Teach Yourself Buddhism

by Clive Ericker

The ideal book for students of philosophy or comparative religion--or anyone interested in becoming a more knowledgeable "global" citizen.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Buddhism

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 11, 1995

Reviews

[Eman-Reza Kazemi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was textbook-esque which wasn't my original expectation when I went into reading this but I did manage to get useful concepts from the book. It was worth a read, though I recommend skimming past the more academic chapters if you're seekign the spiritual aspects of Buddhism to be applied in your life.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time through this book. I found it to be the most readable, understandable, and thorough introduction to Buddhism available to a Western mind. It's part of a series on world faiths. It covers all lineages of Buddhism and is not stuck in one area such as Tibetan, Zen, etc. It provides an excellent jumping off point for someone who is interested in begining Buddha studies on their own. Many references for further study are provided as an appendix.

[Delvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much emphasis on Western interpretations. Dismisses original sources and Eastern interpretations as mythological. Author wants to have his cake and eat it too!
Written with the modern “hip” practitioner in mind, not for serious students of the Dharma.

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the subject, a borrowed book which I'd got halfway through before deciding to order a later edition. Good summaries of some key concepts, relevant quotations from sutras and other sources, interview material, and so on. A definite strength is the willingness to digress from traditional ways of explaining concepts, such as the Four Noble Truths, and to explain allied concepts (for example the skandhas, and dependent origination) halfway through, rather than compartmentalising these ideas as so many writers do. Don't be put off by the appearance of superficiality, this is a serious and well written book.