A Buddhist spectrum: Contributions to Buddhist-Christian dialogue (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The conception of existence as samsara, cosmic flux, together with its parallel conception of karma, 'concordant action and reaction' as the determinant of each being's..." (more)
Key Phrases: Pure Land, Tree of Life, Meister Eckhart (more...)

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Product Description

These ten essays cover a wide range of topics which are both specific to Buddhism as well as being pertinent to other religious traditions, most notably Christianity (e.g. "Living One's Karma," "Is There a Problem with Evil?" "Is There Room for 'Grace' in Buddhism?" "Nembutsu as Remembrance," "Dharma and the Dharmas," and "Archetupes, as Seen through Buddhist Eyes"). Collectively they represent the crowning achievement of the only member of the "inner circle" of traditionalist authors who was formally attached to Buddhism. Brother David Steindl-Rast OSB has called his volume "a rich resource for dialogue between Christians and Buddhists" characterized by an "extraordinary grasp of the refinements of Buddhist thought." Like Buddhism itself, Pallis' writings possess at the same time the yielding gentleness of a flowing stream and the implacable resistance of a mountain. And like all of Pallis's books, A Buddhist Spectrum combines the wisdom gained from a lifetime of scholarship with the luminous insights of a seasoned spiritual traveler.

Marco Pallis (1895-1990) was an author, a mountain climber, and a professional musician and musicologist. As a result of his mountaineering expeditions in 1923, 1933, and 1936 in southern Tibet, the Himalayas, Sikkim, and Ladak, he visited and stayed in Buddhist monasteries and experienced the spiritual depth and beauty of a living traditional culture. He also gained fluency in the Tibetan language, and developed a life-long commitment to Buddhism, especially in its Vajrayana form, in addition to making many contacts with Buddhist scholars and spiritual authorities during his life. In his seminal work, Traditionalism: Religion in the Light of the Perennial Philosophy, Kenneth Oldmeadow writes that "the work of Marco Pallis radiates a distinctively Buddhist ambience. The tone is less combative and more amiable than that found in the work of some of the other traditionalists but he is no less tough-minded." As one of the earliest translators of the writings of Rene Guenon and Frithjof Schuon, as well as the author of many profound and penetrating articles on both Buddhist topics and the Perennial Philosophy, Pallis was one of the great twentieth-century bridge-builders between East and West. Writing about Pallis at the time of the first publication of this book in 1980, Huston Smith commented: "For insight, and the beauty insight requires if it is to be effective, I find no writer on Buddhism surpassing him." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Born in England into a distinguished Greek family, Marco Pallis is considered by many to have been the best of all the writers on Tibetan religion and spirituality. He wrote two books deriving from his experiences in Tibet, Peaks and Lamas (1939), which has become a classic, and The Way of the Mountain (1960). They are a unique blend of travelogue, botanical lore, discursive essays on Tibetan civilization, and metaphysical expositions. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 163 pages
• Publisher: Seabury Press (1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816404933
• ISBN-13: 978-0816404933
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,195,799 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Especially recommended reading for students new to Buddhism, January 10, 2004

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Buddhist Spectrum: Contributions to the Christian-Buddhist Dialogue (Perennial Philosophy) (Paperback)

A Buddhist Spectrum is a collection of essays by Marco Pallis concerning Buddhism. Pallis offers the reader a series of profound comparisons and insights concerning the diverse spiritual doctrines of Buddhism and Christianity. Prompting a dialogue on both practical and metaphysical matters, A Buddhist Spectrum informatively and thoughtfully delves into such matters as whether there truly is such a problem as Evil; the question of whether Buddhism allows for 'grace'; the concept of dharma; musical polyphony, and more. A welcome contribution to Buddhist and religious studies shelves, A Buddhist Spectrum is especially recommended reading for students new to Buddhism as well as non-Buddhists wanting to familiarize themselves with basic Buddhist teachings and concepts.