Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience

by Donald W. Mitchell

Introducing the Buddhist Experience, Second Edition, focuses on the depth of Buddhist experience as expressed in the teachings and practices of its religious and philosophical traditions. Taking a broad and inclusive approach, this unique work spans over 2,500 years, offering
chapters on Buddhism's origins in India; Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism; and Buddhism in Southeast Asia, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. It also includes an extensive discussion of modern, socially engaged Buddhism and a concluding chapter on the spread of Buddhism to the West. Author Donald W.
Mitchell provides substantial selections of primary text material throughout that illustrate a great variety of moral, cultural, psychological, meditative, and spiritual Buddhist experiences.
Buddhism features twenty-two boxed personal narratives by respected Buddhist leaders and scholars, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dharma Master Sheng Yen, Dharma Master Cheng Yen, Jeffrey Hopkins, Sulak Sivaraksa, Rita M. Gross, Chatsumarn Kabilsingh, and Robert Aitken. The text also
includes photographs, maps, a pronunciation guide, and a glossary of technical terms. Integrating more information about how Buddhism is actually practiced around the world today, the second edition adds six brief end-of-chapter essays by scholars and practitioners on cultural experiences of
Buddhism in Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, and America. Ideal for courses in Buddhism, Asian religions, and Asian philosophy, this edition also offers additional photographs, new sections on topics like Buddhist cosmology, expanded coverage of Buddhism and globalization, and updated
suggestions for further reading.

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

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Wyatt Reu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thorough and critically rigorous survey of history and beliefs of Buddhism. A good read if you want a deep and nonsectarian introduction to the various traditions.

[Betty]

only read one section

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very high-level overview of the history and current practice of Buddhism in the world. It's a very broad topic, so the book doesn't get very in-depth into any particular topic. There's a /very/ brief introduction to Buddhist philosophy at the beginning -- a description of the life of the Buddha, and some of the key concepts in Buddhist thought. The idea of Karma gets about half a page, which gives you an idea how much detail there is.

The largest section of the book is an overview of the history of Buddhism, organized by country. It highlights the appearance of different schools of Buddhism, how they interacted with governments, and how they were influenced and changed by existing culture in those countries. When Buddhism enters a new culture, it has always changed a bit, picking up some of the beliefs and customs of the new culture, while maintaining its core teachings.

The last section of the book describes modern Buddhist customs around the world. It talks about how individual Buddhists practice their religion, which is not the scholarly monasticism and search for enlightenment that people in the west often associate with Buddhism. This section is also organized by country, finishing with "Buddhism in the West", which itself concludes with a description of Buddhism in America.

"Introducing the Buddhist Experience" is a useful introduction to the history of Buddhism in the world, and how it's practiced today. I have two criticisms to highlight -- First, it doesn't get in-depth in any particular subject. At times, the histories degenerate into lists of names, which isn't very useful for the casual student. The broad-brush strokes also surely leave out a lot, which leads to the second criticism -- the descriptions of history and practice are intentionally skewed toward the positive. One can be left with the impression that, apart from a few isolated incidents among rank-and-file monks, Buddhists are all very virtuous people, and Buddhism is a very positive influence on cultures. My personal bias is to believe that yes, Buddhism is very positive, but I'm sure it's not quite as perfect as what this text would let one believe.

Overall -- this is a helpful high-level primer to the history of Buddhism, which would give you a base of vocabulary and rough historical outline for further studies. Don't expect anything in-depth, and be aware that the viewpoint is a bit skewed.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good and in-depth overview! There's a ton of information packed in so I'm planning on going back through some chapters.

[Talbot Hook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a remarkably dense book, but it can be used to good ends. If you are looking for Buddhist history, there is history; if you are looking for the cultural and lived experience of Buddhism, there is that, too; and if you are looking to understand those tenets and thoughts which underpin this most venerable of belief systems, then this book is exemplary in that regard. I learned a great, great deal from the initial chapters of this book, and the explanations of basic Buddhist beliefs were clearer than any I have yet read. Highly-recommended, and necessary.

[Kenneth Krisis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An overview of history, migration, and basic doctrine.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of a historical and morphing process of the development of Buddhism. (Read as part of a course introducing Buddhism.)

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavy going for someone who is concrete. Reading for a class I am auditing.
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Dropped the class and did not finish the book.

[Frank Tedesco]

I am using this book for a university course in Buddhism and will report back later.