Buddhist Scriptures Annotated Edition

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Buddhist Scriptures (Annotated Edition)

Author : Edward Joseph Thomas
Publisher : Jazzybee Verlag
ISBN 13 : 3849622304
Total Pages : 117 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (496 download)

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Book Synopsis Buddhist Scriptures (Annotated Edition) by : Edward Joseph Thomas

Download or read book Buddhist Scriptures (Annotated Edition) written by Edward Joseph Thomas and published by Jazzybee Verlag. This book was released on 2012 with total page 117 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the extended and annotated edition including * an extensive annotation of more than 10.000 words about the history and basics of Buddhism, written by Thomas William Rhys Davids * an interactive table-of-contents * perfect formatting for electronic reading devices This book contains the essential Buddhist scriptures, as preserved by the Buddhists of Ceylon and Further India and which are in the Pali language, a language related to Sanskrit much as Italian is related to Latin; and for several centuries before and after Christ it was spoken in varying dialects over most of Northern India. Buddha, according to the Ceylon tradition, died 543 B.C., but it is generally agreed that this date is too early. The latest calculation by an Indian scholar, Mr. V. Gopala Aiyer, makes the date fifty-six years later, 487 B.C. Immediately after Buddha's death the first council is said to have been held at Rajagaha (now Rajgir in Behar on the borders of Bengal), where the Vinaya (discipline) and Dhamma (doctrine) were recited and fixed. The historical evidence for this council is much disputed, but it is extremely probable that some such collection was made about this time. Nothing was written down. It was preserved, as the Vedas had already been preserved for centuries, by memory. It is this very fact which strengthens the view that we possess a faithful picture of the preaching of Buddha, a preaching which extended over more than forty years. To determine to what extent the discourses have been worked up into other forms and added to, and especially how the rules of the Order have been gradually elaborated, is a work for future scholars. Contents: Introduction The Buddhist Scriptures Christian Parallels The Dream Of Queen Maya The Birth Of Gotama The Four Signs The Great Renunciation The Chain Of Causation The Beginning Of Buddha's Preaching The Ordination Of Yasa The Ten Commandments The Fire Discourse The Weaver's Daughter The Questions Of Malunkyaputta The Questions Of Uttiya The Questions Of Vacchagotta Birth-Story Of The Blessings Of The Commandments Birth-Story Of King Mahasilava Birth-Story Of The City With Four Gates The Pig-Faced Ghost The Jewel Discourse. A Spell Dhaniya The Herdsman Buddha's Visit To Chunda The Death Of Buddha The Non-Existence Of Individuality Non-Individuality And Moral Responsibility

Politics and Transcendent Wisdom

Author : Charles D. Orzech
Publisher : Penn State Press
ISBN 13 : 0271043288
Total Pages : 374 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (71 download)

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Book Synopsis Politics and Transcendent Wisdom by : Charles D. Orzech

Download or read book Politics and Transcendent Wisdom written by Charles D. Orzech and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 2010-11 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Politics and Transcendent Wisdom presents a systematic theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between politics and religion in a variety of contexts. This book examines the formation of &"national protection&" Buddhism in China and translates the key text of this important movement. Showing that Buddhist notions of sovereignty were meant and were taken as more than mere metaphor, Orzech examines the profound link between Buddhist notions of transcendence and the deployment of political authority in East Asia. To this integration of philosophical tradition and political history is brought a new understanding of Buddhist cosmology. The contexts of Buddhism as state religion in fifth- and eighth-century China are examined in detail, through extended consideration of the Transcendent Wisdom Scripture for Humane Kings Who Wish to Protect Their States, the text that was the charter for Buddhist state cults in China, Korea, and Japan into the twentieth century. The text first appeared during the fifth century as Buddhists were struggling to understand how their &"foreign&" religion and the &"foreign&" rulers of north China might be adapted to Chinese religious and political culture. The Scripture for Humane Kings and the rites enjoined by it were one answer to these questions. Three centuries later, in the context of a fully sinified Buddhism, the T'ang dynasty Tantric master Pu-k'ung produced a new version of the text with new rites that served as the centerpiece of his vision of a Chinese Buddhist state modeled on esoteric lines. The final section of this volume presents for the first time a full, annotated translation of this important East Asian Buddhist text.

