Chelmsford Public Library

Buddhisms, an introduction, John S. Strong

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 403-442) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Buddhisms

bibliography

898424477

John S. Strong

an introduction

"Buddhism or Buddhisms? By the time they move on to Buddhism in Japan, many students who have studied its origins in India ask whether this is in fact the same religion, so different can they appear. In Buddhisms: An Introduction, Professor John S. Strong provides an overview of the Buddhist tradition in all its different forms around the world. Beginning at the modern day temples of Lumbini, where the Buddha was born, Strong takes us through the life of the Buddha and a study of Buddhist Doctrine, revealing how Buddhism has changed just as it has stayed the same. Finally, Strong examines the nature of Buddhist community life and its development today in the very different environments of Thailand, Japan, and Tibet. Enriched by the author's own insights gathered over forty years, Buddhisms never loses sight of the personal experience amidst the wide-scope of its subject. Clear in its explanations, replete with tables and suggestions for further reading, this is an essential new work that makes original contributions to the study of this 2,500 year-old religion." from back cover

Introduction: Lumbini, a Buddhist World Exposition -- Theravada and Mahayana -- Lumbini's Eastern Monastic Zone: South and Southeast Asian Traditions -- The Maha Bodhi Society -- The Sri Lanka Monastery -- The Gautami Center For Nuns -- Myanmar (Burma) -- Meditation Centers -- Lumbini's Western Monastic Zone: East Asian Traditions -- China -- Korea -- Japan -- Vietnam -- Lumbini's Western Monastic Zone: Tibetan Vajrayana Traditions -- The Great Lotus Stupa -- The Lumbini Udyana Mahachaitya -- Foundations of the Triple Gem: Buddha/s, Dharma/s, and Samgha/s -- Sakyamuni, Lives and Legends -- The Historical Buddha -- The Buddha's World -- The Buddha Story -- Past Buddhas and the Biographical Blueprint -- The Start of Sakyamuni's Career -- Previous Lives (Jatakas) -- The Donkey in the Lion's Skin -- Vessantara Jataka -- The Tigress Jataka -- A Lifestory of Sakyamuni -- Birth and Childhood -- Life in the Palace -- The Beginnings of Discontent -- The Great Departure -- Paths Not Taken -- Awakening -- After Enlightenment -- The First Sermon -- Various Conversions and Miracles -- Death and Parinirvana -- Overcoming the Buddha's Absence -- Seeing the Buddha in the Dharma -- Excursus on the Buddhist Canon/s -- Places of Pilgrimage -- Relics -- Buddha Images -- The Masters of the Dharma -- The Arhat Dharma-Protectors -- Meeting Maitreya -- Some Permutation of the Middle Way -- The Middle Way -- Karma and Samsara -- Why do Good Deeds? -- Contexts of Karma I: Neither Free Will nor Determinism -- Contexts of Karma II: Both Jain and Upanisadic Views -- The Doctrine of Non-Self (Anatman) -- Breaking Down the False Sense of Self: the Five Aggregates and Impermanence -- The Elements (Dharmas) -- Countering the Breakdown of Self: Personal Continuity -- Explications of Continuity: Pseudo-Selves and Ersatz Atmans -- The Four Truths -- The First Truth: Stress -- The Second Truth: the Continual Arising of Stress and Interdependent Origination -- The Double Bind of Samsara -- The Third Truth: the Cessation of Stress - Nirvana -- The Fourth Truth: the Path to the Cessation of Stress -- Moral Discipline -- Meditation -- Wisdom -- Other Systematizations of the Path -- The Seven Factors Conducive to Enlightenment -- The Graduated Training -- The Four Divine Abidings -- The Four Fruits of the Path -- The Establishment and Character of the Early Buddhist Community -- Monastic-Lay Interactions -- Dana (Giving) and Other Forms of Making Merit -- Lay Ethics -- Magical Protection -- Laypersons and the Monastic Rules -- Royal Supporters -- King Asoka -- The Monastics: Wandering and Settling -- Monastic Lifestyles -- Monasteries -- Mahaprajapati and the Establishment of the