The Foundations of Buddhism

by Rupert Gethin

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) that 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 book provides a stimulating introduction to Buddhism as a religion and way of life.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion, Philosophy, Nonfiction, History, Spirituality, India

333 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Justin Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a few books on/of Buddhism, and it's pretty clear that this is a religion not well served by the publishing industry: like Christianity, it's easy to find books on Buddhism that will try to explain how Buddhism will change your life for the better; easy to find books about foundational figures (Buddha himself, in this case); but, unlike Christianity, it's very hard to find books that will teach you about the history of the religion from a more or less objective perspective, without being too specialized.

Well, here's one. How does Gethin do it? In part by focusing mostly on the features of Buddhism that, in his argument at least, all the schools share; and in part by being exceptionally smart and good at writing. This is not the book for you if you want a guide to practical meditation, or just generally want religion-without-religion. If you want someone to hold your hand and guide you through the wonderful, staggering maze of Buddhist thought, on the other hand, go to it.

We get summaries and discussions of the taxonomies of meditation stages, the different philosophical questions that are inevitably thrown up by the Buddha's teaching (but what is nothingness? the mind? the self? the no-self? a Buddha?). Gethin presents many of them in a handy frame: how does one explain the idea of no longer entering the chain of re-birth? What is this "nirvana" which we enter instead? You might say "well, nirvana means you cease to exist," but that doesn't seem quite right, in no small part because it's not clear what "you" "cease" and "to exist" mean. You might also say "well, nirvana is a kind of eternal state outside rebirth," but that seems wrong too. Trying to avoid these two views is the work of millenia (just like avoiding too much unity in the Christian trinity, and avoiding the total separation of the three).

Gethin traces responses to this problem through the history of southern, eastern and northern Buddhism, and even a few pages on the unfortunate adventures of Buddhism in the west. He does it clearly, concisely, and with modesty. He's probably a bit too keen to give Buddhism a united front, and to downplay disagreements, but that's the worst I can say. Highly recommended.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A college text that covers Buddhism quite throughly. Starting with the history of the Buddha, his famous sutra's. Buddhist's monks, nuns and monasteries are covered, along with with the different countries and schools of Buddhism. Interesting chapter on the Buddhist Cosmos, something I know little of except from wuxia movies. Closes with a chapter on the evolving Buddhism that is ongoing in the east and the west.

[Charles Zardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't say I really enjoyed reading this book, but it does contain a lot of information about Buddhism and its associated schools. I think this book gave me more questions than answers, so I can't say it provided me with a proper 'foundation of Buddhism.' However I do know more now and feel like I have a decent grasp of most of the key Buddhist concepts. The real struggle I found is the keeping track of the various teachings between schools/sects/etc. as their differences are often subtle and can seem arbitrary. My lack of enjoyment while reading this book stems from two sources: my desire to only learn more about practical applications of Buddhism (which this book does cover, just along with a whole lot more) and I was often trying to squeeze this in while relaxing this summer.

[Linda Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book covers the basics of Buddhism from a fairly academic perspective. It doesn't address putting Buddhism into practice -- it is not intended to be that kind of book -- but it does cover the history, the philosophy, and many of the most essential differences between the various lineages. There are very few books I've found that cover this subject so well. Despite being from an academic perspective, it's a pleasant read, well-written in ordinary language, not the often high falutin talk we often find in books written by university professors.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good primer on the philosophy of Buddhism

A good primer on Buddhism, its terminology, history and evolution into the various traditions and schools that exist today. This is not a “how to” manual but rather a what, when and why on Buddhist philosophy.

I was particularly interested in the core learning such as the four noble truths and the eight-fold path that is explained in detail. The story of Gautama Buddha is, as usual, always engaging and enlightening. The sections on Theravada, Mahayana, Tripitaka (Chinese) and Kanjur (Tibetan) traditions help outline their differences and similarities.

What struck me was that even though Buddhism is supposed to be devoid of the schisms that exist in Christianity, here too we see the teachings of a master being subjected to the desires and motivations of his adherents and therefore being set to evolve differently in different geographies and cultures long after the master has passed on. To discover the pure teaching, we need to go back to the master and his message, which, having taken place at a time where only the oral tradition prevailed, is bound to be wrapped, interpreted and changed through the fallible lenses of his disciples and followers. Rupert Gethin has done an admirable job in gathering the multi-various strands of this complex philosophy and presenting it in a single book.

