Reading List
- Buddhism Reading ListRecommended books and films on Buddhism from McKee Library's collection.
Buddhism
- BuddhismBuddhism is a non-theistic religion (no belief in a creator god), also considered a philosophy and a moral discipline, originating in India in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. It was founded by the sage Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha l. c. 563 - c. 483 BCE) who, according to legend, had been a Hindu prince before abandoning his position and wealth to become a spiritual ascetic and, finally, an enlightened being who taught others the means by which they could escape samsara, the cycle of suffering, rebirth, and death.
- BuddhismBuddhism is a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (“the Buddha”) more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider Buddhism one of the major world religions. Its practice has historically been most prominent in East and Southeast Asia, but its influence is growing in the West. Many Buddhist ideas and philosophies overlap with those of other faiths.
- Buddhism: Basic BeliefsBuddhists look within themselves for the truth and understanding of Buddha's teachings.
Research & Reference
- Buddhism: Credo Reference‘Buddhism’ is the term used to denote the religion descending from the ascetic movement founded by Gautama Buddha. To be sure, the teachings of early Buddhism have been developed in very different ways over the course of time.
- World Religion Profile: BuddhismThe article discusses the Buddhist religion. Buddhism is divided into the Theravada, Vajirayana and Mahayana branches and focuses on the impermanence of existence, release from suffering due to desire and the importance of karma. Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, was the founder of Buddhism in Nepal, China. The giving of gifts and veneration of images of the Buddha are key practices of Buddhism.
Perspectives
Buddhism: An Introduction
Is this the right book for me? Covering all aspects of this fascinating faith, from the teachings of the Buddha to the practicalities of pursuing a Buddhist way of life, Buddhism - an Introduction is an informative and accessible introduction to this major world religion. Learn about the origins of Buddhism, its place in society today and the challenges it faces for the future.
Buddhism, Knowledge and Liberation
Buddhism is essentially a teaching about liberation - from suffering, ignorance, selfishness and continued rebirth. Knowledge of 'the way things really are' is thought by many Buddhists to be vital in bringing about this emancipation. This book is a philosophical study of the notion of liberating knowledge as it occurs in a range of Buddhist sources. Buddhism, Knowledge and Liberation assesses the common Buddhist idea that knowledge of the three characteristics of existence (impermanence, not-self and suffering) is the key to liberation. It argues that this claim must be seen in the context of the Buddhist path and training as a whole. Detailed attention is also given to anti-realist, sceptical and mystical strands within the Buddhist tradition, all of which make distinctive claims about liberating knowledge and the nature of reality. David Burton seeks to uncover various problematic assumptions which underpin the Buddhist worldview. Sensitive to the wide diversity of philosophical perspectives and interpretations that Buddhism has engendered, this book makes a serious contribution to critical and philosophically aware engagement with Buddhist thought. Written in an accessible style, it will be of value to those interested in Buddhist Studies and broader issues in comparative philosophy and religion.
Being Human in a Buddhist World
Critically exploring medical thought in a cultural milieu with no discernible influence from the European Enlightenment, Being Human in a Buddhist World reveals an otherwise unnoticed intersection of early modern sensibilities and religious values in traditional Tibetan medicine. It further studies the adaptation of Buddhist concepts and values to medical concerns and suggests important dimensions of Buddhism's role in the development of Asian and global civilization. Through its unique focus and sophisticated reading of source materials, Being Human adds a crucial chapter in the larger historiography of science and religion. The book opens with the bold achievements in Tibetan medical illustration, commentary, and institution building during the period of the Fifth Dalai Lama and his regent, Desi Sangye Gyatso, then looks back to the work of earlier thinkers, tracing a strategically astute dialectic between scriptural and empirical authority on questions of history and the nature of human anatomy. It follows key differences between medicine and Buddhism in attitudes toward gender and sex and the moral character of the physician, who had to serve both the patient's and the practitioner's well-being. Being Human in a Buddhist World ultimately finds that Tibetan medical scholars absorbed ethical and epistemological categories from Buddhism yet shied away from ideal systems and absolutes, instead embracing the imperfectability of the human condition.
Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism
Provides a unique introduction to Buddhism by examining categories essential for a nuanced understanding of its traditions.
The Quantum and the Lotus
Matthieu Ricard trained as a molecular biologist, working in the lab of a Nobel prize--winning scientist, but when he read some Buddhist philosophy, he became drawn to Buddhism. Eventually he left his life in science to study with Tibetan teachers, and he is now a Buddhist monk and translator for the Dalai Lama, living in the Shechen monastery near Kathmandu in Nepal. Trinh Thuan was born into a Buddhist family in Vietnam but became intrigued by the explosion of discoveries in astronomy during the 1960s. He made his way to the prestigious California Institute of Technology to study with some of the biggest names in the field and is now an acclaimed astrophysicist and specialist on how the galaxies formed.
Streaming Media
- The BuddhaThis documentary tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millennia, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity.
- BuddhismBenefiting from having the charismatic 14th Dalai Lama as its most visible spokesperson, Buddhism is enjoying a surge of popularity, drawing an increasing number of spiritual seekers from the West as well as from the East. In this program, Hans Kung enters the world of the Buddha, beginning with the holy site of the Tree of Enlightenment, in India, and ending at a Zen Buddhist monastery in Japan, to offer an overview of the many branches of and traditions in Buddhism today.
- Essentials of Faith: BuddhismBuddhism holds that life and the physical world are illusions, transcended by emptying the mind and simplifying one’s life. In reality, Buddhism is complicated—no unified teaching exists. This program presents ways of articulating Buddhist thought from six straightforward and insightful practitioners who explain parallels and distinctions between Buddhist traditions. Commentators include Geshe Tashi Tsering of the Jamyang Buddhist Center, Ajahn Sumedho of Amaravti Monastery, Diana St. Ruth of the Golden Buddhist Center, singer-songwriter Sandie Shaw, designer Jeff Banks, and Jennie Peters of Soka Gakkai International in the United Kingdom.
- Seven Wonders of the Buddhist WorldJoin historian Bettany Hughes as she explores the different beliefs and practices that form the core of the Buddhist philosophy and investigates how Buddhism started and where it travelled to, through visits to seven of the most spectacular monuments built by Buddhists across the globe.