Customer Reviews

Buddhist Cosmology: Philosophy and Origins

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The author does an excellent job of making clear what the ancient Buddhists thought about the structure of the universe. The only lack the book really has is that of perspective, leaving one to wonder what this has to say about modern Buddhism in the face of cosmological advances, but the author makes up for this in the book's masterful final chapter.

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique and detailed handbook with a ton of info!, August 28, 2008

Anyone interested in an reference book that provides an extensive overview of Buddhist Cosmology need look no further!

Beginning with an overview of the pre-Buddhist landscape of India, this book explores, and details how the "universe" of Buddhism arose, and developed throughout the history of Buddhism. With a plethora of illustrations, diagrams and photos, the whole variety of Buddhist Cosmology is offered at the turn of a page.

This book, presents, defines, and explains the development of a wide variety of Buddhist universal elements including heavens and hells, Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, Devas. The various "worlds" and "realms" of Buddhism, along with its beings-sentient and insentient-are described and explained in one coherent and accssible volume.

Great Job!

The author indeed provides a lot of info about ancient Buddhist cosmological models. There isn't a whole lot on the "philosophy" part though - the author provides a lot of details but not much on why I should be interested in them. I was hoping this book would elucidate some deeper meanings in these models, but again and again you're just presented a bunch of facts presented rather indifferently, almost getting a sense that the author himself finds the material boring and uninspiring. If you're simply looking for reference material on Buddhist cosmogonies and/or are interested in them simply for their own sake, I'd say this is would be a good purchase for you.

Anyone interested in an reference book that provides an extensive overview of Buddhist Cosmology need look no further!

Beginning with an overview of the pre-Buddhist landscape of India, this book explores, and details how the "universe" of Buddhism arose, and developed throughout the history of Buddhism. With a plethora of illustrations, diagrams and photos, the whole variety of Buddhist Cosmology is offered at the turn of a page.

This book, presents, defines, and explains the development of a wide variety of Buddhist universal elements including heavens and hells, Bodhisattvas, Buddhas, Devas. The various "worlds" and "realms" of Buddhism, along with its beings--sentient and insentient--are described and explained in one coherent and accssible volume.

Great Job!

I haven't even begun reading this because I have priority in my own way in reading several books I now plan to read.