[Leo Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Foundations of Buddhism by Rupert Gethin is a perfect introduction to Buddhism. The text is readable, but scholarly. And Gethin focuses on Buddhist scripture, so his analysis is closer to what devout Buddhists think, discuss and practice than the often drippy New-Agey Buddhist texts I've paged through in my local bookstore. Gethin's treatment real sense of the breadth, depth and diversity of Buddhist philosophy and practice.

I really appreciate Gethin's placing Buddhism in context of the Hindu Vedas, especially the Upanishads. Those writings provided Buddha and his early followers a common language and understanding. And while Buddha transformed those writings, keeping things simple and pragmatic as opposed to the Veda's often dense, poetic, mythical and hard-to-grasp approach.

Read this book if you want more than a basic introduction to Buddha and his teachings. Though it won't make you a Buddhist (you'll need a mediation teacher for that), it will familiarize yourself with one of the greatest, most powerful spiritual traditions on the planet. Five stars.

[Shane Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the most informative general overview of Buddhism I've read so far.

[Aleksander Mustonen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaa!! See oli täitsa heaa. Mmmm budism on kogu aeg mulle väga sümpaatse ōpetusena tundunud, kuid see raamat ja eelmise aasta retriit andsid sellele vähemalt mingigi kuju, millelt mõtteid arendada. Lugesin seda raamatut väga aktiivselt ja vb veidi kiirustasin sest väga palju asju jäi mulle lis faktideks mis korra labi lendasid . Agaa jaaa mmmm vb olen hakkanud ka selle raamatu prst zazeni proovima. Aga sen siiski väga algeline. Siiamaani tundub theravaada ja sōtō budismid koige normimad. A mdea mida valida sest nagu theravaada on nagu vanem ja konservim. Aga zen ka naiss ha sellest rohkem kirjandust saadaval. Sellest raamatust veel... okei vahest see tundus veiccc nagu mingi vikipeedia artikkel ja ta oleks saanud vbvb seda põhiopetust natuke paremini seletada. 🤌🤌 mmm jaaa agaa vb jargmisena tuleks ss votta vb rohkem nö praktilisema raamatu. Sest ma praegu tunnen lis nagu ta tulistas mind kogu selle infoga ( ok se tglt mingi ylikooli opik nii et fair🙄🙄). .... a praefu see zen mind beginners mind tundub koige sympaatsem. Esmasp on budakojas mingid meditatsioonid ja see raamat inspireeris mind veic sinna minema. A mdea äkki andrus kahnile mulle midagi soovitada. 🧘‍♂️🧘‍♂️☸️
Ja taanis on nii lahedad inimesed et pargis tunni aja jooksul tulid mingi kolm vanameest minuga budismist raakima.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to my professor this is the most accurate and comprehensive book on this subject. It was the hardest book I’ve ever read, and took me the full length of the semester to appreciate it and get used to the writing. Whew!

[Levo Tohva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siiamaani parim ja arusaadavaim Buda õpetust süsteemselt käsitlev teos. Budismihuviga inimestel tasub sellega alustada

[Guido Verdu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice introductory book to Buddhist though. It covers the history of the Buddha, the Buddhist religion, central concepts of Buddhism, and important canonical texts. The book stays quite general but goes a bit more in depth in the final chapters. One of the strengths of this book is that it references a large amount of other interesting sources. This is great if you want to learn more about Buddhist thought. It also has some detailed tables explaining the Buddhist systems.
Overal, this book is a great introduction to Buddhism and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the basics of Buddhism.

[Tobias · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent little introduction to the core tenets and traditions of Buddhism. Some chapters I liked better than others, naturally. Gethin writes rather accessibly, though some caution is advised when it comes to terms in either Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, Japanese or Tibetan. It can get difficult and cluttered quite quickly.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely the best book explaining the origins of Buddhism and its core system of beliefs according to the earliest canon. Maybe it shouldn't be your FIRST book on Buddhism, because it's not the easiest read, with lots and lots of terms and charts, but it is really filled with great information and is therefore worthwhile.

[Sam]

me before reading this book: I know what Buddhism is

me after reading this book: ...what IS Buddhism

[Kaveen]

Let me start by saying that I emphasize agnosticism. It is impossible to pin-point a deity and call it God. However, it is also impossible to explain certain things in nature, albeit ascertain it to a divine entity. What this book covers and teaches about Buddhism is that, it strictly forbids calling that the universe or the life in it was created by a divine entity, as other religions claim. Rather, it emphasizes on the notion of evolution. There is a strong highlight on Darwin Dharma, or the notion of survival of the fittest. I particularly liked how it focuses on the topic of "we are the ones in control of our life". Buddhism stresses quite a good amount on meditation, which roughly translates to focusing more on the inwardly or individual self, which then corresponds to natural selection, rather than focusing on the unearthly beliefs of a creator and such.

