might initially appear incongruous. Through Gethin's eyes we are given not only a clear and crisp picture of the doctrinal foundations of Buddhism, but also focused insights into the family ties underlying many apparent diversities within the Buddhist tradition.' Bhikkhu Bodhi, Buddhist Publication Society no 45
At last! A general introduction to what is common to Buddhism across the broad range of practice, culture and history that I can recommend unhesitatingly to friends Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike. ... this book is good in the beginning, middle and end. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Mike Murray/The Middle Way/Journal of the Buddhist Society/ Feb 2000 Vol 74 No 4
`'...Combining as it does readability and exact scholarship, elegance and erudition, this new OPUS series volume provides the novice with a solid foundation for his studies, and his elders food for reflection.'' THES Friday 2 April 1999
`This recent title stands out by its careful scholarship, lucid style, and sensitive appreciation of the subtleties of Buddhist doctrine.. This introductory work brings to its task not only careful scholarship and wide knowledge of Buddhist thought, but also a warm, sympathetic appreciation of Buddhism evident throughout its pages. No doubt, it is this sympathy that enables Gethin to penetrate beneath the surface crust of formal doctrine and discern deep connections between srains of Buddhist thought that might initially appear incongruous. Through Gethin's eyes we are given not only a clear and crisp picture of the doctrinal foundations of Buddhism, but also focused insights into the family ties underlying many apparent diversities within the Buddhist tradition.' Bhikkhu Bodhi, Buddhist Publication Society no 45
Book Description
Buddhism is a vast and complex religious and philosophical tradition with a history that stretches over 2,500 years, and which is now followed by around 115 million people. In this introduction to the foundations of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin concentrates on the ideas and practices which constitute the common heritage of the different traditions of Buddhism (Thervada, Tibetan, and Eastern) which exist in the world today. From the narrative of the story of the Buddha, through discussions of aspects such as textual traditions, the framework of the Four Noble Truths, the interaction between the monastic and lay ways of life, the cosmology of karma and rebirth, and the path of the bodhisattva, this books provides a stimulating introduction to Buddhism as a religion and way of life, which will also be of interest to those who are more familiar with the subject.
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First Sentence
In January 1898 an Englishman, W.C. Peppe, digging into a mound on his estate at Piprahwa just the Indian side of the Indian-Nepalese border, unearthed a soapstone vase some six inches in height with a brief inscription around its lid. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
In January 1898 an Englishman, W.C. Peppe, digging into a mound on his estate at Piprahwa just the Indian side of the Indian-Nepalese border, unearthed a soapstone vase some six inches in height with a brief inscription around its lid. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Buddhism as it really is, and not seen through Western eyes.,
By Devlin Tay (Adelaide, Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Foundations of Buddhism (Paperback)
The Foundations of Buddhism presents an introduction to Buddhism as it really is, as seen through the eyes of millions of its Asian followers, and not the cleaned-up atheistic Buddhism of latter-day "Western" converts. One reviewer thought that this book was a bad introduction to Buddhism simply because the author repeated the ancient Buddhist story of the Hindu gods paying homage to the Buddha at his birth! This merely reflects a largely "Western" bias. Belief in the existence of gods is not anathema to the so-called "real" or "original" teachings of the Buddha. Even Theravada Buddhism, the branch of Buddhism that is regarded as adhering most closely to the Buddha's original teachings, do not disclaim the existence of the Hindu gods. According to the Pali scriptures, the Buddha himself simply regarded them as irrelevant to mankind's salvation. Gods, like us, are caught in the web of samsara. They may occupy an exalted place in the current scheme of things, but they too will ultimately die (admittedly after a very long time) and be reborn (possibly on a lower plane of existence based on the law of karma, in accordance with their previous conduct), and die and be reborn, again and again. Thus, it is useless for mankind to blindly worship the gods in hopes of attaining salvation. Salvation in the form of Nirvana can only come from within - through our own renunciation of worldly desires. That is the main Buddhist message - Buddhism is simply not an atheistic philosophy that dismisses the existence of gods or other spiritual beings, contrary to what some "Westerners" seem to imply. In Mahayana Buddhism and to an even greater extent in Vajrayana Buddhism, spiritual beings of all sorts occupy virtually all spheres of existence. Buddhism is anything but atheistic. Just ask any Buddhist living in Asia.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real Buddhism,
By
This review is from: The Foundations of Buddhism (Paperback)
Having studied Buddhism privately and academically for over 20 years I usually consider introductory works not worth the bother. When I saw the outraged comments from the one-star reviewer below, however, I thought that this could be an interesting work. As another stated, most presentations of Buddhism that are made for Westerners are usually filtered to some extent, particularly older ones that are taking the Buddhism-is-the-secular-religion-for-us-grown-up-Westerners routine. Unlike Mr. Martin, I own and have bothered to read many of the early Buddhist writings, and they are chock full of the kind of things he claims are not part of Buddhism. The author of this book takes it all on the chin and doesn't let it faze him a bit. He's more interested in telling about both the story and teachings of Buddhism as they really were and, at core, still are, rather than keeping Western devotees comfortable. And what an introduction! Take all those 5 star reviews seriously. I was repeatedly impressed with the clarity of prose and vision Gethin demonstrates while explaining even some of the most difficult to grasp Buddhist philosophical concepts. Things that it took two hours for some of my teachers to communicate to the point that students actually understood are brilliantly exposited with delightful comprehension in just a few pages. It takes a real grasp of the field to pull this off, and Gethin does it over and over. Illuminating charts, penetrating text, and, thank goodness, a topical bibliography to mine for years...what more could you want? If you want to read a book that will leave you with a solid understanding of core, foundational, Buddhist concepts, instead of a fluffy semi-New Age ransacking of the tradition to pamper Western assumptions about the self and the cosmos, look no further. As soon as this is submitted, I am sending an email to the professor at the Buddhist college I attend to look at this work for inclusion in the texts for our introductory survey course. Peter Harvey's and Walpola Rahula's introductory works are both on the schedule already, along with a third that will go unnamed, which Gethin simply stomps into the dirt for value. "The Foundations of Buddhism" clearly belongs in such stellar company and hopefully this Fall will be benefiting students alongside them.
1.0 out of 5 stars
Never received product.,
This review is from: The Foundations of Buddhism (Paperback)
I never received the product I paid for. I did contact the seller asking if she had sent it properly, and she said it was out of her hands (understandable, I suppose), but offered no further assistance.
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