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- How and when did the many schools of Buddhism emerge?
- How does the historical figure of Siddartha Guatama relate to the many teachings that are presented in his name?
- Did Buddhism modify the cultures to which it was introduced, or did they modify Buddhism?
Leading Buddhist scholar Donald S. Lopez Jr. explores the origins of this 2,500-year-old religion and traces its major developments up to the present, focusing not only on the essential elemenmts common to all schools of Buddhism but also revealing the differences among the major traditions. Beginning with the creation and structure of the Buddhist universe, Lopez explores the life of the Buddha, the core Buddhist tenets, and the development of the monastic life and lay practices. Combining brilliant scholarship with fascinating stories -- contemporary and historical, sometimes miraculous, sometimes humorous -- this rich and absorbing volume presents a fresh and expert history of Buddhism and Buddhist life.
- Sales Rank: #188941 in Books
- Published on: 2009-08-11
- Released on: 2009-08-11
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.00" h x .65" w x 5.31" l, .48 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 288 pages
Amazon.com Review
Much of what we hear about Buddhism today in the West focuses on its philosophy, and how it can change one's life. Throughout history, however, Buddhism's mythology, scriptures, heroes, and its promise for salvation from rebirth have been the Buddhist teachings that most people have known. Religion professor Donald Lopez has mastered a good deal of this immense lore and managed with The Story of Buddhism to get it into a manageable package. Rather than providing a chronological history or country-by-country breakdown, Lopez explores general topics, meandering through two-and-a-half millennia, from India to Japan. In sections such as "Monastic Life," "Tantra," and "Pilgrimage," he talks about the origins of each topic and its mainstream manifestations. In addition, he spices up his work with delectable, if occasionally bizarre, examples from specific cultures. There is, for instance, the story of the depraved man who, once having said the words "Lotus Sutra," was saved from Hell. And the tale of the practice called the "act of truth," in which a perfectly candid statement can have magical powers. Or the story of the monk who attempted to rescue some maggots by opening his own flesh for them. No doubt, Buddhism is interesting, but it takes a competent scholar and a good storyteller to get it just right. Lopez fills the bill. --Brian Bruya
From Publishers Weekly
Lopez, a professor of Buddhist studies at the University of Michigan, says that his primary aim for this book is "to focus on Buddhist practice as a religion." Unlike more superficial how-to books on Buddhism, this book gives a thorough historical and theological explanation of Buddhism's major tenets, starting with Buddhist cosmology and then moving to chapters dedicated to the Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha, dharma and sangha) before ending with a chapter on enlightenment. Interspersed are anecdotes intended to teach key principles in keeping with the idea of Buddhism-as-story; unfortunately, these vignettes are a bit overpowered by lengthy discourse on the history and interpretations of those principles. The bulk of the chapter on "lay practice," for example, focuses on various countries' traditions of lay ordination and funeral rituals, as well as monasteries' relations with their respective states, rather than explicating actual daily lay practice. In trying to explain not only Buddhism's key teachings but also their variations by country, region, teacher and school, the text loses focus. Lopez provides a list for further reading at the end of each chapter as well as a bibliography and glossary at the end of the book, which should be helpful for the student of world religions. His command of the subject is obvious, but his prose is sometimes dry, and the scope may be overly ambitious for the general reader.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
“At long last we have here an introductory volume on Buddhism that goes beyond the usual cliches.” (Bernard Faure, Professor of Religious Studies, Stanford University)
“Heads my list of books to give to someone ready to be introduced to the Four Noble Truths.” (Phil Catalfo, Yoga Journal)
“The clearest book we have on the history, variety, and meaning of what we now call Buddhism.” (Kenneth Woodward, Newsweek)
“The Story of Buddhism is one of those rare books that gives fresh insights on repeated readings.” (San Francisco Chronicle)
“A portrayal of Buddhism that...is readily accessible and appealing...[a] good introduction to Buddhism.” (Choice)
“Aims to make the tradition both accessible and compelling, as well as to demystify its practices, teachings, and schools.” (Tricycle)
Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Some good information, but poorly organized
By William H. Coffin
Lopez includes a lot of valuable information in this work. Probably more information than a beginner needs or wants. Also, I found the organization to be confusing. A much better book in this category, I felt, was Karen Armstrong's "Buddha". I also recommend "The Buddhist Handbook" by Snelling, although it is more idiosyncratic than the others.
