Download or read book Karma and the Rise of Buddhism in the West written by Philip H. Richman and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2010 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book I address the need for a critical treatment of karma for practitioners of Buddhism in the West. I discuss the basic meaning of karma and its relevance to western Buddhism. Emphasis is on the impact of the scientific world-view, interest in meditation and attitudes towards reincarnation. A generalized approach provides analysis and constructive terminology for thinking about karma and reincarnation. Terms such as karmic awareness and karmic significance point to an epistemology of karma. "Karmic analysis" extends the meaning of karma to art, history and literature. Karma is shown to be implicit in all cultures.Topics include the significance of death, the nature of action, sin, salvation and blame. Karmic cause and effect is contrasted with scientific causality. A distinction is drawn between the contemplative life and thinking about karma mainly in terms of a set of propositions to be proven as true or false.
Download or read book Buddhism A Very Short Introduction written by Damien Keown and published by Oxford Paperbacks. This book was released on 1996-10-03 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Very Short Introduction introduces the reader to the teachings of the Buddha and to the integration of Buddhism into daily life. What are the distinctive features of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha, and what are his teachings? How has Buddhist thought developed over the centuries, and how can contemporary dilemmas be faced from a Buddhist perspective? Words such as 'karma' and 'nirvana' have entered our vocabulary, but what do they mean? Damien Keown's book provides a lively, informative response to these frequently asked questions about Buddhism.
Download or read book The New Buddhism written by James William Coleman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2002-05-16 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This text outlines the development and spread of ancient Buddhism. It describes its journey west and its evolution here, sketching the lives and teachings of some of Western Buddhism's most important figures.
Download or read book The Awakening of the West written by Stephen Batchelor and published by Echo Point Books & Media, LLC. This book was released on 2021-10-15 with total page 436 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Awakening of the West is an insightful and elegantly written history chronicling the developing relationship between Buddhism and Western culture. As anyone familiar with the work of Stephen Batchelor (best-selling author of Buddhism Without Beliefs) would expect, The Awakening of the West is presented in a fresh and lively way and backed by thorough research. Using the innovative approach of starting with the present and working back in time, Batchelor makes it easy to connect familiar contemporary Buddhist teachers to their historical roots. He breathes life into history by capturing the personalities and times of famous and lesser-known but important Buddhist figures. After absorbing these stories and their context, readers will not only have a greater appreciation of Buddhism as a religion but can gain insights that can help them develop their own discerning wisdom. The Awakening of the West is a unique, engaging and important book for anyone seeking a greater understanding of Buddhism.
Download or read book Karma written by Traleg Kyabgon and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2015-06-30 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A master of Tibetan Buddhism cuts through prevalent misconceptions around karma and rebirth to get to the root cause of our suffering—and how we can end it The Buddha’s teaching on karma (literally, “action”) is nothing other than his compassionate explanation of the way things are: our thoughts and actions determine our future, and therefore we ourselves are largely responsible for the way our lives unfold. Yet this supremely useful teaching is often ignored due to the misconceptions found in popular culture, especially oversimplifications that make it seem like something not to be taken seriously. Karma is not simple, as Traleg Kyabgon shows, and it’s to be taken very seriously indeed. In this book, Kyabgon cuts through the persistent illusions we cling to about karma to show what it really is—the mechanics of why we suffer and how we can make the suffering end. He explains how a realistic understanding of karma is indispensable to Buddhist practice, how it provides a foundation for a moral life, and how understanding it can have a transformative effect on the way we relate to our thoughts and feelings and to those around us.
Download or read book Karma Actions and Their Results written by Gelek Rimpoche and published by Jewel Heart. This book was released on with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Does karma leave any room for self-determination, or are we totally at the mercy of fate? Does personal responsibility exist, or is even that an illusion? These are questions rising when discussing karma. Also in the West there has always been a notion of the interdependence of deeds and their results, reflected in some of our sayings: As you sow, so shall you reap Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind Nobody pushes your button except you yourself. Gehlek Rinpoche, using four different characteristics explains how the law of karma works within the individual. In that, the part that ego plays, and our habitual patterns are central issues, rendering the key to freedom from (pre)-determination. The theme is clarified by lovely stories from the Indian and Tibetan tradition.
