Buddhist Thought in India: Three Phases of Buddhist Philosophy [Hardcover]

Edward Conze (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 2002 | ISBN-10: 8121507227 | ISBN-13: 978-8121507226

Originally published in 1962.

This book discusses and interprets the main themes of Buddhist thought in India and is divided into three parts:

1. Archaic Buddhism: Tacit assumptions, the problem of "original Buddhism", the three marks and the perverted views, the five cardinal virtues, the cultivation of the social emotions, Dharma and dharmas, Skandhas, sense-fields and elements.
2. The Sthaviras: the eighteen schools, doctrinal disputes, the unconditioned and the process of salvation, some Abhidharma problems.
3. The Mahayana: doctrines common to all Mahayanists, the Madhyamikas, the Yogacarins, Buddhist logic, the Tantras.

 

 

 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 302 pages
• Publisher: Munshiram Manoharlal (December 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8121507227
• ISBN-13: 978-8121507226
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,921,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic of Buddhist Scholarship, March 22, 2007

By 

C. Reed "Caitriona Reed" (Warner Springs and Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buddhist Thought in India: Three Phases of Buddhist Philosophy (Ann Arbor Paperbacks) (Paperback)

The previous reviewers failed to acknowledge this book for what it is, so I felt compelled to write the following:

This book is so important, and still so relevant more than 45 years after it's publication, despite lots of recent scholarship on the early development of Buddhism. If you have some background in the development of early Buddhist schools, or some sense of Buddhism in India over the first few hundred years, and better yet, if you also have some experience of Buddhist practice, then you might just find this book hugely enjoyable. I am re-reading it for the first time in thirty years or so, and cannot begin to express my delight in Conze's scholarship and clarity. He is opinionated, perhaps; curmudgeonly, as one previous reviewer suggests, hardly. You should however be advised that this is NOT a general introduction to the history Buddhist thought, nor is it particularly light reading; though it is very well written, as such scholarly works go. Regardless, it is a classic of western Buddhist scholarship, and invaluable no matter what your Buddhist doctrinal inclinations are, or what your background in formal practice might be.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Conze's gem, July 3, 2008

By 

a student (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: RLE: Buddhism (20 vols): Buddhist Thought in India: Three Phases of Buddhist Philosophy (Routledge Library Editions: Buddhism) (Volume 4) (Hardcover)

Conze was and probably remains the Western expert on the Prajnaparamita literature, but this text covers the extent of Buddhist thought in India. Conze was a German intellectual transplanted to England and eventually the U.S. in a flight from fascism. Despite his eccentricities, which can come across in his writings as curmudgingly, his writing is filled with fascinating insights into Buddhist thought and comparisons with Western philosophical and contemplative figures. I believe this text (now almost 50 years old) is not used in college courses much any more, but it is certainly worth a close reading by scholars and practitioners of Buddhism alike. I read it first in 1974 after taking a few courses with Conze. I have been reading it again after 35 years and am even more impressed by its perspicuity in conveying the abstruse ideas in Buddhist thought as well as its perspicacity into the modern human condition and Buddhism's potential to alleviate it. And I now more clearly see what an imprint this man's writings -- and especially this text -- had on me in formative years regarding how I understand the Buddhist tradition and myself.

5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buddhist Thought in India, May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Buddhist Thought in India: Three Phases of Buddhist Philosophy (Hardcover)

I obtained this book in order to write a term paper for my World Religions class in college and found it's explanation of the three phases of Buddhist philosophy clear, concise and extremely helpful. Got an A on the paper, by the way.