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Title details for Buddhism by Malcolm David Eckel - Wait list

Buddhism

by Malcolm David Eckel
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Buddhism has captivated many millions of people around the world, its vitality and adaptability enabling it to transform the civilizations of India, Southeast Asia, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan, and also become a lively component in the cultures of Europe, Australia, and the Americas. But have you ever wondered how a religion that doesn't even have a god could have accomplished this? Now you have the opportunity to have your questions answered, as this series of 24 lectures by an award-winning teacher traces the history, principles, and evolution of a theology that is both familiar and foreign. You'll learn the astonishing story of Siddhartha Gautama - who was to become the Buddha, or "enlightened one" - the Indian prince who abandoned wife, son, and a privileged life to seek the meaning of life and death, and whose "awakening" and subsequent teachings have since impacted the world as few others have. And you'll learn what happened after his death, as his followers began to share his teachings about the "Four Noble Truths" and the "Path" to Enlightenment. You'll see how Buddhist beliefs underwent significant and even radical change, with different varieties of Buddhism having to take shape as those beliefs spread across India, Central Asia, China, Japan, and virtually every corner of the Western world, such as becoming more respectful of one's duties to family and ancestors in China or becoming reconciled with local deities in Japan.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 5, 2002

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781682766590
      • File size: 360707 KB
      • Duration: 12:31:28

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      The best professors are performers, and David Eckel is one of these. He's having fun; you're having fun and also--surprise--you're learning the history of Buddhism. Born in 566 B.C., Siddharta Gautama woke up to the realization that "all of life is suffering." Not exactly a catchy idea, but it's caught on 'round the world and now has roots in America. Some lectures are purely informative. Did you know that the word Zen is the Japanese mispronunciation of the Chinese mispronunciation of an Indian word that means something like meditation? Other talks have the very pith of faith. The lectures were taped before a live audience. Each ends with the sound of many hands clapping. B.H.C. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      December 23, 2002
      Eckel, an associate professor of religion at Boston University and author of To See the Buddha,
      offers the latest installment in Oxford's series of well-designed introductions to various world religions. Unlike previous volumes that have explored less well-known religions such as Confucianism and Shinto, this book undertakes the unenviable task of explaining one of the world's most over-published faith traditions: Buddhism. Also unlike those volumes, Eckel's addresses a religion that has adapted considerably throughout history and across many diverse cultures. Eckel begins with Buddhism's origins in the person of Siddhartha Gautama, discussing the religion's gradual dissemination throughout Asia and briefly mentioning its major divisions. His chapter entitled "Aspects of the Divine" ably tackles theological beliefs. (Although Buddhism superficially appears to have no theology, since it is non-theistic, some of its Mahayana traditions actually posit a rather complicated pantheon of deities, enlightened beings and bodhisattvas.) Other chapters deal with sacred persons, holidays and life cycle rituals, death and the afterlife and the role of religion in society. Eckel writes at a very accessible level, and the inclusion of primary texts at the end of each short chapter goes far to helping novices understand the issues at hand. Also, the full-color photographs and lovely design help to set the book apart. There are more comprehensive and engaging Buddhist primers on the market, but—considering the vast nature of the topic—this one will be useful to the neophyte.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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