Buddhism Of Wisdom Faith

The widespread influence of Buddhism is due in part to the skill with which a way of liberation was refined by it's teachers and became accessible to people of diverse cultures. In this dynamic series of lectures, Alan Watts takes us on an exploration of Buddhism, from its roots in India to the explosion of interest in Zen and the Tibetan tradition in the West. Watts traces the Indian beginnings of Buddhism, delineates differences between Buddhism and other religions, looks at the radical methods of the Mahayan Buddhist, and reviews the Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path

'The Gospel of Buddha' is an 1894 book by Paul Carus. It is modeled on the New Testament and tells the story of Buddha through parables. It was an important tool in introducing Buddhism to the west and is used as a teaching tool by some Asian sects. The work was assembled from existing English translations of Buddhists texts, with significant amendments and reworkings. His selection of texts favored Buddhism as a philosophy without any supernatural elements.

A balanced selection from Buddhist writings, including scriptures used by the Zen School, with chapters on the Buddha, Tibetan Buddhism, Concentration and Meditation, the Buddhist Order, and Nirvana. With sources, glossary and index.

This Pure Land treatise is, to our knowledge, the first and only compendium of Pure Land teaching and thought currently available in a Western language. In the tradition of the Avatamsaka Sutra (which D.T. Suzuki described as the epitome of Buddhist thought, sentiment and experience), the author sometimes shifts from one plane of meaning to another, at times down-to-earth, at times metaphysical, so as to reach readers at every level and to sever attachment to his very words. It is in this light that certain paradoxes already familiar to students of Zen (illusory but not non-existent, recitation with no thought of recitation, etc.) should be viewed and understood. While the primary focus of this treatise is Pure Land theory and practice, more than half of the book is devoted to questions of concern to all Buddhist schools. Therefore, we suggest the following approach to reading the text, according to the background of the reader: Zen School: Chap. VII to IX first. Tantrism: Chap. VI to X first. Pure La,nd: Chap. I-V first. The bereaved: Chap. X. All others: Note on Pure Land and Epilogue. The reader might also familiarize himself with a number of key concepts explained in the Glossary (Amitabha, Awakening vs. Enlightenment, Buddha Recitation, Merit and Virtue, Noumenon/phenomena,1 Pure Land, etc.). Whatever his approach, he will be forever enriched. Once reborn in the Pure La,nd, like the proverbial seeker of the Way, he will not only discover the treasure trove (Great Awakening), but also, in time, partake at will of its priceless gems (attain Enlightenment) -- for the common benefit of all sentient beings. (Van Hien Study Group I New York, Vesak '94)

In this fascinating book John Keenan offers a classical commentary on the New Testament Letter of James, section by section, informed by a thorough study of contemporary Jamesian scholarship. His approach is unique in theat it employs Mahayana Buddhist Philosophy as the interpretive lens to focus on this early Christian text. The author argues that the first chapter of James' letter presents wisdom as non-discriminative, in a manner very similar to Mahayana Buddhist teaching on wisdom. And James' insistence upon deeds of compasssion and justice recommends a notion of Christian practice that is quite close to the Mahayana ideal of Bodhisattva engagement in the world. Because of these areas of resonance, James in particularly amenable to a Mahayana reading-a reading that enables us to elicit fresh insights from the text.