Customer Reviews

Buddhist General Semantics: A New Approach To Buddhist Religion And Its Philosophy

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As a Vietnamese Buddhist Monk who has recently begun residence at Phap Hoa Temple in Wichita, Kansas, one of the greatest challenges I face is when Americans visit my temple and ask for definitions and explainations for basic Buddhist terms, as well as a brief overview of Buddhist philosophy. Because my conversation English is still somewhat limited, I have been looking for a book that will give my Western guests enough basic information about Buddhism, without overwhelming them with deep explorations that might confuse them. I find Khai Thien's book the perfect source to offer beginners as they start their initial inquiry into Buddhism. The explainations are clearly presented, and Thien uses analogies Americans can relate to, as he takes examples from Western culture to help illustrate basic Buddhist concepts. I highly recommend Khai Thien's book to anyone who is looking for a comprehensible place to begin his or her study of Buddhism.

"... I first met Khai Thien, in 1996 while I was on a research trip to Vietnam to study Vietnamese Buddhism. He spent an enormous amount of time trying to guide me through the intricacies of Buddhist philosophy. Through the course of that trip, and another one in 1997, I grew increasingly impressed by khai thien's knowledge of Buddhism, his considerable language skills and his over-all mental dexterity. To my utter astonishment, I discovered that he had already published nine books in his mid-twenties. One of his books became required reading for Vietnamese university students studying Buddhist philosophy. In this book, Buddhist General Semantics, he attempts to achieve a synthesis between Buddhist teaching and the discipline of general semantics in order to more clearly explain Buddhist philosophy to a larger audience."
-Robert J. Topmiller
Eastern Kentucky University

Buddhist General Semantics is one of the first books of religious philosophy evaluating the relationship between Buddhism and General Semantics. The book offers a new approach to Buddhist religion and its Philosophy with clear definitions and explanations of Buddhist basic teachings. This comprehensive guide to Buddhist philosophy is for those who wish to get in touch with the real world of self-discovery and self-awareness.

BUDDHIST GENERAL SEMANTICS is an exploration into the relationship of one's internal and external experiences and how it can establish a greater understanding of the theories and practice of Buddhism. Though the origin of Buddhism dates back over 2,500 years, the Western world is still searching for an approach to make its teachings meaningful and applicable in a modern society. Through the use of general semantics, Khai Thien presents a clear and honest process we must undergo to grasp the true nature of ourselves, hence creating a profound awareness of the connection between our consciousness and reality. Khai Thien uses tangible examples from Western culture to introduce and define challenging aspects of Buddhist philosophy in a voice that crosses religious boundaries. He invites persons of all faiths to reflect on the value of recognizing the correlations between language, thought and behavior and how it can enhance their daily lives.