A Modern Buddhist Bible: Essential Readings from East and West
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
The first book to bring together the key texts of modern Buddhism In the last hundred years, the world, especially the West, has increasingly embraced the teachings of Buddhism. A Modern Buddhist Bible is the first anthology to bring together the writings from Buddhists, both Eastern and Western, that have redefined Buddhism for our era. Forging a universal doctrine from the divergent traditions of China, Sri Lanka, Japan, Burma, Thailand, and Tibet, the makers of modern Buddhism saw it as a return to the origin, as renowned scholar Donald Lopez shows. Modern Buddhism is for them a homeward journey to the vision of Buddha himself. Putting far more stress on meditation and spirituality than on ritual and relics, it embraces the ordination of women and values of science, social justice, tolerance, and individual freedom. A Modern Buddhist Bible includes writing by Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, T'ai Hsu, Cheng Yen, Shaku Soen, D. T. Suzuki, Alan Watts, Gary Snyder, Shunryu Suzuki, and others who have played a role in the rich and complex movement that fused Eastern insight with Western consciousness.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0807012432
ISBN13:9780807012437
Release Date:November 2002
Publisher:Beacon Press
Length:308 Pages
Weight:0.80 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 5.3" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
1 rating
Lopez is a great scholar
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
Lopez's book is exactly what it says it is. He includes Western writings on buddhism so that the reader is able to understand the cultural meanings and interpretations that have accumulated in the West. While it may seem strange to have H.P. Blavatsky and the Dalai Lama included in the same book, or Kerouac, in the States these people have all greatly influenced the way buddhism is understood. Kerouac probably got more people in to buddhism than the Dalai Lama, so his writings are in some ways equally as important. Lopez is not someone who will write a feel-good, "esoteric" text about the compelling mysteries of buddhism, accessible until now only to the highest eschelon of monks, never before revealed to a westerner, as most pre-eminent western buddhist writers have. His honesty and desire to see buddhism in the very different way it is perceived here vs. in the East make his books invaluable, if you want to understand why you think the things you do about buddhism. I highly recommend his books.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
