 |
GetTextbooks.co.uk
Compare Prices & Save up to 90% |
|
|
|
| Login | Sign up | My Wish List |
 | | Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide by Kevin Trainor (Editor) ISBN-10: 9780195173987 ISBN-10: 0-19-517398-8 ISBN-13: 9780195173987 ISBN-13: 978-0-19-517398-7 Paperback 2004-06-17 Oxford University Press, USA Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description Buddhism is a major spiritual and ethical force in the world today--and certainly one of the fastest growing religions in the West. Its compelling insights into human existence offer an ancient and radical alternative to the materialism of the modern age. More and more people are turning to Buddhism to rediscover the human and the spiritual values they find lacking in traditional Western religions. Now, in this strikingly illustrated and authoritative volume, general readers have an illuminating introduction of one of the world's great living faiths. Based on the most recent scholarship, Buddhism provides a vibrantly written and marvelously illustrated overview of this ancient and yet still vital religion. Each chapter is written by an acknowledged authority in the field. The book describes the origins and historic development of Buddhism as well as current trends. Perhaps most important, it explores the central, unifying principles of a religious and philosophical system that finds expression in an extraordinary diversity of forms, from the elaborate and esoteric rituals of Tantric Buddhism to the rarefied, minimalist refinement of Zen. A major section is devoted to an analysis of the religion's more important sacred writings. And throughout the book, magnificent illustrations capture the sacred art, architecture, daily practices, and symbols inspired by the Buddha and his teaching. Buddhism in the United States has grown dramatically. Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide offers a wealth of reference information that will deepen one's understanding and appreciation of this ancient Eastern faith. | ||
Reviews | ||
Great book on Buddhism! I really enjoyed reading this book! The book is comprehensive, yet written clearly and understandably. The book gives you the history of the religion and originating countries. Well-written and enjoyable! | ||
Suitable for both the scholar and the laity Written by some of the most respected scholars in the field, Buddhism the Illustrated Guide is both highly accessible and sophisticated. The authors have managed to present the vast and complex array of beliefs, practices, and relationships constitutive of this world religion with the brevity of exceptional scholarship. Yet, astoundingly, throughout the entire compendium, one is never deprived of the rich texture and depth of lived Buddhism, which is quite rare in objective scholarship. This debasing of religion to trite, and often insipid, historical outlines is, unfortunately, often characteristic of most erudite attempts to impartially summarize religions. On another note, this work also represents a paradigmatic shift in contemporary Buddhist studies away from the western presupposition of Buddhism as primarily a rational quest and a new attempt to "rematerialize" Buddhism by emphasizing the role of ritual, image, and relic. This introduction is simply unmatched in its treatment of Buddhism, and it has enough flavor to get anyone excited about learning. From its exquisite high quality images which adorn almost every page and regular sidebar commentaries, to its easily accessible chapter sections, Buddhism practically comes to life as you flip the pages. | ||
insanely awesome I don't know what it is about these Duncan Baird hardcover titles. Whether it's the visual appeal of the litany of two-to-four-page spreads, the flood of color and texture, or the deliberate crispness of the sidebars, all contribute to the tessitura of a truly unique library of works. The current opus is a strong introduction to the underpinnings, trappings, and implications of Buddhism, beginning with its history and motivational background and carefully working through all the historical and, ultimately, modern instantiations of this unique way of life and thought. Not that they pertain to Buddhism at all, scholars, do yourselves a favor and check out the Duncan Baird hardcover editions "China: Empire and Civilization" by Shaughnessy and "Jesus Christ: The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith" and "The Lost Bible" by Porter. They are a treasure to have, to hold, to thumb threw, to admire, to lose oneself in, let alone to devour and learn from. | ||
Good modern intro to Buddhism for Western readers My first exposure to Buddhist ideas was in the 1960s, in California, in what I later realized was a rather self-conscious, thoroughly Westernized form that viewed Buddhism as a philosophy rather than a "religion," compared to Christianity. American and European scholarship regarding Buddhist thought and its application in eastern social systems has changed considerably in the past few decades, however, and this recent volume is a very good introductory overview. Each section is written and edited by a different scholarly authority, beginning with Buddhism's historical and political origins, progressing to its principals and practices and a discussion of its evolved holy writings, and concluding with a section on "Buddhism Today" that points up its diversity from Indian to China to Japan to southeast Asia. The narrative is smooth and frequent sidebars offer more detailed explanations of doctrinal or historical points as needed. The illustrations are numerous and mostly in color. My only gripe, really, is an editorial one: On nearly every page, it seems, there is at least one in-text cross-reference ("see pp. 20-21") which encourage the reader to jump around, which leads one to lose track of what are often very alien ideas. | ||