Download or read book Exploring Buddhism written by Christmas Humphreys and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-11-12 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Buddhist field of knowledge is now so vast that few can master all of it, and the study and application of its principles must be a matter of choice. One may choose the magnificent moral philosophy of Theravada, the oldest school, or the Zen training of Japan; or special themes such as the doctrine of No-self, the Mahayana emphasis on compassion or the universal law of Karma and Rebirth. But the intense self-discipline needed for true spiritual experience calls for specialization of subject and technique. In this reissue, first published in 1974, Christmas Humphreys takes us on a personal journey through Buddhism, offering insights into the many different paths, doctrines and approaches to Buddhism. This collection of twenty essays ranges from history to doctrine, and from the rise of Buddhism in the West through to the finer points of its everyday practice. It is a truly valuable piece of Western Buddhist literature and its reissue will be welcomed be scholars of Buddhism and interested laypeople alike.
Download or read book Westward Dharma written by Charles S. Prebish and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2002-12-04 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first authoritative volume on the totality of Buddhism in the West, Westward Dharma establishes a comparative and theoretical perspective for considering the amazing variety of Buddhist traditions, schools, centers, and teachers that have developed outside of Asia. Leading scholars from North America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia explore the plurality and heterogeneity of traditions and practices that are characteristic of Buddhism in the West. This recent, dramatic growth in Western Buddhism is accompanied by an expansion of topics and issues of Buddhist concern. The contributors to this volume treat such topics as the broadening spirit of egalitarianism; the increasing emphasis on the psychological, as opposed to the purely religious, nature of practice; scandals within Buddhist movements; the erosion of the distinction between professional and lay Buddhists; Buddhist settlement in Israel; the history of Buddhism in internment camps; repackaging Zen for the West; and women's dharma in the West. The interconnections of historical and theoretical approaches in the volume make it a rich, multi-layered resource.
Download or read book The Monk and the Philosopher written by Jean Francois Revel and published by Schocken. This book was released on 2011-03-16 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jean Francois-Revel, a pillar of French intellectual life in our time, became world famous for his challenges to both Communism and Christianity. Twenty-seven years ago, his son, Matthieu Ricard, gave up a promising career as a scientist to study Tibetan Buddhism -- not as a detached observer but by immersing himself in its practice under the guidance of its greatest living masters. Meeting in an inn overlooking Katmandu, these two profoundly thoughtful men explored the questions that have occupied humankind throughout its history. Does life have meaning? What is consciousness? Is man free? What is the value of scientific and material progress? Why is there suffering, war, and hatred? Their conversation is not merely abstract: they ask each other questions about ethics, rights, and responsibilities, about knowledge and belief, and they discuss frankly the differences in the way each has tried to make sense of his life. Utterly absorbing, inspiring, and accessible, this remarkable dialogue engages East with West, ideas with life, and science with the humanities, providing wisdom on how to enrich the way we live our lives.
Download or read book Buddhist Ethics A Very Short Introduction written by Damien Keown and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2005-06-23 with total page 167 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The latter half of the twentieth century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. Numerous introductory books have appeared in recent years to cater for this growing interest, but almost none devotes attention to the specifically ethical dimension of the tradition. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West, and publications on the subject are few and far between. Here, Damien Keown, author of Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction , illustrates how Buddhism might approach a range of fascinating moral issues ranging from abortion and suicide to cloning. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Download or read book Introducing Buddhism written by Charles S. Prebish and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The key teachings of Buddhism are explained clearly in this text, and the historical development and spread of the religion is traced from its beginnings.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions written by Anne Runehov and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-05-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "To all who love the God with a 1000 names and respect science” In the last quarter century, the academic field of Science and Theology (Religion) has attracted scholars from a wide variety of disciplines. The question is, which disciplines are attracted and what do these disciplines have to contribute to the debate? In order to answer this question, the encyclopedia maps the (self)-identified disciplines and religious traditions that participate or might come to participate in the Science and Religion debate. This is done by letting each representative of a discipline and tradition answer specific chosen questions. They also need to identify the discipline in relation to the Science and Religion debate. Understandably representatives of several disciplines and traditions answered in the negative to this question. Nevertheless, they can still be important for the debate; indeed, scholars and scientists who work in the field of Science and Theology (Religion) may need knowledge beyond their own specific discipline. Therefore the encyclopedia also includes what are called general entries. Such entries may explain specific theories, methods, and topics. The general aim is to provide a starting point for new lines of inquiry. It is an invitation for fresh perspectives on the possibilities for engagement between and across sciences (again which includes the social and human sciences) and religions and theology. This encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference work for scholars interested in the topic of ‘Science and Religion.’ It covers the widest spectrum possible of academic disciplines and religious traditions worldwide, with the intent of laying bare similarities and differences that naturally emerge within and across disciplines and religions today. The A–Z format throughout affords easy and user-friendly access to relevant information. Additionally, a systematic question-answer format across all Sciences and Religions entries affords efficient identification of specific points of agreement, conflict, and disinterest across and between sciences and religions. The extensive cross-referencing between key words, phrases, and technical language used in the entries facilitates easy searches. We trust that all of the entries have something of value for any interested reader. Anne L.C. Runehov and Lluis Oviedo
Download or read book Engaged Buddhism in the West written by Christopher S. Queen and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-11-12 with total page 481 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Engaged Buddhism is founded on the belief that genuine spiritual practice requires an active involvement in society. Engaged Buddhism in the West illuminates the evolution of this new chapter in the Buddhist tradition - including its history, leadership, and teachings - and addresses issues such as violence and peace, race and gender, homelessness, prisons, and the environment. Eighteen new studies explore the activism of renowned leaders and organizations, such as Thich Nhat Hanh, Bernard Glassman, Joanna Macy, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and the Free Tibet Movement, and the emergence of a new Buddhism in North America, Europe, South Africa, and Australia.
Download or read book Westward Dharma written by Charles S. Prebish and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2002-12-04 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Like seeds on the wind, Buddhist teachings continue to reach new lands. This outstanding book brings to light, in rich detail, the current flowering of Buddhism in the West. Long a world religion, Buddhism is now a global one."—Kenneth Kraft, author of The Wheel of Engaged Buddhism "Westward Dharma deserves a place on the growing bookshelf of contemporary Buddhist studies. Prebish and Baumann broaden our horizons from North America to the wider Western world, exploring key aspects of Buddhism's most recent geographical and cultural expansion."—Paul David Numrich, coauthor of Buddhists, Hindus, and Sikhs in America.
Download or read book The Problematic Transfer of Buddhist Concepts Into Western Consumerist Discourse written by Glynis Parker and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Riding the Tiger written by Ole Nydahl and published by Pelican Pond. This book was released on 1992 with total page 520 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1969 Ole and Hannah Nydahl became the first Western students of H.H. the Karmapa, the head of the Kagyu tradition of Yogis in Tibetan Buddhism. After their years of practice in the Himalayas, he authorized them to teach and start centers in his name. They have continued this work ever since. Riding the Tiger is the inside story of the development of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. In his refreshingly unsentimental style, Lama Ole shows all aspects of the work. With breathtaking intensity, he highlights both healthy and unhealthy tendencies in the light of the Buddha's ultimate aim: To bring about the fully developed beings whose every activity blesses the world.
Download or read book Religions of the World written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-01-19 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Explains how Buddhism spread from the time of the Buddha to the present day. *Explains the Buddha's life and the different teachings of different Buddhist sects. *Includes pictures depicting the Buddha and other important people, places, and events. *Includes Book 1 of the Hymns of the Sama Veda A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? Throughout time, people have been religious by nature, and billions today adhere to unique faiths across the world. In Charles River Editors' Religions of the World, readers can get caught up to speed on today's religions and yesterday's religions in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In the West, Buddhism is a religion that everyone has heard of but one that few truly understand aside from Buddhists themselves. For almost 2,500 years, Buddhism has been dominant on the Indian subcontinent, based on the traditions, beliefs, and practices that came about from the teachings of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), the Sansrkit word for "the awakened one." Today, three distinct branches of Buddhism have mostly fanned out across Asia, and it's believed that upwards of half a billion people practice Buddhism today, and some of the traditional practices and principles of the religion, including the concepts of karma, reincarnation and the practice of yoga are all commonplace ideas across the world. Who was the Buddha, how did Buddhism become one of the world's major religions, and what are the main concepts and teachings of the religion? Religions of the World: The History of Buddhism examines the history and main tenets of Buddhism, explaining the way the religion has evolved over time, the similarities it shares with other religions and the differences that make it unique. Along with pictures of important figures and places, you will learn about Buddhism like you never have before, in no time at all.
