Customer Reviews

The Shambhala Dictionary of Buddhism and Zen

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This dictionary includes over 1,500 entries; a helpful guide to the pronunciation of Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese, and Tibetan terms; a five-page chart of the major Ch'an/Zen lineages (from the Buddha mainly through the 11th century, plus a few later figures like Dogen and Hakuin); and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources on Buddhism.

I occasionally find this dictionary frustrating when I know only the English version of a term that the editors apparently expect me to know in Sanskrit (e.g., there's no entry for "dependent origination," not even a cross-listing sending you to "pratitya-samutpada"). And there's a strange dearth of information about Korean Buddhism (e.g., no entries for Chinul, Son, or the Chogye Order). But all in all, this is a very good dictionary, and it makes good browsing for learning more about Buddhism.

You might want to compare this dictionary with Damien Keown's "Dictionary of Buddhism," which is more up-to-date and has more entries, including more extensive coverage of Western Buddhism, but the coverage of Zen isn't as good. (John Powers's "Concise Encyclopedia of Buddhism" is less comprehensive than the Shambhala dictionary and only a little less expensive, and Charles S. Prebish's "Historical Dictionary of Buddhism" is less comprehensive and a lot more expensive.)

As a fairly new student of Buddhism, I found this book to be a very useful tool in furthering my education & undertstanding of the religion & philosphy. After 20 years in Korean Buddhism, my Lama also decided this book would be of great use in further enriching his studies in the understanding. This has proven to be a good reference tool for any level of interest in Buddhism & Zen in its depth & knowledge of terms.

I bought this book several years ago and it has proven an invaluable reference. For anyone wanting to deeply study Buddhism and Buddhist sutras this book is very helpful. The entries are clear and accurate, with extensive cross-references. There are entries for each of the major sects of Buddhism as well as various doctrines and teachers. Like one reviewer above, I too was at first nonplussed by the "and Zen" in the title. Then I re-read the first page, "Guide to Using This Dictionary," where it explains that "Zen, although frequently considered to be one among many schools of Buddhism, had its own independent development to such an extent that it is here treated as a separate subject area. This also corresponds to its own understanding of itself as 'outside the orthodox teaching.'" There has been an occasional time when I cannot find a Sanskrit or Pali term in the Dictionary, but for all the basics, this book is excellent.

This book has been helpful, but several times I have turned to it to look up a word and found the word not there. However, there are very clear explanations and examples of words that are listed in the book, and the information given is much more than just the definitions. Some words have illustrations, too. I find this interesting and helpful. If you are studying Buddhism this book is a must for your library.

Though it lacks any real in-depth information, it is rather extensive for its size. A great resource for the average reader. A handy reference for the road, when you don't want to pack the "Big Ones."

All in all, a great little book for the price.

These translations are great for study. Whether you are an aspiring Buddhist, Buddhist or just studying world religions this series is perfect. Definitely recommend for anyone.

He gives a nice introduction to each section that helps you understand what is going on. We all know that ancient writings can be tricky but he translated these writings perfectly.

And you don't have to start at any specific point or volume.

Using this dictionary speeds up the understanding and learning process of all words used in books(i.e. sutras)that were published without a glossary of terms in the back matter. It contains short bios, terms and a whole gamut material that one will need to know at some point. It's good reading all by itself... as reference material or not...

This is a helpful dictionary for the journeyman student of Buddhism. Brief definitions and identifications of terms help the student to become more grounded in and familiar with the various strains of Buddhist practice. However, like other reviewers, I found the lack of colloquial English translations ("interdependent co-origination" et. al.) a hindrance, and the neglect shown to Korean Buddhism and the short shrift given to other practices that are not Chinese, Japanese or Tibetan, is a little disappointing.

The apprentice student will probably find herself lost amidst the multiplicity of terms and names---Huang-Po is Obaku, Avalokiteshvara is Kwan Yin, Kannon, Kanzeon or Tara, Zen is Ch'an or Ch'an-na or Dhyana---but a little dedication should be very helpful in decoding who's who and what's what.