The different paths of Buddhism : a narrative-historical introduction / Carl Olson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Olson, Carl.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Buddhism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 291 pages) : illustrations, map

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers University Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

For centuries, Buddhist teachers and laypeople have used stories, symbols, cultural metaphors, and anecdotes to teach and express their religious views. In this introductory textbook, Carl Olson draws on these narrative traditions to detail the development of Buddhism from the life of the historical Buddha to the present. By organizing the text according to the structure of Buddhist thought and teaching, Olson avoids imposing a Western perspective that traditional texts commonly bring to the subject. The book offers a comprehensive introduction to the main branches of the Buddhist tradition in both the Mahayana and Theravada schools, including the Madhyamika school, the Yogacara school, Pure Land devotionalism, Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and village folk Buddhist traditions. Chapters explore the life and teachings of the Buddha in historical context, the early development and institutionalization of Buddhism, its geographic spread across Asia and eventually to the United States, philosophy and ethics, the relationship between monks and laity, political and ethical implications, the role of women in the Buddhist tradition, and contemporary reinterpretations of Buddhism. Drawn from decades of classroom experience, this creative and ambitious text combines expert scholarship and engaging stories that offer a much-needed perspective to the existing literature on the topic.

Contents:

Front matter

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

1 Crows and Monks: Introduction

2 The Elephant and the Buddha

3 The Narrative Path of the Buddha

4 Ethical and Political Implications of Buddhist Narratives

5 The Tale of Beggars and Donors

6 The Feminine Narrative in Buddhism

7 Stories from Buddhist Villages

8 The Bodhisattva’s Path to Perfection

9 Secret Narratives: Philosophies of Emptiness

10 Devotional Voices of the Pure Land

11 Tales of Lamas: Tibetan Buddhism

12 The No-Narrative of Seated Meditation: Zen

13 New Narratives: Recent Paths of Reform and Revival

Chronology

Abbreviations

Notes

Index

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 23. Jun 2020)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-280-36091-7

9786610360918

0-8135-3778-9

OCLC:

804665112