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Essential Buddhism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs and Practices Paperback – June 1, 2001

by Jack Maguire (Author)

12 customer reviews

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Four hundred million people call themselves Buddhists today. Yet most Westerners know little about this powerful, Eastern-spawned faith. How did it begin? What do its adherents believe? Why are so many Westerners drawn to it?
Essential Buddhism responds to these questions and many more, offering an accessible, global perspective on the religion's past, present, and future. It identifies how the principal concepts and practices originated and evolved through diverse cultural adaptations into three basic formats:
* Theraveda (including Vipassana, brought from Vietnam in the 1960s and including such practitioners as Jack Kornfield and Jon Kapat-Zinn)
* Mahayana (including Zen Buddhism, originally brought to America by Japanese teachers after World War II and popularized by Jack Kerouac and Thomas Merton)
* Vajrayana (including Tibetan Buddhism, from the teachers who fled the Chinese takeover of Tibet in the 1950s as well as the Dalai Lama, and embraced by Allen Ginsberg, Richard Gere, and countless others)
Essential Buddhism is the single best resource for the novice and the expert alike, exploring the depths of Buddhism's popularity and illuminating its tenets and sensible approach to living. Written in the lucid prose of a longtime professional storyteller, and full of Buddhist tales, scriptural quotes, ancient stories, and contemporary insights, Essential Buddhism is the first complete guide to the faith and the phenomenon.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Maguire, a monk of the Mountains and Rivers Order in New York, begins this primer with a narrative of the Buddha's life, followed by a commentary that compares Buddhism to other world religions and explains a few key terms. From there he elucidates the three branches (or "vehicles") of Buddhism, finally getting to key Buddhist beliefs in chapter three and to practices in chapter four. While the beginning and ending chapters might interest those who are curious about the cultural implications of Buddhism, those seeking the "complete guide to beliefs and practices," as promised, will be disappointed. The book is smoothly written, but poorly organized. Maguire doesn't fully explain key concepts, like the Four Noble Truths, the first time they're introduced, but devotes full pages to them later. The book is most engaging when it relates anecdotes that illustrate Buddhist teachings and when, at the end of some chapters, it answers questions non-Buddhists often ask, such as, "Isn't the doctrine of karma fatalistic?" One learns, for example, that "technically, there's no such thing as `good karma'" and that such an attribution violates the non-dualistic nature of Buddhism. This teaching is then illustrated by a Zen poem from the seventh century and by excerpts from other modern Buddhist authors. Readers can gain a definite sense of what Buddhism is about from this book, but they will have to be patient with its disjointed structure. (June)Forecast: In his closing chapter, "Buddhism and the New Millennium," Maguire boasts that more than 1,200 books are listed on Amazon.com under the keyword "Buddhism." However, that very same explosion of Buddhist titles means that new books must truly shine to be noticed. This one falls a bit short.

About the Author

Jack Hosho Maguire took his Buddhist vows in 1996 at the Mountains and Rivers Order of Zen Mountain Monastery, one of America's leading Buddhist institutions. He has been a professional storyteller, specializing in Buddhist tales, for the past fifteen years. He has written many books, including The Power of Personal Storytelling, and he is a frequent contributor to the Buddhist journal Mountain Record, among others.

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Product details

Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Atria Books (June 1, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0671041886
ISBN-13: 978-0671041885
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.7 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 12 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #902,989 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #971 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism > Zen > Spirituality
- #199116 in Books > Religion & Spirituality

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robert

Pretty good read

January 25, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Very interesting read, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Buddhist faith.

One person found this helpful

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Sabs

Very useful

February 11, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Excellent survey of the beliefs and practices of the faith. Easy to read and accessible for my students as well.

2 people found this helpful

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M. Jones

Very good overview

May 29, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I'm a "casual" student of Buddhism, so I'm not sure what a serious practitioner would think, but this was perfect for me. It is very concise and appears to be very comprehensive. Highly recommended for those wanting an introduction to Buddhism.

6 people found this helpful

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Kim Dragotta

and a great deal of information for one volume

October 26, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Understandable, readable, and a great deal of information for one volume.

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Prof. Yesha Sivan

Three Stars

October 29, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Too many details for my taste.

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carol

Used Book Worked Great!

December 23, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book was required for a class. It came in good time and was in good shape. I appreciate the savings and good service.

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Richard F. Hower

Essential Buddhism

May 28, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Book of OK. It focused pretty much on Zen, Which is not actually Buddhism. It is a teaching which rejects the essential teachings of Buddhism.

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John R. Merritt

Very good for Beginners

April 29, 2008

Format: Paperback

Very good for Beginners

I read this book a year ago and I still think of things I read in it, a year ago. It does not lead you down a path of never ending comparisons on how to relate Buddhism theory in every day life, it is very good at explaining the 3 different kinds of Buddhism, a digested version of the history and origin of Buddhism. I recommend it to any one who wants to learn but knows little about Buddhism.
John

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Most recent customer reviews

Kellie

Great read easy to follow and understand for those interested in approaching the subject

This Book is great. It is a really great place to start. I appreciate the work the Author did in creating modern text and retaining authenticity.

Published 1 year ago

C. Marbutt

Author Needs to Fact Check

Probably correct on most points but the statement that Shinran introduced devotional elements dedicated to Avalokitesvara and Maitreya and that these are "core practices" that are...Read more

Published on May 26, 2013

Don't start here

This book is probably not the best introduction to Buddhism. I would definitely try to find another if you are beginning your exploration of Buddhist thought.

Published on December 29, 2011

K. M. Armstrong

Very accessible

"Essential Buddhism" is a good, well-written, accessible book on the basics of Buddhism. While Maguire's not as thorough as he could be on some topics, he manages to make them...Read more

Published on July 1, 2005

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