Buddhism for Dummies

by Stephan Bodian, Jonathan Landaw, Gudrun Buhnemann

Book Overview

From the outside, Buddhism seems like a bundle of contradictions wrapped inside a paradox. It is a religion without a god, a belief system without rules, and a faith that encourages its adherents to question everything, including its own teachings. You could spend a lifetime studying Buddhist texts and following its observances and still feel like you've only just barely scratched the surface. Yet, over the past 2500 years, this lovely religion that...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764553593
• ISBN13: 9780764553592
• Release Date: December 2002
• Publisher: For Dummies
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic

Buddhism has always interested me but it is only recently I began to read up on the practice. This book is fantastic for my education. It is easy to understand, well tagged, can be read is small stages, and an enjoyment to have at my bedside.

Four and a half stars, really

All the title really means is that this book is written for people who know very little -- or nothing at all -- of the subject matter. When it comes to Buddhism, that's the majority of North Americans. I perhaps knew a little bit more than most as I live in San Francisco where Buddhists may be found readily, but I appreciated this book for filling me in on the ins and outs. (I knew enough to know I didn't know enough.)This is a practical book designed to educate the Western reader on what Buddhism is and what it is not. A lot of attention is paid to dispelling myths Westerners frequently believe about Buddhism. What this book does not do is presume to get the reader started on some kind of practice of Buddhism, but it may well get a reader well enough informed to choose to pursue the Buddhist way further -- or not, for that matter.As a liberal Christian, I appreciated this book a lot. I'm interested in knowing more because I already look from a viewpoint that includes Buddhist ideas as experienced truth. One of the interesting things about Buddhism is that it neither teaches nor denies a supreme being and has nothign negative to say about other religions. Rather, in a nutshell, Buddhism is more of a system of spiritual self-discovery than it is a religion, per se.It's interesting to note that there are many different systems of Buddhist discipline, much as there are different denominations in Christianity, for example. The beliefs and teachings all have the same foundation, but are not necessarily identical from one form of Buddhism to another, nor are the practices the various adherents follow. It's interesting to find out what the differences are and when, how and where each "denomination" came into being.One thing annoyed me as I read this book, however, which is why I've given it four and a half stars and not five. Throughout this book, the historical human being we most often think of as the Buddha is referred to as Shakyamani Buddha, a term I hadn't heard before. Nearly everyone refers to Prince Siddartha who became enlightened while sitting under the Bodhi tree in northern India in his role as enlightened being as Gautama Buddha (or sometimes Gotama Buddha, a variant spelling). Not once in this book is the name "Gautama" even mentioned that I could find. At least a paragraph addressing the disparity between the appellations "Shakyamani Buddha" and "Gautama Buddha" would have been apprecited -- after all, the author is using the less familiar of the two terms.(I could be wrong here, but I think "Gautama" was Prince Siddartha's clan name, more like a family name, and his family belonged to the much larger Shakyamani tribe, of which he became prince.)Other than that, I very much liked this book and found it satisfyingly informative about a very interesting topic. I wish all Westerners were clearer about what Buddhism is and what it isn't and this book is effective toward that end.

Don't be put off by the title

If you can get past the title, this is an excellent introduction to Buddhism. It's written for Westerners, and lays out in a clear and understandable format the life of Buddha, the basic precepts, the practice of meditation, the sacred sites of Buddhism, the lives of other famous Buddhist teachers, and more.It's a great book to browse through before a trip to a Buddhist country, and an excellent reference work for anyone interested in eastern religions. Notwithstanding the title, the authors are experts and have done a good job.

Buddhism For Your Brain - Buddha 101

If you're looking for a general overview or a refresher on Buddhism this is the place to goRemember - this is Buddhism For Dummies - and it delivers exactly that - as the book itself says "Your easy-to-understand guide to Buddhist traditions, beliefs and practices"This is a perfect book for the person looking into Buddhism for the first time - it gives a general overview - and a closer look into specific areas - from history to practices to traditions to a general understanding of the what, how's and why's of Buddhism - in easy to read and understand steps - nothing too "out there" or overwhelmingThis is also a great book for the person revisiting Buddhism - it reminds you of what you found interesting or drawn to in the first place and I found it to be refreshing through the eyes I have nowMost importantly - this is a book for your head - on a spiritual scale - it's not particularly moving or spiritual - again this is Buddhism For Dummies - it's more for your brain - it's a general look and explanation geared towards an intellectual understanding (Buddhism 101) - not the heart/mind understanding - there is some of that, but Buddhism For Dummies is for your brain

Finally, Real Tools For A Meaningful Life

All religions promote rules for living a responsible life. Landaw extracts the tools to accomplish the rules. His decades of friendship and studies with the 14th Dalai Lama give him deepest insights into serious Buddhist practice for Westerners. How to elminate anger, how to develop real compassion, how to find bliss. Landaw is credible.