The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1614290407
Total Pages : 1936 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (142 download)

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Book Synopsis The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha by :

Download or read book The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha written by and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-10-16 with total page 1936 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The present work offers a complete translation of the Aguttara Nikya, the fourth major collection in the Sutta Piṭaka, or Basket of Discourses, belonging to the Pali Canon

Essential Theravada And Mahayana Texts (Annotated Edition)

Author : Various Authors
Publisher : Jazzybee Verlag
ISBN 13 : 3849621898
Total Pages : 326 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (496 download)

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Book Synopsis Essential Theravada And Mahayana Texts (Annotated Edition) by : Various Authors

Download or read book Essential Theravada And Mahayana Texts (Annotated Edition) written by Various Authors and published by Jazzybee Verlag. This book was released on 2012 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the extended and annotated edition including * an extensive annotation of more than 10.000 words about the history and basics of Buddhism, written by Thomas William Rhys Davids * an interactive table-of-contents * perfect formatting for electronic reading devices This book contains essential texts that have been written or translated from the most important Theravada and Mahayana scriptures. Contents: Mahâ-Samaya-Sutta (Or Discourse Addressed To The Great Assembly) The Legend Of Dipañkara Buddha The Friendly Epistle Of Nâgârjuna Preface. Nâgârjuna's "Friendly Epistle." The Niti Kyan Introduction Niti Kyan. Vidhûra Jâtaka Bhûridatta Jâtaka. Chapter I. (Nâgara.) Chapter II. (Uposatha.) Chapter III. (Nagarapavesana.) Chapter. IV. (Micchâditthikathâ.) Chapter V. (The Bodhisat's Discourse) Suva.N.Na Sâma Jâtaka Temiya Jâtaka Vatthu Chapter I. Chapter II. Khuddaka Pá.Tha Notes. Â.Tânâ.Tiya-Sutta Sîgâlo-Vâda-Sutta

The Dhammapada

Author : Gil Fronsdal
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 0834845210
Total Pages : 177 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (348 download)

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Book Synopsis The Dhammapada by : Gil Fronsdal

Download or read book The Dhammapada written by Gil Fronsdal and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2023-10-24 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Dhammapada is the most widely read Buddhist scripture in existence, enjoyed by both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. This classic text of teaching verses from the earliest period of Buddhism in India conveys the philosophical and practical foundations of the Buddhist tradition. The text presents two distinct goals for leading a spiritual life: the first is attaining happiness in this life (or in future lives); the second goal is the achievement of spiritual liberation, freedom, absolute peace. Many of the key themes of the verses are presented in dichotomies or pairs, for example, grief and suffering versus joy; developing the mind instead of being negligent about one's mental attitude and conduct; virtuous action versus misconduct; and being truthful versus being deceitful. The purpose of these contrasts is, very simply, to describe the difference between what leads to desirable outcomes and what does not. For centuries, this text has been studied in its original Pali, the canonical language of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. This fresh new translation from Insight Mediation teacher and Pail translator Gil Fronsdal is both highly readable and scholarly authoritative. With extensive explanatory notes, this edition combines a rigorous attention to detail in bringing forth the original text with the translator's personal knowledge of the Buddhist path. It is the first truly accurate and highly readable translation of this text to be published in English.

Learning Classical Tibetan

Author : Paul Hackett
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 1559394560
Total Pages : 665 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (593 download)

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Book Synopsis Learning Classical Tibetan by : Paul Hackett

Download or read book Learning Classical Tibetan written by Paul Hackett and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2019-04-30 with total page 665 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A modern and accessible reader of Classical Tibetan Buddhist texts based on the traditional monastic educational system, designed for both classroom use and independent study Designed for both classroom use and independent study, Learning Classical Tibetan is a modern and accessible reader for studying traditional Buddhist texts. Unlike other readers of Classical Tibetan, this is a comprehensive manual for navigating Tibetan Buddhist literature drawing on a monastic curriculum. Utilizing the most up-to-date teaching methods and tools for Tibetan language training, students learn to navigate the grammar, vocabulary, syntax, and style of Classical Tibetan while also engaging the content of Buddhist philosophical works. Chapters consist of a contextual introduction to each reading, a Tibetan text marked with references to annotations that provide progressive explanations of grammar, cultural notes on vocabulary, translation hints, notes on the Sanskrit origins of Tibetan expressions and grammatical structures, as well as a literal translation of the text. The reader also includes study plans for classroom use, discussion of dictionaries and other helpful resources, a glossary of English grammatical and linguistic terms, and much more. This reader can be used in conjunction with Paul Hackett’s expanded edition of his well-known Tibetan Verb Lexicon. Using a clear and approachable style, Hackett provides a practical and complete manual that will surely benefit all students of Classical Tibetan.

