Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 384 pages
- Published by: For Dummies December 1, 2002
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0764553593
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0764553592
-
Book Dimensions:
9 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
- Weighs: 1.1 pounds
Product Review
“…another interesting title that seems written for anything but dummies…” (Alain de Botton in
The Observer, July 4
th, 2004)
--This text refers to the
Kindle Edition
edition.
Product Description
From the outside, Buddhism seems like a bundle of contradictions wrapped inside a paradox. It is a religion without a god, a belief system without rules, and a faith that encourages its adherents to question everything, including its own teachings. You could spend a lifetime studying Buddhist texts and following its observances and still feel like you’ve only just barely scratched the surface. Yet, over the past 2500 years, this lovely religion that preaches compassion, generosity, tolerance, selflessness and self-awareness has commanded the fervent devotion of hundreds of millions of people around the world who believe it to be the true path to enlightenment.
If you’re curious about Buddhism but feel intimidated by all the exotic jargon and strange trappings, this book is for you. Written by two leading American Buddhist teachers and scholars, it offers you a uniquely friendly way to explore the fascinating history of Buddhism and discover:
- Who Buddha was and his significance in world history and spirituality
- How the practice of Buddhism can enrich your everyday life
- How Buddha’s teachings combine to create a path to enlightenment
- Daily observances and meditation practices
- How to fulfill your highest potential through Buddhism
In plain English, experts Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian define the important terms, explain the key concepts and explore, in-depth a wide range of topics, including:
- Buddha’s life and teachings and the evolution of the major Buddhist traditions
- How Buddhism works as a religion, philosophy of life and a practical approach to dealing with life’s problems, all rolled into one
- The idea that the mind is the source of all happiness and suffering
- How the practices of wisdom and compassion can connect you with your inner spiritual resources
- Meditation and other core Buddhist practices and how they can affect your everyday life
- How to apply Buddhist teachings at each stage along the spiritual path
Whether you’re a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what’s got Richard Gere and all the rest of those celebrity Buddhists so excited,
Buddhism For Dummies is your intro to Buddhism basics.
--This text refers to the
Kindle Edition
edition.
Reader ReviewsI'm one of the "dummies" referred to in the title. What I knew about Buddhism I'd learned while studying the transcendental writers, Emerson, Thoreau etc. while in college. This book is written by Stephan Bodian, an American Buddhist monk, and Jonathan Landaw, who has led meditation courses at Buddhist centers for over twenty-five years. Despite its cheesy title, this book answered most of the questions I had about Buddhism: Why the heck does the Buddha have so many names? He was born Prince Siddhartha, but once he became enlightened, he was called Shakyamuni Buddha. Bodhi, the tree under which he meditated, means enlightenment. Shakyamuni means enlightened sage of the Shakyas, the clan to which he belonged. Was Buddha God? No, he was a real human thought to have lived between 563 and 483 BCE. When you see Buddhist monks prostate before a statue of Buddha, they are praying to their inner Buddha. They believe each of us has the ability to achieve enlightenment (nirvana). What is karma? Sort of credits you build up, both bad and good. Buddhists believe in reincarnation; karma credits transfer from life to life. So if you're dealt a bad hand; it's because you were naughty in a previous life. What's the difference between Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism? The way I understand it, Theravada emphasizes individual enlightenment; whereas, the Mahayana's proponents are more worried about helping everyone achieve spiritual awakening. A Buddha becomes a Bodhisattva, sort of a savior like Shakyamuni. Theravadas also emphasize compassion and kindness which is pretty much the same thing. Zen Buddhism and Vajrayana (Tibetan) are offshoots of Mahayana Buddhism. What about heaven and hell? This is where they lost me. Shakyamuni taught that suffering resulted from something called the "Wheel of Life." A diagram shows a pig (ignorance) giving birth to a rooster (desire or attachment) and a snake (aversion or hatred). There are also six realms of existence: God, anti-God, Human, Animal, hungry ghost, and hell being. Primarily through meditation and compassion, an entity can build up enough karma to work its way up to God. But the gods can be demoted if they run out of karma and they are always fighting the jealous anti-gods, so apparently they are not Buddhas. This wheel of life has existed in infinity; one of the authors says to remember that an enemy was probably at one time your mother, so it should be easy to forgive. At times Landaw and Bodian take their transcendental philosophy a bit too far. The last section deals with "uninvited house guests." By this they mean insects. According to Buddha killing mosquitoes and other pests is bad karma. If a mosquito makes its way into your house, you're supposed to catch it and take it outside. Obviously these guys haven't experienced a humid, Minnesota evening in July down by the lake.
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