How Buddhism Began: The Conditioned Genesis of the Early TeachingsWritten by one of the world's top scholars in the field of Pali Buddhism, this new and updated edition of How Buddhism Began, discusses various important doctrines and themes in early Buddhism. It takes 'early Buddhism' to be that reflected in the Pali canon, and to some extent assumes that these doctrines reflect the teachings of the Buddha himself. Two themes predominate. Firstly, the author argues that we cannot understand the Buddha unless we understand that he was debating with other religious teachers, notably Brahmins. The other main theme concerns metaphor, allegory and literalism. This accessible, well-written book is mandatory reading for all serious students of Buddhism. |
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Review: How Buddhism Began
User Review - Barnaby Thieme - GoodreadsRichard Gombrich's "How Buddhism Began" is a collection of two excellent and two mediocre lectures -- I'll split the difference and call this a four-star review. The first lecture deals with the use ... Read full review