Order of Nuns -- Common Moral Commitments -- Initiation Rituals: Wandering Forth and Ordination -- Monastic Rules -- The Elaboration of the Rules: Pratimoksa Recitation and Pravarana -- Some Exemplary Disciples of the Buddha -- Sariputra and Maudgalyayana -- Patacara -- The Laypersons Nakulapitr and Nakulamatr -- Visakha, Preeminent Laywoman -- Visions and Divisions of the Samgha -- Council Stories -- The Council at Rajagrha -- Vinaya Disputes: the Council of Vaisali -- The Councils of Paraliputra -- Other Council Traditions -- The Flowering of Mainstream Factionalism -- Other Divisional Issues -- Practice vs. Study -- Meditators and Merit Makers -- Forest Monks and Town Monks -- The Question of Asceticism -- The Question of Bon-Vivant Monks -- Sect vs. Sect -- The Origins of the Mahayana -- Proliferation of Mahayana Schools -- Mahayana Schools in India -- Mahayana Schools in China -- Mahayana Schools in Japan -- Mahayana Schools in Tibet -- Further Elaborations of the Triple Gem -- Mahayana and Vajrayana Ways of Meeting the Buddha/s -- Changes in the View of the Buddha: The Lotus Sutra and Sakyamuni's Lifespan -- Three Bodies of the Buddha/s -- Meeting the Buddha's in their Pure Lands -- Aksobhya -- Bhaisajyaguru -- Amitabha -- Meeting the Amitabha through Visualization -- Rebirth in the Pure Land -- Meeting the Buddha in the Great Bodhisattvas -- Avalokitesvara -- Other Great Bodhisattvas -- Meeting the Buddha/s in the Vajrayana -- Manndalas and the Five Tathagatas -- Ritual Consecration (Abhiseka) -- Merging with the Buddha -- Visions: Meeting the Buddha/s in Bardo -- Buddha Embodiments in this World: Gurus and Tulkus -- Mahayana Doctrinal Developments -- Emptiness: the Selflessness of Dharmas -- Nagarjuna and the Madhyamaka -- The Expansion of Provisional Truth: Expedient Means (Upaya) -- Tiantai Doctrines -- The Ongoing Dialectic: the Yogacara School -- Asanga and Vasubandhu and the Development of the School -- Yogacara Doctrines -- Avatamsaka Doctrines -- Applications of the Interpenetration -- The Buddha Womb/Embryo (Tathagatagarbha) Teachings -- Resurgence of the True Self -- Buddha-Nature Controversies -- Limitations to the Buddha-Nature: the Icchantika Debate -- The End of the Dharma -- Expansions of the Buddha-Nature Doctrine -- The Bodhisattva Path -- Sudden and Gradual -- Disagreements over the Nature of the Path: the Debate at Samye -- Disagreements over the Nature of Enlightenment -- Graduated Paths -- Compassion and Bodhicitta -- The Stages of the Path, the Perfections, the Five Paths -- Routinization and Ritualization -- Path Shortcuts -- Tantra -- Uniting the Poles -- Tantric Physiology -- Mahamudra and Dzokchen (Rdzogs chen) -- Direct Experiences: Chan/Zen -- Koans -- Critical Phrases (Huatou) -- Samgha Situations: Places, Persons, and Practices in Thai Buddhism/s -- Buddhism in Thailand -- Thai Monastic Life: Temporary Ordination -- Life as a Novice -- Experiences as a Monk -- The Lives of Two Charismatic Thai Monks -- Acharn Mun -- Khruba Siwichai -- The End of the Rains-Retreat in a Northern Thai Village -- A Thai Temple in Wimbledon, England -- Samgha Situations: Places, Persons, and Practives in Japanese Buddhism/s -- The Hexagonal Hall (Rokkakudo) -- Prince Shotoku -- Shinran -- Kannon, Jizo, and Fudo -- The Ritual Year at Shinnyodo -- New Year's -- Dakini and the Recitation of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra -- Main Hall Rituals -- Goma -- The Killing Stone -- The Ryoanji Rock Garden -- The Buddh's Birthday at the Morgan Bay Zendo -- The Japan Temple in Lumbini -- Samgha Situations: Places, Persons, and Practices in Tibetan Buddhism/s -- Lhasa Jokhang -- Pinning Down the Demoness -- Flood Control -- Grand Prostrations -- The Great Prayer Festical -- The Potala and the Dalai Lamas -- Finding a New Dalai Lama -- Scholars and Mad Saints -- Drepung Monastery and Monastic Studies -- Mad Monks: the Case of Tangtong Gyalpo -- Samding: Femaile Incarnations and a Contemporary Buddhist -- A Tibetan Dharma Center in Vermont, U.S.A