The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 280 pages
• Published by: Shambhala
• Edition: 1st Edition November 26, 1991
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0877735204
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0877735205
• Book Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 12.8 ounces

From Library Journal
Translated from a greater German work, this great A-Z dictionary of 1500 terms commonly encountered and more esoteric was compiled by a team of Buddhist scholars.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
With over fifteen hundred entries and forty-six illustrations, The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen is the most complete compact reference work of its kind available in the English language. It is designed not only for students and meditators but also as a took to help familiarize all readers with Buddhist terms and concepts—such as chakra, karma, koan, nirvana, and tantra—that are encountered with increasing regularity in the literature of a wide range of fields today. The lives and teachings of important philosophers and meditation masters, the variety of practices, the basic texts and scriptures, and the range of sects and schools of thought are among the subjects covered. Pronunciation tables, a comprehensive bibliography, and a Ch'an/Zen lineage chart are also provided.

Reader Reviews
This dictionary includes over 1,500 entries; a helpful guide to the pronunciation of Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan terms; a five-page chart of the major Ch'an/Zen lineages (from the Buddha mainly through the 11th century, plus a few later figures like Dogen and Hakuin); and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources on Buddhism. I occasionally find this dictionary frustrating when I know only the English version of a term that the editors apparently expect me to know in Sanskrit (e.g., there's no entry for "dependent origination," not even a cross-listing sending you to "pratitya-samutpada"). And there's a strange dearth of information about Korean Buddhism (e.g., no entries for Chinul, Son, or the Chogye Order). But all in all, this is a very good dictionary, and it makes good browsing for learning more about Buddhism. You might want to compare this dictionary with Damien Keown's "Dictionary of Buddhism," which is more up-to-date and has more entries, including more extensive coverage of Western Buddhism, but the coverage of Zen isn't as good. (John Powers's "Concise Encyclopedia of Buddhism" is less comprehensive than the Shambhala dictionary and only a little less expensive, and Charles S. Prebish's "Historical Dictionary of Buddhism" is less comprehensive and a lot more expensive.) Comment | | (Report this)