Author Olson (Allegheny College) has sought to make the largely unfamiliar world of Buddhism (past and present) more accessible to the average person with this compact dictionary. The dictionary proper actually makes up less than two-thirds of the entire volume. Preceding it is a 5-page chronology of Buddhist history and a lengthy introductory essay (43 pages) that focuses heavily on the spread of Buddhism to virtually all parts of the world. The goal for the A–Z entries is, seemingly, to define, not expound. The entries are typically one paragraph in length, including potentially significant ones like Dalai Lama and Buddha. As with most volumes from the Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements series, the content is not overly academic in tone. Quite prevalent are entries for terms such as Kalpa, No, and Tathagata, which are transliterated words from Eastern languages like Japanese and Sanskrit. Many of these are treated as technical terms unique to Buddhism. Buddhist groups and personalities throughout its history are highlighted, with surprisingly few contemporaries. Various mythological and legendary figures are also considered. Theological content is relatively scarce. This dictionary has the same look and feel of another recent work: Oxford’s Dictionary of Buddhism (2003). There is one significant exception, however—the bibliography. The recommended list of sources is extraordinarily full, considering the overall size of the work. The 80-page bibliography, subdivided into more than 30 categories, takes the work to a much deeper level. Academic collections will especially benefit from this added dimension. Recommended to all libraries with substantial holdings in religion. --Wade Osburn
Review
Author Olson has sought to make the largely unfamiliar world of Buddhism (past and present) more accessible to the average person with this compact dictionary....The 80-page bibliography, subdivided into more than 30 categories, takes the work to a much deeper level. Academic collections will especially benefit from this added dimension. Recommended to all libraries with substantial holdings in religion. (
Booklist, February 2010 )
This title is recommended for any public or academic library collection covering religious topics. (
American Reference Books Annual )
For general readers, Olson offers a dictionary of Buddhism that aims to clarify concepts about the religion in different contexts. (
Reference and Research Book News, November 2009 )
The overall effect is helpful, valuable, and analytical….The study of Buddhism has gained from the publication of this work. (
Reference Reviews )
It is a fairly detailed attempt to present the significant historical time periods, places, people, ideas, and activities associated with Buddhism….The introduction is one of the best, concise descriptions of the complex web of Buddhist history that I have ever encountered in 43 pages….I would highly recommend this introduction as a first reading for anyone wishing to understand the historical, religious, and political context of Buddhism….I found this book to be an excellent reference work for a basic understanding of Buddhism overall, for important topics and people associated with Buddhism, and for the extensive bibliography. These three major divisions of the book make it a prize addition to any reference collection in the religion and theology area. (
Journal Of Religious and Theological Information )
