A Buddhist Bible (Paperback)

~ Dwight Goddard (Author)
Key Phrases: noble wisdom, four great elements, intuitive mind, Lord Buddha, Blessed One, Essence of Mind (more...)

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Product Description

The Favorite Scriptures Of The Zen Sect, History Of Early Zen Buddhism, Self-Realisation Of The Noble Wisdom, The Diamond Sutra, The Prajna Paramita Sutra, The Sutra Of The Sixth Patriarch. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Donald S. Lopez, Jr. is professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies at the University of Michigan. His most recent books are The Story of Buddhism: A Concise Guide to Its History and Teachings and Prisoners of Shangri-La.

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Product Details Paperback: 677 pages Publisher: Beacon Press (April 1, 1994) Language: English ISBN-10: 0807059110 ISBN-13: 978-0807059111 Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #182,534 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
noble wisdom, four great elements, intuitive mind, supreme perfect wisdom, mind essence, pure concepts, lay brother, perfect enlightenment, homeless life, meditation hall, prajna paramita, dhyana paramita, thy feet, thy grace, transcendental wisdom, disciples some monks, showeth weakness, recollective mindfulness, one momentary sensation, eighteen spheres, meaning with wisdom, three things that accompany, such arbitrary conceptions, thousand great universes, radiating potency

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lord Buddha, Blessed One, Essence of Mind, Blessed Lord, Lord Tathagata, Universal Mind, Noble Path, Three Vedas, Tathagata's Womb, Learned Audience, Right Understanding, Middle Way, Holy Dharma, Womb of Tathagata, Perfect One, Universal Self, Supreme Enlightenment, One Vehicle, Ultimate Reality, The Ten Things, Four Noble Truths, Pure Dharmakaya, Noble Lord, Fifth Patriarch, Sit Kan

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

100 books cite this book:

• Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism by Anagarika Govinda on 12 pages
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• Asian Religions in America: A Documentary History by Thomas A. Tweed on 4 pages
• A World Religions Reader by Ian S. Markham on 4 pages

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	80% buy the item featured on this page: A Buddhist Bible 4.2 out of 5 stars (11) $16.50
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	5% buy Buddhist Scriptures (Penguin Classics) 4.7 out of 5 stars (6) $11.56
	4% buy What the Buddha Taught: Revised and Expanded Edition with Texts from Suttas and Dhammapada 4.4 out of 5 stars (80) $10.08

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (5) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.2 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 41 of 41 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Buddhist Texts in America, May 17, 2001 By  Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)       Dwight Goddard's collection of Buddhist Sutras and related texts, first published in 1932, is available in paperback with introductions by Robert Aitken and Houston Smith. The importance of this book lies in its role in the development of American Buddhism as well as, of course, in the texts themselves. Dwight Goddard, according to Aitken's introduction, was an enigmatic figure with training first as an engineer (where he became wealthy as a result of an invention) and as a Christian minister. In the latter role, he travelled to the East and became interested in Eastern Religions -- a seeker in the true sense of the term. In the 1930s, while in his 60s he produced this collection of texts, many of which he translated himself, which give a broad view of the nature of the teachings of Buddhist schools. The book helped teach Buddhism to Americans beginning in the 1930s. In the 1950s, Jack Kerouac, then living in San Jose, California discovered Goddard in the public library. He carried the book with him wherever he went and used it as the basis of whatever knowledge of Buddhism he had. The beats in the 1950s were one of the sources leading to the growth of American Buddhism, and Goddard's book was Kerouac's teacher. The main value of this book, though, is not in its role in Buddhist History in the United States but lies in the texts themselves. Goddard presents in one volume a selection of primary source materials from the Theravada, Manayana, Zen, Tibetan, and and other Buddhist traditions. Many of these texts have been more recently translated, but the translations in this book are readable, at the least and they are all in one volume. They are not easy reading and will require many rereadings, but they do present a compliation of basic Buddhist materials for those wishing to benefit from them. My own familiarity with Buddhist texts is primarily with the earlier texts in Theravada Buddhism. This book is comparatively light on Theravada texts but gave me the opportunity to read the texts of other Buddhist Schools. This is a very fine anthology and is of historical interest for the transmission of the Buddha's teaching to the United States. I have found that many people interested in Buddhism restrict themselves to the practice of meditation or to books setting out Buddhist teachings rather than availing themselves of the original source materials. This book is a great way to read the original texts. There will be something of meaning in them for you. 19 of 19 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars I can't think of a better introduction to the sutras, June 22, 2000 By  Tim (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews I have to agree with the reviewer below me (even though he stole most of it from the book's introduction). The language the translators use is sometimes less than modern and more often nonstandard, but the sutras just feel right. It's hard to find a better collection of introductory sutras than this. A warning: the texts focus on Mahayana Buddhism (though not exclusively), and even the Tao Te Ching is in here, so old-time Theravadans might feel a little left out, but I think the diversity is a good thing. Don't take this book as a literal bible--it's too personal to Goddard. It's also not the best intoduction to Buddhist thought out there: if you want a basic intro to Buddhist thought, I'd suggest Rahula's _What the Buddha Taught_. If you like what you've seen elsewhere and want to start delving into the sutras, this is the place to start. 17 of 17 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars available free online, February 13, 2006 By  Tara Belsare "Nirvana with a twist." (upstate NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    The copy right on this little gem has not been renewed and the full text is available online at sacred-texts dot com. Free - is the Buddhist ideal for the cost of dharma.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars The White Elephant of Complete Unsurpassed Enlightenment This book is like the armchair or sofa someone gave or that you bought on impulse at a yard-sale; it's comfortable, but it's ugly and much too big for the room it's in; still... Read more Published 11 months ago by L. Wilcox 4.0 out of 5 stars Great Intro to Buddhism I purchased this book almost a year ago. I had read some things on Buddhism before and it seemed interesting. Read more Published on July 18, 2005 by Mosstrooper 5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding introduction to the Sutras. This book is by far the best collection of Buddhist scriptures I've ever seen. While it is perhaps not the best book to serve as an introduction to Buddhist teachings, it does an... Read more Published on June 13, 2005 by Aaron W 4.0 out of 5 stars Buddhist Bible Is A Must I have read "The Buddhist Bible" by Goddard many times and continue to do so often. To me it is a constant and easily availabe source. Read more Published on July 13, 2004 by Jerry Nickell 3.0 out of 5 stars Good words, bad book I agree with most of the other reviewers have said here, "A Buddhist Bible" is a good introduction to Buddhist scriptures. Read more Published on July 12, 2002 by bremmie 3.0 out of 5 stars Where we all started I read this anthology for the first time when I was sixteen years old, which is much longer ago than I care to elaborate on. At the time, I thought it was electrifying. Read more Published on November 6, 2001 by Thomas F. Ogara 4.0 out of 5 stars Nice A nice collection of a wide variety of Buddhist scriptures. Very helpful. For you Kerouac fans, this was the book that started it all. We should be very greatful. Thanks Dwight! Published on July 19, 2001 by king_of_the_poet_bums 5.0 out of 5 stars a truly significant contribution! This book is unlike the other books I've been reading on Buddhism. Its much more like it's title than I expected...a Bible! Read more Published on October 2, 1997 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 677 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807059110
• ISBN-13: 978-0807059111
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #182,534 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buddhist Texts in America, May 17, 2001

