Customer Reviews

The Buddhist Handbook: A Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice, and History

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

 

 

This book really is an excellent, comprehensive guide to Buddhism. It will orient you in the wide array of Buddhist practices going on today, with historical and conceptual background from the Indian roots of Buddhism, through its spread over Asia and into the West, so you can get a clear understanding of what the differences are between Zen, Theravada, the various Tibetan schools, etc. At the end is a "Who's Who" of contemporary teachers a Westerner might meet or want to know about; then a list of useful addresses in the US and Canada; a festival list; a "further reading" list; and an index. I want to keep this book on my shelf for long term reference.

This is a great companion for anyone interested in Buddhism. Features include history and practice as well as suggestions for daily life. Also included is a resource for buddhist organizations worldwide. Easy read, but a complete reference.

This is a highly enjoyable book which covers the development & spread of Buddhism from its inception to the late 20th c. It includes all major types of Buddhism, explains a number of terms in each, provides short bios of major participants (up to 1991 or so), addresses of many Buddhist organizations, list of festivals, & some exposition of Buddhist principles. Most of the book is historical rather than explanatory, however. It can serve as a useful reference work (though can be read through) but is not a definitive work on Buddhist theology, philosophy, or psychology. I found much of the historical information fascinating; amazingly, the author shows how many 21st c. arguments/approaches began much earlier--which was unknown to me, but : p. 53: "As the Buddha himself foresaw, even the dharma itself is subject to change & degeneration." Snelling does discuss the ideas of soul, self, sutra/tantra, the roots of Buddhist social activism, the development of a Western brand of Buddhism (lay oriented, with less emphasis on a guru), psychoanalysis & meditation, women in Buddhism, etc. enough to whet one's appetite without satisfying the need. I like his consistently nonsectarian writing as well as his down-to-earth & matter-of-fact approach, esp. to the Westernization of Buddhism. Much has occurred since this book was published (so parts are a bit dated) but these events were, per this book, foreshadowed by what went before. While some updating would be nice (a new addition, hint, hint...) & it's hardly "A Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice, & History" (it's a bit light on the teaching & practice portions), the present volume is still well worth having on one's bookshelf.

If you're looking for a book that will explore Buddhist themes in depth and help you better realize your own daily Buddhist practice, this is not the book for you. If you're looking for a book that gives you brief, authoritative answers to simple questions ("where did Buddhism come from? What is the difference between Mahayana and Himayana and where are they practiced? What are the Four Noble Truths?"), this is a great reference book that will give you the answers without bogging you down in details. It covers all of the major schools and teachings, and doesn't take sides. I have recommended this book to many of my friends.

If you want to know all about how Buddhism spread from its origin; this is the book for you. On the other hand, if your looking for a book that explains basic buddhist belief and practice... Look else where. Breif descriptions of karma and selflessness, Extensive detail of where the dharma spred to. So for beginners like myself, I would pass on this one.

I find Mr. Snelling's book very useful, for someone like me. Specifically, when I'm about to have a big change in my life, I RUN to a library or bookstore. Then, I research that change. (When I became a father, I did a lot of reading on pregnancy and fatherhood.) I like to have the big picture, then I can begin to feel my way around. I'm more comfortable dealing with the new when can I find the context.
Mr Snelling's book is really valuable, re. a larger view of Buddhism. It has thorough, if a little concise (wished they were longer), explanations of the life of the Buddha and his teachings. The book's strongest points are the history of the spread of Buddhist teachings and how those teachings have morphed across time and various cultures. Knowing where I'm entering the Buddhist continuum has given me the (again) context to begin my practice. I also enjoyed the 'Who's who' section.
When the subjects arise, I plan to read other Buddhist references, geared to more specific topics (i.e. the Dharma, the Pali Canon, etc.). This book is a excellent, broad, first reference, and I plan to refer back to it often.

At the time this book was published in 1991, John Snelling was "a writer and broadcaster on Buddhism and Central Asian affairs and past editor of the Buddhist Society's journal, 'The Middle Way.'"

Here are some quotations from the book:

"It should perhaps be noted by the way that modern Hindus do not regard the Buddha as an outsider to their tradition... The Hindu system certainly derived much from Buddha's teaching, and indeed Buddhism... also derived much from Hinduism. Buddhist Tantra, for instance, has a great deal in common with the Shiva-Shakti tradition of Hindu Tantra." (Pg. 29)
"...we cannot say with certainty of anything that there are the precise words of the Buddha. Buddhism cannot therefore be a 'book' religion in the sense that, say, Islam or Judaism claim to be. It possesses no divinely revealed and hence 'infallible' and ultimately authoritative canon." (Pg. 77)
"...the preceding kind of spiritual individualism was replaced in the Mahayana by a more altruistic orientation... The bodhisattva... seeks to maintain an enlightened quiescence amid the hurly-burly of life." (Pg. 84)
"The success of the new Japanese Nichiren societies in Britain and other parts of Europe in recent years has been striking, and parallels similar success on the other side of the Atlantic. Their lay orientation, unascetic character, and simpler approach to practice tend to widen the base of their appeal." (Pg. 219)
"(Friends of the Western Buddhist Order) writings talk much about commitment. Indeed, one of their strongest criticisms of most other Western lay Buddhist societies is what they regard as their lack of serious commitment to practice of the dharma." (Pg. 231)

This book is a pretty good history of Buddhist culture, where it began and who and how it's practiced throughout the globe. It tells a lot more history than thoughts about beliefs, laws, fundamentals and overall spiral teaching of the Buddha and it's impact on these factions. It informs you of Buddhist festivals, holidays and large Buddhist communities, and other books to help you in your journey for enlightenment. This is a good book to have in your collection of other books on the subject but in no way is a complete Buddhist hand book. It will tell you the difference between Zen, Mainland, Mahayana and their core belief but really only scratches the surface. It will give a broad overview of the eight fold noble path and the four Nobel truths but if your looking for something more thought provoking or dare I say, spiritually awakening, look elsewhere. It's a good book for someone with limited knowledge of the subject and gives a good history lessens but that's about as deep as it goes.