Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Foundations of Buddhism by Rupert Gethin ISBN: 0-19-289223-1 Publisher: Oxford University Press Pub. Date: July, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.43 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Real Buddhism
Comment: Having studied Buddhism privately and academically for over 20 years I usually consider introductory works not worth the bother. When I saw the outraged comments from the one-star reviewer below, however, I thought that this could be an interesting work. As another stated, most presentations of Buddhism that are made for Westerners are usually filtered to some extent, particularly older ones that are taking the Buddhism-is-the-secular-religion-for-us-grown-up-Westerners routine. Unlike Mr. Martin, I own and have bothered to read many of the early Buddhist writings, and they are chock full of the kind of things he claims are not part of Buddhism. The author of this book takes it all on the chin and doesn't let it faze him a bit. He's more interested in telling about both the story and teachings of Buddhism as they really were and, at core, still are, rather than keeping Western devotees comfortable.
And what an introduction! Take all those 5 star reviews seriously. I was repeatedly impressed with the clarity of prose and vision Gethin demonstrates while explaining even some of the most difficult to grasp Buddhist philosophical concepts. Things that it took two hours for some of my teachers to communicate to the point that students actually understood are brilliantly exposited with delightful comprehension in just a few pages. It takes a real grasp of the field to pull this off, and Gethin does it over and over. Illuminating charts, penetrating text, and, thank goodness, a topical bibliography to mine for years...what more could you want? If you want to read a book that will leave you with a solid understanding of core, foundational, Buddhist concepts, instead of a fluffy semi-New Age ransacking of the tradition to pamper Western assumptions about the self and the cosmos, look no further. As soon as this is submitted, I am sending an email to the professor at the Buddhist college I attend to look at this work for inclusion in the texts for our introductory survey course. Peter Harvey's and Walpola Rahula's introductory works are both on the schedule already, along with a third that will go unnamed, which Gethin simply stomps into the dirt for value. "The Foundations of Buddhism" clearly belongs in such stellar company and hopefully this Fall will be benefiting students alongside them.
Rating: 5
Summary: Buddhism as it really was
Comment: This book describes Buddhism, not as many Westerners assume it to be, but as it really was prior to the modern era.Most of us learn about Buddhism through Westernized versions which conceal those aspects not in accord with our own cultures dominant beliefs. Buddhists did believe in gods, thought it was not obligatory. The idea of an atheistic Buddhism is a Western construction. Much of what is written about Buddhism in English is designed to appeal to the lazy and so leaves out the philosohical parts which are extremely challenging but well worth the effort to understand.
This is not exactly an introduction because it includes the difficult parts but it is a way to learn actual Buddhism, not the pop forms introduced by Watts, Suzuki, Trungpa and many others. If you want to really know what Buddhism is about, read this book.The secton on Abhidharma, the central philosophy of Buddhism, is the best I have read.
Rating: 1
Summary: The WORST book on this subject EVER
Comment: This autor is writing about some other religion. Its the only explanation. Not one thing he says in the first 20 pages is factually correct. I stopped reading shortly after he says "The Gods gathered on the day the Buddha achieved enlightenment as if they knew something important was going to happen". All I could think was, "what gods?", because there are no gods in Buddhism. The very idea of a God or Gods goes against everything the Buddha ever taught.
The writing is dreadful. The author goes on and on giving dates as facts, only to turn around 2 sentences later and explain how those facts are disputed and probably wrong. He spent at least 5 pages talking about events 1500 years before Buddhism that had absolutely nothing to do with Buddhism itself.
I skimmed ahead and saw page after page after page listing date after date as if any of it was relevant, regardless of the Buddhas teaching about the poison arrow. If you know the Buddhas teaching of the poison arrow you will know what I mean. Those dates are irrelevant at best. The fact that there is no proof they are accurate is dangerous.
Do not buy this book. Buy "What the Buddha Taught" by Walpola Rahula. It's generally considered the standard introduction to Buddhism in the west.
 |
Title: Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition by Paul Williams, Anthony Tribe ISBN: 0415207010 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: October, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
 |
Title: An Introduction to Buddhism : Teachings, History and Practices by Peter Harvey ISBN: 0521313333 Publisher: Cambridge University Press Pub. Date: 25 May, 1990 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
 |
Title: What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula ISBN: 0802130313 Publisher: Grove Press Pub. Date: April, 1986 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
 |
Title: Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations by Paul Williams ISBN: 0415025370 Publisher: Routledge Pub. Date: September, 1989 List Price(USD): $31.95 |
 |
Title: The Experience of Buddhism: Sources and Interpretations by John S. Strong ISBN: 0534541755 Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing Pub. Date: 26 September, 2001 List Price(USD): $45.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