By	Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Dwight Goddard's collection of Buddhist Sutras and related texts, first published in 1932, is available in paperback with introductions by Robert Aitken and Houston Smith. The importance of this book lies in its role in the development of American Buddhism as well as, of course, in the texts themselves.

Dwight Goddard, according to Aitken's introduction, was an enigmatic figure with training first as an engineer (where he became wealthy as a result of an invention) and as a Christian minister. In the latter role, he travelled to the East and became interested in Eastern Religions -- a seeker in the true sense of the term. In the 1930s, while in his 60s he produced this collection of texts, many of which he translated himself, which give a broad view of the nature of the teachings of Buddhist schools. The book helped teach Buddhism to Americans beginning in the 1930s.

In the 1950s, Jack Kerouac, then living in San Jose, California discovered Goddard in the public library. He carried the book with him wherever he went and used it as the basis of whatever knowledge of Buddhism he had. The beats in the 1950s were one of the sources leading to the growth of American Buddhism, and Goddard's book was Kerouac's teacher.

The main value of this book, though, is not in its role in Buddhist History in the United States but lies in the texts themselves. Goddard presents in one volume a selection of primary source materials from the Theravada, Manayana, Zen, Tibetan, and and other Buddhist traditions. Many of these texts have been more recently translated, but the translations in this book are readable, at the least and they are all in one volume. They are not easy reading and will require many rereadings, but they do present a compliation of basic Buddhist materials for those wishing to benefit from them. My own familiarity with Buddhist texts is primarily with the earlier texts in Theravada Buddhism. This book is comparatively light on Theravada texts but gave me the opportunity to read the texts of other Buddhist Schools.

This is a very fine anthology and is of historical interest for the transmission of the Buddha's teaching to the United States. I have found that many people interested in Buddhism restrict themselves to the practice of meditation or to books setting out Buddhist teachings rather than availing themselves of the original source materials. This book is a great way to read the original texts. There will be something of meaning in them for you.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I can't think of a better introduction to the sutras, June 22, 2000

By	Tim (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

I have to agree with the reviewer below me (even though he stole most of it from the book's introduction). The language the translators use is sometimes less than modern and more often nonstandard, but the sutras just feel right. It's hard to find a better collection of introductory sutras than this. A warning: the texts focus on Mahayana Buddhism (though not exclusively), and even the Tao Te Ching is in here, so old-time Theravadans might feel a little left out, but I think the diversity is a good thing.

Don't take this book as a literal bible--it's too personal to Goddard. It's also not the best intoduction to Buddhist thought out there: if you want a basic intro to Buddhist thought, I'd suggest Rahula's _What the Buddha Taught_. If you like what you've seen elsewhere and want to start delving into the sutras, this is the place to start.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars available free online, February 13, 2006

By	Tara Belsare "Nirvana with a twist." (upstate NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The copy right on this little gem has not been renewed and the full text is available online at sacred-texts dot com. Free - is the Buddhist ideal for the cost of dharma.