Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Siddhartha Gautama (Pali: Siddharttha Gotama) is the person the world has come to know as the Buddha, the "Awekened One..." (more)
Key Phrases: nirvanic essence, bodhisattva journey, negative mental formations, Pure Land, United States, Sri Lanka (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Simply excellent. Its strengths are its clarity and its comprehensiveness."--John P. Keenan, Middlebury College
"The author has done an excellent job of presenting a clear and accurate exposition of Buddhism."--Paul J. Griffiths, University of Illinois at Chicago
"An excellent book. [It] provides comprehensive coverage of the full history of the many varieties of Buddhist thought and practice in diverse cultures in an accessible and balanced fashion. Each section of the book offers a clear, thorough, insightful, and thought-provoking explanation of major themes and issues with just the right amount of material to give an in-depth overview that does not overwhelm the reader."--Steven Heine, Florida International University

Product Description

Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience focuses on the depth of Buddhist experience as expressed in the teachings and practices of a wide array of its religious and philosophical traditions. Taking a broad and inclusive approach, this unique work spans over 2,500 years, featuring chapters on Buddhism's origins in India; Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism; and Buddhism in Southeast Asia, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. It also includes an extensive discussion of modern, socially engaged Buddhism and a concluding chapter on the spread of Buddhism to the West. Mitchell provides substantial selections of primary text material throughout that illustrate a great variety of moral, psychological, meditative, and spiritual Buddhist experiences. Buddhism features twenty-two boxed personal narratives provided by respected Buddhist leaders and scholars from around the world, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dharma Master Sheng Yen, Dharma Master Cheng Yen, Jeffrey Hopkins, Sulak Sivaraksa, Rita M. Gross, Chatsumarn Kabilsingh, and Robert Aitken. These concise and intriguing essays give students a glimpse into what the topics discussed in the book actually mean in terms of human experience today. Ideal for courses in Buddhism, Asian religions, and Asian philosophy, Buddhism also incorporates helpful maps, numerous illustrations, a glossary, and suggestions for further reading.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (November 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195139526
• ISBN-13: 978-0195139525
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #701,995 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of the fine 2007/8 2nd ed. , August 19, 2008

By	John L Murphy "Fionnchú" (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience (Paperback)

This introductory textbook on Buddhism covers the essentials that a Western reader might expect, but it goes deeper than a recitation of facts, dates, and names from the past 2,500 years. Anyone curious about the beliefs, the culture, and the practitioners of dharma will benefit from this attractively designed presentation. It covers its origins, Theravada and Mahayana "vehicles," and then explores in separate sections how Buddhism spread into Southeast Asia, Korea, Japan, China, and Tibet.

Included you'll find additional aids for understanding what can be for a newcomer like me (therefore I cannot pass judgment on doctrinal or academic debates that may arise from a specialized familiarity with this subject) daunting obstacles. The textual legacy of each national expression of Buddhism gains elucidation, with excerpts from verses, illustrations (unfortunately all monochrome, but the costs are kept down as a result), and the best part: testimonies from current practitioners of the Thai, Tibetan, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and American-- from a convert who became a monk-- "cultural experiences." These, as well as panel sidebars with brief narratives or anecdotes by scholars and believers that retell stories or lessons, enrich this volume.

I also like the attention given to morality throughout the text; this concentration, blended with more focus in the second edition on the U.S. transformation of Buddhist practice, makes the mentions of the influences of feminism, ecumenism, ecology and globalization also relevant. In fact, I wish more space had been devoted to each of these topics, but the limit to eleven chapters, so as to fit a semester or even a quick quarter of a course, may have necessitated a narrower scope. However, each part concludes with an up-to-date reading list. There's also a technical glossary of terms with accent and vowel markings to guide pronunciation of what can be formidable terms for teachers and students alike.

Again, while I cannot weigh in on the demerits (if any) of this textbook's scholarly claims, for an introduction, this deserves attention beyond the required textbook list on a syllabus. Libraries and seekers and followers all can find, I predict, valuable information made more accessible. Westerners often think Buddhism's detached, secretive, or nihilistic, but a careful grasp of the multiplicity of how its precepts come into daily practice to assist others, and its emphasis on the social impact of its teachings, may help change many prejudices we may have about this ancient, resilient, and flexible approach towards compassionate wisdom and spiritual fulfillment.

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth it, September 23, 2009

By	A. Sheedy-rodriguez "Arod333" (Cville) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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The book was very worn, with post-it notes still in it and extensive highlighting and writing inside.