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A Survey Of Buddhism: Its Doctrines And Methods Through The Ages

Bikshu Sangharakshita

4.53 · Rating details · 17 Ratings · 6 Reviews

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Published by Tharpa Publications

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Jul 26, 2010 Steve rated it it was amazing

Hard to believe this book was originally written in 1957. This book has a spiritual depth that is hard to fathom, and I have read multiple times.

I'm going on a retreat in September that is based on chapter 1, the transcendental principle. What is unconditioned? What is beyond conditions?

What can you say about such a ground breaking and awesome book? Go read it! My only reservation is that it's quite complex and he uses a complex vocabulary. I have a bookmark for the words I look up, so when I ...more

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May 16, 2012 Dharmamitra Jeff Stefani rated it it was amazing

Shelves: always-love-rereading-this-perfecti, suggested-well-worth-it

As is already sated, I will echo the notion that "The Survey" (as it it referred to by most Buddhist practitioners that I know) is truly "Indispensable" for anyone that is attempting to grasp at the depth and breadth of the Buddha-Dharma, and its historical and cultural, evolution and development. Also as noted in the description is the "Best of" endorsement from Dr Edward Conze, who is widely know as "The Best of" and "The Patriarch" of early Western Buddhist Scholars, and Pali and Sanskrit Tra As is already sated, I will echo the notion that "The Survey" (as it it referred to by most Buddhist practitioners that I know) is truly "Indispensable" for anyone that is attempting to grasp at the depth and breadth of the Buddha-Dharma, and its historical and cultural, evolution and development. Also as noted in the description is the "Best of" endorsement from Dr Edward Conze, who is widely know as "The Best of" and "The Patriarch" of early Western Buddhist Scholars, and Pali and Sanskrit Translators of the 20th century.
As far as my subjective experience goes; The Survey is the antithesis of "light reading." It is DENSE and complex. It is NOT to be confused with "An Introduction to Buddhism." Quite the opposite, it is composed by and for those with high intellectual comprehension, and a wish to delve deeper into the Buddha Dharma in its deeper essence. However at the same time, it is NOT a book of "Philosophy" or written for strictly Academic purposes, although it is well known and respected among East Asian and Buddhist Studies Scholars. In fact, I know of an American-born Bhikkhu (Buddhist Monks) who was ordained in the Theravada Tradition, into aThai Forest Buddhist Monastic Sangha. I found it interesting that his monastic Order uses "The Survey" as part of the Dharma Education for the Bhikkhus that are native english speakers because of its profound depth and breadth of insight into the broad spectrum of Buddhism, from the perspective of a brilliant Western born, Ordained Bhikkhu, who was only in his late-20s, I believe, perhaps only his mid-20s, when The Survey was introduced as a series of lecture given in India in the 1950s, and later compiled and published in its current format.
I've been on two Dharma study retreats where the first two chapters was the textual basis of the study. I gained more perspective from "A Survey" than all of the many other primary, secondary and tertiary Dharma books I have studied, and waxed more insight into the fundamental essence of the Buddha's Nirvana Insight, often called "Dependent Origination" or "Conditioned-Coproduction" which is Sanskrit is Pratītyasamutpāda ( Pali:paticcasamuppāda) and cannot stress enough the efficacy of The Survey as PROFOUNDLY insightful examination of not only the breadth and historical adaptations of the Dharma, but the depth of penetrating insight into the essence of the principles that are common throughout all manifestations of the Dharma.
As I said, it is not to be confused with an Introduction to Buddhism. On that subject, I high recommend another compilation of Sangharakshita's work called "A Guide to the Buddhist Path" which is not only much easier to digest, and broken into short, usually 2-3 page sections dealing with a very full teaching on the essential principles of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, as well as the Three-Fold Path of Ethics, Meditation and Wisdom. It offers a well-rounded "guide" to anyone that wishes a solid foundation in understanding Buddhism, as well as the essentials for becoming a full-time Buddhist Practitioner. ...more

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Jan 24, 2015 Gerardo rated it it was amazing

This is such a wonderful book. Both in depth and width, Sangharakshita provides the reader with a full introduction about Buddhism as a whole. Not only that, but he answers all the questions any newcomer to Buddhism usually has (as I did before reading the book), like the distinction between Hinayana and Mahayana, the Six/Ten Paramitas and the basics of its metaphysics.
Granted, the author gets a little dense at some points, a little ardent when speaking about the Theravadins, but I believe thes ...more

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Mar 08, 2013 Marian rated it liked it

Save for the (continuous) pathetic attempts to trash the Theravadin tradition and assert the legitimacy of the Mahayana texts, to the extent that the former is accused of "many edits" and the later is assumed to preach the true word of the Buddha (though it's texts are hundreds of years later than the Pali Canon), this is a decent introductory book.

However, it is not really what I expected. The author has the habit of rambling on for pages on every subject, without giving substantial informatio ...more

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Aug 21, 2015 Amritamati Clark rated it it was amazing

I have read this book again and again and always find more to reflect on and discuss with other Dharma practitioners. It is definitely not an introductory book and people new to Buddhism would be better placed reading "A Guide to the Buddhist Path" by Sangharakshita, or the smaller, but excellent "Introducing Buddhism" by Chris Pauling. Sangharakshita's passion for the Dharma shines through, along with his ability to see Buddhism in both its breadth and its depth. A remarkable book for someone w ...more

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Jan 31, 2017 Alex Rhea rated it really liked it

Hard to understand. Would not recommend for someone with little knowledge of Buddhism. But for a scholar of Buddhism, it provides a very interesting theory of the relationship between the different schools of Mahayana Buddhism given by someone on the inside.

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