The Different Paths of Buddhism : : A Narrative-Historical Introduction / / Carl Olson.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Rutgers University Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013
• VerfasserIn: Olson, Carl,
• Place / Publishing House: New Brunswick, NJ : : Rutgers University Press, , [2005]; ©2005
• Year of Publication: 2005
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (304 p.) :; 29 black & white illustrations

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 textcombines expert scholarship and engaging stories that offer a much-needed perspective to the existing literature on the topic.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- Acknowledgments -- PART ONE. Origins and Historical Development -- 1 Crows and Monks: Introduction -- 2 The Elephant and the Buddha -- PART TWO. Theravāda Philosophy and Practice -- 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 -- PART THREE. Major Mahāyāna Movements and Schools -- 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