Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition

Front Cover
Routledge, Mar 12, 2012 - Religion - 288 pages

This book serves as an accessible and reliable survey for students wishing to gain familiarity with the basic ideas of Buddhist philosophical and religious thought, and with some of the recent research in the field. It guides readers towards a richer understanding of the central concepts of classical Indian Buddhist thought, from the time of Buddha to the latest scholarly perspectives and controversies. Abstract and complex ideas are made understandable by the authors' clear and engaging style. The second edition has been fully revised in light of new scholarship, in particular on Mahāyāna Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism, an often neglected and inadequately understood topic. As well as a detailed bibliography this authoritative resource now includes recommended further reading, study questions, a pronunciation guide and extensive glossary of terms, all aimed at helping students to develop their knowledge and appreciation of Buddhist thought.

 

Contents

1 The doctrinal position of the Buddha in context
1
the basic thought of the Buddha
30
3 The nature and origins of Mahāyāna Buddhism
71
4 Some schools of mainstream Buddhist thought
83
5 Mahāyāna philosophy
98
6 The Buddha in Mahāyāna Buddhism
124
7 Mantranayavajrayāna tantric Buddhism in India
143
Further reading and websites
186
Some exam and study questions
187
Sanskrit and Pāli pronunciation guide
190
Glossary of Buddhist terms
192
Map of some important sites in Buddhist India
199
Notes
200
Bibliography of works cited
230
Index
264
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About the author (2012)

Paul Williams is Emeritus Professor of Indian and Tibetan Philosophy at the University of Bristol, UK. His books include Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations (second edition, Routledge).

Anthony Tribe is a specialist in Indian Tantric Buddhism and formerly taught in the Asian Studies Program at the University of Montana, USA.

Alexander Wynne is Assistant to the Co-Director of the Dhammachai Tipiṭaka Project at Wat Phra Dhammakāya, Thailand.

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