Product Description

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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9388 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 152 pages

Synopsis
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.

About the Author
Damien Keown is Senior Lecturer in Indian Religion at Goldsmith's College, London, and a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society.

Customer Reviews

Superb introduction to Buddhism
An excellent way into Buddhism. I read this book about 5 years ago, when I knew virtually nothing about the subject other than I liked the peaceful atmosphere of Buddhist temples. This book introduced a whole new world to me. The companion 'Buddha: A vey short Introduction', by Carrithers, is also excellent.

One of the best in the OUP series
This book is both factual and easy to read. It does not claim to deal with every aspect of Buddhism, which is a complex and fragmented belief system. What I particularly liked was Keown's references to this incompleteness within the text, and his suggestions for further readings and clear labelling of the things he has either left out or skimmed over.
This is an incredibly useful book. The breakdown of information in text boxes and clearly divided chapters with useful sub-headings made it even easier to read.
It is useful in that it gives both a history of Buddhism and its influence across the world as well as the central tenets of the beliefs it encompasses. It also tries to understand the impact of Buddhism on modern Western culture, positing ideas of what developments may come to pass in the future.
It also deals with the problem of whether Buddhism actually constitutes a religion at all, and attempts to define and understand what is meant by religion and how Buddhism works within this.
A necessary read for anyone interested in understanding Buddhism at a basic level.

Excellent Introduction
I have read a number of books on buddhism in an attempt to learn more about this interesting subject. I have found that many although starting well get more and more complicated the more you read and eventually end up confusing me more than explaining. THIS BOOK IS DIFFERENT it is clear, precise and explains the fundamentals of Buddhism in a way that is easy to understand to someone who is new to the subject. Not only did i understand all that was written here but also after reading this i then understood the other books i had read. If you are new to the subject of Buddhism read this book first, look no further, start here and at will truly enlighten you.