The Land of Bliss, The Paradise of the Buddha of Measureless Light

Author : Luis O. Gomez
Publisher : University of Hawaii Press
ISBN 13 : 9780824817602
Total Pages : 380 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (176 download)

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Book Synopsis The Land of Bliss, The Paradise of the Buddha of Measureless Light by : Luis O. Gomez

Download or read book The Land of Bliss, The Paradise of the Buddha of Measureless Light written by Luis O. Gomez and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 1996-05-01 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a free translation of two Buddhist texts on what is arguably the most popular of all Buddhist conceptions of an ideal world, the "Land of Bliss" of the Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. The two texts, known to Western students of Buddhism as the "Smaller" and "Larger" Sukhavatiyuha Sutra, explain the conditions that lead to rebirth in the Pure Land and the manner in which human beings are reborn there.

The Buddha before Buddhism

Author : Gil Fronsdal
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 1611803241
Total Pages : 193 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (118 download)

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Book Synopsis The Buddha before Buddhism by : Gil Fronsdal

Download or read book The Buddha before Buddhism written by Gil Fronsdal and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2016-11-29 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This easy-to-understand translation of one of the earliest surviving Buddhist texts offers a pathway to awakening that is simple, straightforward, and free of religious doctrine One of the earliest of all Buddhist texts, the Atthakavagga, or “Book of Eights,” is a remarkable document, not only because it comes from the earliest strain of the literature—before the Buddha, as the title suggests, came to be thought of as a “Buddhist”—but also because its approach to awakening is so simple and free of adherence to any kind of ideology. Instead the Atthakavagga points to a direct and simple approach for attaining peace without requiring the adherence to doctrine. The value of the teachings it contains is not in the profundity of their philosophy or in their authority as scripture; rather, the value is found in the results they bring to those who live by them. Instead of doctrines to be believed, the “Book of Eights” describes means or practices for realizing peace. Gil Fronsdal’s rigorous translation with commentary reveals the text to be of interest not only to Buddhists, but also to the ever-growing demographic of spiritual-but-not-religious, who seek a spiritual life outside the structures of religion.

The Lion's Roar of Queen Śrīmālā

Author : Alex Wayman
Publisher : Motilal Banarsidass Publishe
ISBN 13 : 9788120807310
Total Pages : 166 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (73 download)

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Book Synopsis The Lion's Roar of Queen Śrīmālā by : Alex Wayman

Download or read book The Lion's Roar of Queen Śrīmālā written by Alex Wayman and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. This book was released on 1990 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala, or Sri-mala-sutra, became the Mahayana scripture preeminent for teaching that all sentient beings have the potentiality of Buddhahood. It was an inspiration for both the Lankavatara-sutra and the Chinese classic Awakening of Faith. The translators present evidence that it was composed in the Andhra region of South India in the third century A.D. Thereafter it had remarkable success in China, and through Korea entered into the beginnings of Buddhism in Japan, where it has been important up to the present time. This, the first complete rendering of the scripture into a western language, utilizes all the known Sanskrit fragments, the Tibetan, the two Chinese versions and the Japanese renditions, Chinese and japanese commentaries, and various studies in japanese. Contents Foreword, Preface, Translator's Note, Introduction, I. Sri-Mala as a Text, II. Classification of Persons, III. Doctrine of Sri-Mala, Prologue, 1. Eliminating all Doubts, 2. Deciding the Cause, 3. Clarifying the Final Meaning, 4. Entering the one vehicle path, Epilogue, Appendix I. The Chinese Section Titles of Sri-Mala and Appendix II. Works Cited in Chi-tsang's Commentary, Glossary, Bibliography, Index.

A Gāndhārī Version of the Rhinoceros Sūtra

Author : Richard Salomon
Publisher : University of Washington Press
ISBN 13 : 9780295980355
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (83 download)

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Book Synopsis A Gāndhārī Version of the Rhinoceros Sūtra by : Richard Salomon

Download or read book A Gāndhārī Version of the Rhinoceros Sūtra written by Richard Salomon and published by University of Washington Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Launches the series of text editions and studies of the birth bark scrolls in the British Library's Kharosthi manuscript collection, dating from about the first century AD. Most of the Gandhari fragments have yet to be identified, but the Rhinoceros Sutra is also known in Pali and Sanskrit versions. A 100-page introduction to the language and manuscript is followed by a transcribed text with translation and an annotated text with translation and commentary. Color photographs of the fragments themselves are also included. Ghandhari words are indexed, but not subjects. c. Book News Inc.