18 of 22 people found the following review helpful.
Concise (too) overview of Buddhism
By miles@riverside
Most bookstore books on Buddhism seem to be of the inspirational -- "how to make your personal problems better through Buddhism" -- sort. I've been looking for a Religious Studies type book on Buddhism. I've read a couple D.T. Suzuki books like that on Zen Buddhism, but THE STORY OF BUDDHISM here is the first single critical/historical text I've found on the subject of The Whole Buddhist Thing.
I agree with the earlier review titled "Not The Best Introduction" that the text glosses over a lot of issues that could really benefit from more explanation. The author blazes through the 5 Aggregates of Attachment and the 4 Noble Truths in about as many pages. Zen gets a whole 7 pages. There's actually more stuff in my encyclopedia on Nagarjuna, the Void school, and the Yogacara school than I could find here.
I suppose that's what happens when you try to compress such a vast subject into a 250 page discussion. For me, the book was a memory-refresher on the few subjects I already knew something about, but not a good explanation of unfamiliar material. There's a helpful glossary at the end of the book, however.
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
A Scholar's Introduction to Buddhism
By Robin Friedman
Donald Lopez, a professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan, is one of the best scholars who attempt to present a balanced, accurate picture of Buddhism as it has been practiced over the generations. His book "The Story of Buddhism" considers the actual practice of Buddhism, in all its diverse forms, in Asia, superstitions, magic, idiosyncracies, and all. In this way, it differs from most books that present Buddhism to Americans. These books typically focus on meditation, on the liberating, non-theistic character of the Buddha's teaching, and of Buddhism as a guide to life in the difficulties of secular 20th and 21st century America. Such works are valuable and important, but they fail to give the reader a historical sense of Buddhism.
Lopez's book opens with a short treatment of Buddhist cosmology, including its picture of the universe, the earth, and the heavens and hells. There is an all-to-brief discussion of the key Buddhist teaching of Dependent Origination.
The chapter on cosmology is followed by a discussion of the life of the Buddha, taken from a wide variety of textual sources, of the Dharma, Monasticism, Lay Life, and Enlightenment.
The focus of the book is on the various schools of Mahayana Buddhism and on the Buddhism of Tibet. I found surprisingly little discussion of Theravada Buddhism, (practiced historically in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand) which is likely the earliest version of Buddhism we have today. Lopez describes well how various Mahayana thinkers broke away from earlier teachings but doesn't tell us much about these early teachings themselves.
There is a great deal of emphasis in the book on how the Buddha's teaching was applied and modified over the years. Most of lay practice, Lopez informs us, was devoted to the accumulation of merit by the practice of good deeds. A regular meditation practice, much less textual study of the Sutras, was simply unavailable to most people who have over the generations called themselves Buddhists, either laity or monastic.
Lopez describes well the ritualistic practices of any number of Buddhist schools, emphasisizing matters such as relic worship, ancestor worship, fortune-telling and horoscopes, miracle cures, magic, mandalas, and what the modern reader is likely to view as superstition. He briefly describes for the reader a number of Buddhist schools and practices,including Tantric Buddhism, the Pure Land School, and Zen, and their different paths to enlightenment. There is a wonderfully detailed picture of a ritual involving the Heart Sutra, repeated many times, with the use of icons and statues.
This book is a welcome, clear-minded corrective to those who approach Buddhism ahistorically. But there is, indeed, more to the story than this, as Professor Lopez realizes. For all his objectivity, I think Lopez has some grasp of the power of the Buddha's message which has led many to it, including modern Americans, over the millenia. This is most clearly indicated in the final paragraph of Professor Lopez's book. He writes (p. 256)
" But there is also another challenge, the challenge provided by the dharma, which makes the remarkable claim that it is possible to live a life untainted by what are called the eight worldly concerns: gain and loss, fame and disgrace, praise and blame, happiness and sorrow."
This is a worthwhile critical introduction to an endlessly fascinating teaching.
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