Buddhist Religions: A Historical Introduction (Religious Life in History) (Paperback)

by Richard H. Robinson (Author), Willard L. Johnson (Author), Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This historical introduction to Buddhism presents students with an engaging exploration of the diversity of thoughts and practices of a wide segment of followers of the Buddha. It covers five main aspects of Buddhism: ritual, devotionalism, doctrine, meditation, practice, and institutional history.

About the Author
Willard L. Johnson received his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Wisconsin in 1973. He is now a professor emeritus of San Diego State University, where he teaches world religions, primal religions, shamanism, Asian religions, and religious experience.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu (Geoffrey DeGraff) grew up in rural New York and Virginia, and was later ordained as a monk in Thailand in 1976. He trained for ten years under Ajaan Fuang Jotiko, a member of the Forest Tradition, until the latter's death in 1986. After returning to the States to help set up Metta Forest Monastery in 1991, he was made abbot of the monastery in 1993 and was formally made a preceptor in 1995. In addition to teaching at the monastery, he teaches regularly with the John Wayne Dhamma Center in Orange County, and the Barre Center of Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts. He is the author of The Mind Like Fire Unbound, The Buddhist Monastic Code, and The Wings to Awakening. He is also translator of a number of Thai meditation guides, including the complete writings of Ajahn Fuang's teacher, Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 5 edition (June 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534558585
• ISBN-13: 978-0534558581
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #189,877 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an excellent resource, May 2, 2006

By	J-C Derricault "theoretical panoptician" (New Haven, CT United States) - See all my reviews

I used an earlier edition of this book and the companion Experience of Buddhism in an introductory buddhism course in college, and found (and still find) both to be exremely useful as overviews and wide-ranging sourcebooks for information about the full spectrum of buddhist practice and thought. I'm not sure what grammatical errors the previous reviewer refers to -- perhaps peculiar to the present edition -- but I grew up to be an english teacher and recall no such dramatic flaws and logical inconsistency. As textbooks, both are definitely expensive, but actually are the best resources I can think of for an overview of the whole religion rather than one specific branch of it. (Though it is true that the writing in this particular book is a bit dry -- it is a textbook, after all).

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best overview of the Buddhist tradition, May 3, 2006

By	S. Aichele (Ojai, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The one star review below was likely made by someone who read an early edition of the book - the past two editions have been an ambitious re-write by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The result is a book whose clarity is unmatched by any other text I've come across that addresses the history of Buddhism.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview, October 30, 2006

By	Vimalakirti (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

I have taught from this book for several years, and I believe it is one of the best Buddhism survey textbooks available. The current edition is as much the work of Thanissaro Bikkhu as it is Willard Robinson. Bikkhu incorporates much of the most recent scholarship in Buddhist studies from scholars such as Gregory Schopen, Donald Lopez, etc.

There are no grammatical mistakes I am aware of in the current edition. I suspect the book's only one-star rating came from a disgruntled student. This is not a book that dumbs down the Buddhist religion, or attempts to please everyone. It uses sophisticated language and presents a definite pont of view. As such, it may not be appropriate for underclassmen at some colleges.

Strong's anthology "The Experience of Buddhism" is paired by the publisher with this text, and it too is excellent.