In a comical way, this book about the Buddhist philosophies reminded me of the movie The Matrix. In the movie, the lead character learns that he is stuck in a simulated environment and controlled by robots. The movie is all about how the rebellion against the controller is established by the controlled. This is how Buddhism should be followed, in my POV. Overcoming the constraints of individual self.

[Reinhard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really comprehensive, to the extent that the overview becomes overwhelming. As an introduction it's certainly okay. However, for practical purposes, I cannot recommend it. Less sometimes is more.

[Dan Slimmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for Robert Wright's Buddhism And Modern Psychology Coursera course. It gave me the information I needed. It also gave me a lot of information on Buddhist cosmology and dogma that I wasn't particularly interested in.

[DoGG · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very clear and comprehensive survey of the many types of Buddhism that flow from the experiences and teaching of Sidhartha Guatama, son of Brahman aristocrats, who, sitting under the bodhi tree saw the nature of suffering, its causes, and treatment.

Is it a religion? Whether or not it is a religion depends on how one defines religion. There is no creator, but there are rituals, devotions, and practices. There are even gods and angels that entered from ancient Indian folk religions, but these are seen as helpers, not omniscient beings. It does not rely on blind faith, rather it is based on seeing. Whether or not it is a religion is mostly immaterial.

Who is a Buddhist? Simply one who takes refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, with a commitment to follow the Buddha’s path (conduct, meditation, and wisdom).

Dependent arising and no self:

“Language and the fact that experiences are somehow connected fools us into thinking that there is an “I” apart from and behind changing experiences being connected. In reality…there is only their ‘connectedness – nothing besides that. The fact that experiences are causally connected is not to be explained by reference to an unchanging self that underlies experience, but by examining the nature of causality….all physical and mental events occur in various relationships to each other….and it is the concern with the nature of this causal connectedness that lies at the heart of Buddhist philosophy and which is seen as validating all Buddhist practice.”

“Since we fail to see things as they really are – impermanent, suffering, and not self – we grasp at them as if they were permanent, as if they could bring us lasting happiness, as if we could possess them as our very own. Thu the cultivation of calm and insight involves breaking up the seemingly substantial and enduring appearance of things. Things – our very selves, our own minds – are actually nothing but insubstantial, evanescent dharmas. Abhidharma theory and the associated meditations thus provide a way of getting behind appearances to a world that is quite different from the one ordinarily experienced – a way of easing the mind from the ways and patterns of thought it habitually uses to understand the world…[but] we are always in danger of mistaking our own views and opinions for a true understanding of the way things are. This danger – and this is the really significant point – may apply to views and opinions based on the theoretical teachings of Buddhism no less than to to views and opinions derived from other theoretical systems. Perfect wisdom, however, is what sees through the process of the mind’s conceptual construction and is not tainted by attachment to any view or opinion. In particular, it is not attached to the views and conceptual constructs of Buddhist theory,…which are ultimately no less artificial and arbitrary entities than the conceptual constructs of the ordinary unawakened mind which sees really existing persons and selves. The mind can grasp at the theory of dharma and turn it into another conceptual strait-jacket.”

[Dominic Muresan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only wanted a short, yet comprehensive introduction to buddhism but this author gave me a whole lot containing kilos of info on a relatively short amount of pages. This book has, in a sense, confirmed my opinion that buddhism is much more of a philosophical approach than a religion, and in a sense strengthened it by adding metaphysical universe behind the whole system.

This is not a book for the faint hearted, nor something to read on the beach. Its rigurous in the way in which delves pretty deeply into the different schools, opinions and masters that populate this dense intellectual system.

Its just a shame that we discard such traditions so easily, without as much as bating an eye to them, but if you can muster some courage, I invite you to dive right in with this book and then, who knows, maybe you'll find it so encouraging that you'll continue the exploration of buddhism even further, taking advantage of countless translation efforts that have been made to take the vast library of texts from its ancient and exotic "bed" into the history of philosophy at large.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good overview of Buddhism - history, key concepts, schools of thought. Generally readable - the concepts are mostly clear but the names of individuals and schools are a bit overwhelming and impossible to keep track of. Buddhism is a lot more philosophical than I imagined.