Pali Buddhist Texts

Author : Rune E. A. Johansson
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1136111069
Total Pages : 161 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (361 download)

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Book Synopsis Pali Buddhist Texts by : Rune E. A. Johansson

Download or read book Pali Buddhist Texts written by Rune E. A. Johansson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pali is one of the Middle Indian idioms and the classical language of Theravada Buddhism. It is therefore important both to linguists and students of Buddhism. This introductory book centres on a collection of original texts, each selected as an especially important and beautiful formulation of a Buddhist idea. By means of a vocabulary, translation and commentary, each text is explained so concretely that it can be read with little preparation. Detailed explanations are provided for the many technical terms, which have frustrated so many western explorers of Buddhism. For reference, a grammar is provided. Sanskrit parallels to many of the words are given, as well as a special chapter comparing the two languages.

The Essential Dogen

Author : Kazuaki Tanahashi
Publisher : Shambhala Publications
ISBN 13 : 0834828472
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (348 download)

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Book Synopsis The Essential Dogen by : Kazuaki Tanahashi

Download or read book The Essential Dogen written by Kazuaki Tanahashi and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2013-04-30 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These pithy and powerful readings provide a perfect introduction to the teachings of Zen master Dogen—and will inspire spiritual practice in people of all traditions Eihei Dogen (1200–1253), founder of the Soto School of Zen Buddhism, is one of the greatest religious, philosophical, and literary geniuses of Japan. His writings have been studied by Zen students for centuries, particularly his masterwork, Shobo Genzo or Treasury of the True Dharma Eye. This is the first book to offer the great master’s incisive wisdom in short selections taken from the whole range of his voluminous works.

The Suttanipata

Author : Bodhi
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1614294542
Total Pages : 1616 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (142 download)

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Book Synopsis The Suttanipata by : Bodhi

Download or read book The Suttanipata written by Bodhi and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-09-26 with total page 1616 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This landmark volume in the Teachings of the Buddha series translates the Suttanipata, a text that matches the Dhammapada in its concise power and its centrality to the Buddhist tradition. Celebrated translator Bhikkhu Bodhi illuminates this text and its classical commentaries with elegant renderings and authoritative annotations. The Suttanipata, or “Group of Discourses” is a collection of discourses ascribed to the Buddha that includes some of the most popular suttas of the Pali Canon, among them the Discourse on Loving-Kindness Sutta. The suttas are primarily in verse, though several are in mixed prose and verse. The Suttanipata contains discourses that extol the figure of the muni, the illumined sage, who wanders homeless completely detached from the world. Other suttas, such as the Discourse on Downfall and the Discourse on Blessings, establish the foundations of Buddhist lay ethics. The last two chapters—the Atthakavagga (Chapter of Octads) and the Parayanavagga (The Way to the Beyond)—are considered to be among the most ancient parts of the Pali Canon. The Atthakavagga advocates a critical attitude toward views and doctrines. The Parayanavagga is a beautiful poem in which sixteen spiritual seekers travel across India to meet the Buddha and ask him profound questions pertaining to the highest goal. The commentary, the Paramatthajotika, relates the background story to each sutta and explains each verse in detail. The volume includes numerous excerpts from the Niddesa, an ancient commentary already included in the Pali Canon, which offers detailed expositions of each verse in the Atthakavagga, the Parayanavagga, and the Rhinoceros Horn Sutta. Translator Bhikkhu Bodhi provides an insightful, in-depth introduction, a guide to the individual suttas, extensive notes, a list of parallels to the discourses of the Suttanipata, and a list of the numerical sets mentioned in the commentaries.

Esoteric Buddhism and Texts

Author : Jinhua Chen
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
ISBN 13 : 1003853552
Total Pages : 354 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (38 download)

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Book Synopsis Esoteric Buddhism and Texts by : Jinhua Chen

