The Gospel of Buddha [Paperback]

Paul Carus (Author), Olga Kopetzky (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1991

Officially introduced in Buddhist schools and temples. A classic in its field. Beautifully illustrated.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

First published in 1894, this is the book that first introduced many Westerners to Buddhism; it remains a useful overview of the life and teachings of the Buddha. Carus, an independent philosopher who studied and published on Eastern and Western philosophy, was instrumental in raising Western awareness of Buddhism at the turn of the century.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

Carus called himself "an atheist who loved God," and he loved the Buddha too, as this classic 1894 introduction to the joys and wisdom of Buddhism continues to testify more than a century later. A bestseller in its time and still a comfort to spiritual seekers and a handy reference for students of mythology and religion, this is a collection of excepts from the foundational texts of Buddhism arranged, Bible style, in chapter and verse.

Carus explains, in his introduction, that some sections are literal copies of translations of ancient texts; other sections are rendered more freely in modern language; but it is all in aid bringing the Buddha's anti-negativism doctrine to contemporary readers, and to world torn by strife and anger and desperate for relief.

Carus' mission continues to be welcome today. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Open Court Publishing Company (February 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875482287
• ISBN-13: 978-0875482286
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #621,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This version of Gospel of Buddha lacks illustrations., August 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Gospel of Buddha (Hardcover)

This is a nice book for Christians who wish to grasp the message and principle beliefs of Buddhism. Carus presents the Buddha's life in a collection of stories from his birth, attainment of enlightenment, teaching, to his death. Well written, it emulates the biblical style of the King Jame's Bible, occasionally puncuated with Ye, Thou, Thy, and so on. The stories are enjoyable but short and somewhat numerous. Also included is a glossary of terms and a concordance with passages in the New Testament. This edition has been reset and lacks the original intricate illustrations by Olga Kopetzky. The pages of the book were also stragely scented. I bought this to have a hardcover version but prefer the Open Court copy made from the original plates.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Simplest place for Christians to start with Buddhism...., February 1, 2001

By 

J. Michael Showalter (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gospel Of Buddha (Paperback)

Although this is a really old and linguistically dated, for a variety of reasons this is the simplest place for a person familiar with the Gospels to begin an inquiry into the life of the Buddha (as opposed to Buddhism as a religion generally-- which is much to broad for this book to cover in its just over three hundred pages....) For a book that is almost one hundred years old, its author did a remarkable job of summarizing the sutras that detail the life of the Buddha and in providing charts, etc. such that Christians would grasp that yes, this man was teaching many of the same things as was the man who taught in their Bible.....

This is a good place to learn about the Buddha's life. However, a person versed only in this book would not be familiar with most of the forms of Buddhism as they were actually practiced-- it would be difficult to identify HOW Zen of Pure Land or Vajrayana Buddhism came to be having just this little book much in the same wasy it would be impossible to determine how Christianity had changed and developed throughout time having only the record provided in the New Testament, or Judaism having only the Pentatuch.....

For those acquainted with Buddhist literature, this book is vaguely similar in content to the Digha Nikaya ("The Long Discourses of the Buddha") in that both are trying to portray how Buddhism, or the thought and teachings of the Buddha were portrayed at the time of his life as opposed to any kind of philosophy, etc. which developed later (the Mahayana stuff). For those interested in this stuff, I would advise books by Robert Thurman (there are a number) and D.T. Suzuki (again, the same) as the easiest to understand in regards to Indian and Tibetan forms and East Asian and Zen forms respectively.

I highly recommend this book....

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life of Buddha written in the style of Christian Gospel, August 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Gospel of Buddha (Paperback)

311 pages, illustrated. This is a nice book for Christians who wish to grasp the message and principle beliefs of Buddhism. Carus presents the Buddha's life in a collection of stories from his birth, attainment of enlightenment, teaching, to his death. Well written, it emulates the biblical style of the King Jame's Bible, occasionally puncuated with Ye, Thou, Thy, and so on. The stories are enjoyable but short and somewhat numerous. This edition appears to be made from the original plates, with original intricate illustrations made for the work by Olga Kopetzky. Also included is a glossary of terms and a concordance with passages in the New Testament. This book convinced me that Christianity is historically the child of both Judaism and Buddhism.