I'd long thought that if I were not a Christian, I would be a Buddhist. But I realize after reading this book that it was based on a fairly naive view of Buddhism, looking at the first of the Four Noble Truths (life is suffering) and the concept of nirvana (elimination of desire). I didn't fully understand the entirety of even basic Buddhist thought (and even the nuances of those things I thought I understood) and now... I don't know, there's a lot in just the basic worldview I can't get behind. The book does argue that Buddhism is at least if not much more about practice than belief, and oddly, there's a lot to the practice I resonate with more.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author introduces this book as being a basic - but thorough overview of the foundations of Buddhism. Clearly and quickly, the reader realizes that this is not meant to be an introduction to the religion and philosophy. It is not for the novice . I have read other , shorter books on Buddhism so starting this book I did expect to uncover a greater depth and breadth to the subject. But, it was way beyond by my comprehension- more geared to a college level textbook.

Struggling with the language, baffled by the subtle differences among the levels of Buddhism, the geographical affects on the rules and behavior - I found mysel skimming along the pages. Some thoughts I grasped; many I never quite understood.

I suggest that any reader looking for an introduction to Buddhism - find an easier book, one not published by a university press.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads # Buddhism #Modern Scholarship & Global Buddhism

Gethin offers a crisp yet quietly destabilizing map of the Buddhist cosmos. It reads like a hyperlinked encyclopaedia written before Wikipedia existed:Four Noble Truths, dependent origination, monastic codes, and cosmology—all rendered with analytic clarity but resisting closure. The book’s very structure mirrors Buddhism’s self-emptying doctrines: each chapter feels provisional, like a sand mandala swept away after the ritual. Gethin’s style is ostensibly neutral, yet his emphasis on early texts and doctrinal precision signals an implicit critique of “pop Buddhism.” For a postmodern reader, the tension between the scholarly voice and the slippery subject matter produces an uncanny effect: knowledge as both illumination and mirage.

Most recommended.

[Anubha (BooksFullOfLife, LifeFullOfBooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rupert Gethin's work walks you through the history of Buddhism, the influences Siddhartha has had, the spiritual guidelines, the two vehicles of discipline, chronological dating of all the sutras, influence of the religion through the means of media.

It involves in depth knowledge of the non binding Nirvana concept, different schools of thoughts and their different approaches in attaining it. Further when unsuccessful in surviving in India how it still thrives globally and interests foreign minds with its philosophy and brings it back to home.

[Ihor Kolesnyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Засади буддизму - книга докладно про це. Тут багато натяків і пропозицій для подальшого пошуку по темі. Згадано усі ключові елементи буддизму, його релігійного, філософського вчень і ще важливо: методологічні проблеми у дослідженнях буддизму.

Цю книгу варто перекладати як "вступ до буддизму" з точки зору академічної науки, буддологічний фундамент. Для початку цього було би достатньо для буддологічних дисциплін у вітчизняних ВНЗ, які намагаються відійти від російських текстів. І варто давно відходити, бо у світовій буддології давно пішли вперед.

[Martine Berenpas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dit is een hele goede introductie in de kernconcepten van het Buddhisme. Het boek is niet alleen voor studenten een aanrader, maar ook voor andere geïnteresseerden. Het boek is toegankelijk geschreven en omvat een groot gedeelte van de geschiedenis van het Boeddhisme. Persoonlijk vond ik het gedeelte over het Chinese Buddhisme ietwat summier, maar gezien het doel van het boek is dit begrijpelijk.

[Rooster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic introduction to Buddhist philosophy

Great introduction to Buddhist philosophy. Accessible, yet sufficiently detailed and sophisticated. Highly recommended reading to anyone wishing to get a sufficiently substantive appreciation for Buddhist thought. Clear and concise writing.

[Ci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a scholarly, textbook styled introduction to Buddhism. It contains the essential philosophical and practical characteristics of traditional schools of Buddhism. Its style is clear, succinct, non polemic, densely footnoted. It should serve as a great reference for any Buddhist concepts and ideas.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed introduction to Buddhism which gives an idea of the complexity of Buddhist thought and schools but packs this into less than 300 pages. This wasn't an easy book to get through but it's readable and worth the effort if you're interested in the subject or for travel context.

[Ellie Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was certainly one of the most readable texts about a foreign religion/philosophy that I have read to date! At times, however, I did find the mix between narrative about Buddhism and Gethin’s person voice compared to the actual content that we were trying to extract as a student be unclear.

[Nikhil Narain · Rating 5 out of 5]

With a sufficiently detailed overview of the shared ideas and concepts that are central to all lineages and traditions of the religion written in an accessible style, this is the best introduction to Buddhism one can hope for.