Download or read book Esoteric Buddhism and Texts written by Jinhua Chen and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-02-08 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores trans-cultural and cross-border transmission and transformation of Esoteric Buddhism in East Asia, focusing on its manuscript culture and the transborder transmission of Esoteric Buddhist texts. In East Asia, Esoteric Buddhism’s influences can be seen across all levels of society: not only in that it achieved a recognizable sectarian identity, but also because elements of esoteric teachings were absorbed by other religious schools, influencing their philosophical tenets and everyday practices. The influence was not confined to the religious sphere: scholars have been paying more and more attention to the significance of Tang Esoteric Buddhism in relation to material culture and the dissemination of Esoteric Buddhist technologies in South, Central, and East Asia. No matter how one looks at a maṇḍala—an integral feature of esoteric practice—or the uncannily expressive statues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas or Yidam that come in all shapes and sizes, or the murals that depict the variegated, mysterious themes of the esoteric tradition, one can always recognise the profound connection between art and Esoteric Buddhism. Esoteric Iifluences also abound in East Asian literature across different genres, displaying its unique characters both in poetry and prose. Likewise, in architecture, one can readily make out the enigmatic, colorful and distinctive elements characteristic of the esoteric tradition. Monks initiated into the esoteric lineages not only brought Buddhist classics and practices to China but also advanced knowledge in astronomy, calendarial calculations and mathematical theories. The chapters in this volume focus on two major aspects of textual Esoteric Buddhism—its manuscript culture and transborder transmission. This book will be beneficial to advanced students and researchers interested in Religious Studies, History and Buddhist studies. It was originally published as a special issue of Studies in Chinese Religions.

The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma

Author : Bodhidharma
Publisher : North Point Press
ISBN 13 : 1429952768
Total Pages : 148 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (299 download)

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Book Synopsis The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma by : Bodhidharma

Download or read book The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma written by Bodhidharma and published by North Point Press. This book was released on 2009-11-01 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fifth-century Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen to China. Although the tradition that traces its ancestry back to him did not flourish until nearly two hundred years after his death, today millions of Zen Buddhists and students of kung fu claim him as their spiritual father. While others viewed Zen practice as a purification of the mind or a stage on the way to perfect enlightenment, Bodhidharma equated Zen with buddhahood and believed that it had a place in everyday life. Instead of telling his disciples to purify their minds, he pointed them to rock walls, to the movements of tigers and cranes, to a hollow reed floating across the Yangtze. This bilingual edition, the only volume of the great teacher's work currently available in English, presents four teachings in their entirety. "Outline of Practice" describes the four all-inclusive habits that lead to enlightenment, the "Bloodstream Sermon" exhorts students to seek the Buddha by seeing their own nature, the "Wake-up Sermon" defends his premise that the most essential method for reaching enlightenment is beholding the mind. The original Chinese text, presented on facing pages, is taken from a Ch'ing dynasty woodblock edition.

The Buddha's Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony

Author : Bodhi
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1614293732
Total Pages : 241 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (142 download)

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Book Synopsis The Buddha's Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony by : Bodhi

Download or read book The Buddha's Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony written by Bodhi and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2016-12-13 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a world of conflict and strife, how can we be advocates of peace and justice? In this volume acclaimed scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi has collected and translated the Buddha’s teachings on conflict resolution, interpersonal and social problem-solving, and the forging of harmonious relationships. The selections, all drawn from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of the Buddha’s discourses, are organized into ten thematic chapters. The chapters deal with such topics as the quelling of anger, good friendship, intentional communities, the settlement of disputes, and the establishing of an equitable society. Each chapter begins with a concise and informative introduction by the translator that guides us toward a deeper understanding of the texts that follow. In times of social conflict, intolerance, and war, the Buddha’s approach to creating and sustaining peace takes on a new and urgent significance. Even readers unacquainted with Buddhism will appreciate these ancient teachings, always clear, practical, undogmatic, and so contemporary in flavor. The Buddha’s Teachings on Social and Communal Harmony will prove to be essential reading for anyone seeking to bring peace into their communities and into the wider world.

Buddhist Literature of Ancient Gandhara

Author : Salomon Richard
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1614291853
Total Pages : 479 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (142 download)

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Book Synopsis Buddhist Literature of Ancient Gandhara by : Salomon Richard

Download or read book Buddhist Literature of Ancient Gandhara written by Salomon Richard and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the fascinating history of a long-hidden Buddhist culture at a historic crossroads. In the years following Alexander the Great’s conquest of the East, a series of empires rose up along the Silk Road. In what is now northern Pakistan, the civilizations in the region called Gandhara became increasingly important centers for the development of Buddhism, reaching their apex under King Kaniska of the Kusanas in the second century CE. Gandhara has long been known for its Greek-Indian synthesis in architecture and statuary, but until about twenty years ago, almost nothing was known about its literature. The insights provided by manuscripts unearthed over the last few decades show that Gandhara was indeed a vital link in the early development of Buddhism, instrumental in both the transmission of Buddhism to China and the rise of the Mahayana tradition. The Buddhist Literature of Ancient Gandhara surveys what we know about Gandhara and its Buddhism, and it also provides translations of a dozen different short texts, from similes and stories to treatises on time and reality.