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Buddhism: The Light of Asia
A concise presentation of the philosophy, history, literature, art, and ceremonies of Buddhism, by a distinguished Oriental scholar. Generous quotations from the poetry and prose of Buddhist literature enrich reader's understanding of this religion, and its far-flung influence.
301 pages, Paperback
First published December 31, 1977
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October 12, 2015
I wanted to read a history of/introduction to Buddhism so that I would have a better idea of what I was getting myself into so far as my spiritual life is concerned. This was an old edition of a Barron's Educational Series book, but it gave me just what I was looking for: a knowledgable, but not scholarly, description of the origins, beliefs, and history of Buddhism.
Ths book beings with a description of the remarkable life of the Buddha Shakyamuni, born Prince Siddhartha in a small kingdom on the border of India and Nepal. It briefly describes the cultural and religious milieu in which he was raised (fascinating), as well as the development of his thought and his enlightenment. The author then goes on to describe the different aspects of the Buddhist life - the monastic community, the division into Mahayana and Theravada (why do all the great religions seem to have this dichotomy?) From there actual history becomes the focus. The spread of Buddhism into various countries, starting with Ceylon, is considered in a fair amount of detail. The way the religion developed different qualities and schools in different regions is looked at. Toward the end, a discussion of the complex issues of Buddhist literature takes place, followed by scanty introductions to Buddhist art and festivals. The last chapter, "Buddhism in the Modern World", is pretty useless and does not assess the contemporary situation.
Overall this is a solid book that gave me more or less the knowledge I had been looking for.
Ths book beings with a description of the remarkable life of the Buddha Shakyamuni, born Prince Siddhartha in a small kingdom on the border of India and Nepal. It briefly describes the cultural and religious milieu in which he was raised (fascinating), as well as the development of his thought and his enlightenment. The author then goes on to describe the different aspects of the Buddhist life - the monastic community, the division into Mahayana and Theravada (why do all the great religions seem to have this dichotomy?) From there actual history becomes the focus. The spread of Buddhism into various countries, starting with Ceylon, is considered in a fair amount of detail. The way the religion developed different qualities and schools in different regions is looked at. Toward the end, a discussion of the complex issues of Buddhist literature takes place, followed by scanty introductions to Buddhist art and festivals. The last chapter, "Buddhism in the Modern World", is pretty useless and does not assess the contemporary situation.
Overall this is a solid book that gave me more or less the knowledge I had been looking for.
Displaying 1 of 1 review