Nine Canadian scholars of Buddhism consider philosophical and cultural issues in Buddhist thought. Part I, “On Being,” discusses the philosophical problem of Being in the school of the Middle Way, Mādhyamika Buddhism, and in the Tantric School of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Part II, “On the Indian Milieu,” surveys Hindu views of Buddhism and explores Buddhism’s relationship with other Indian religious and philosophical traditions. Part III, “On the Chinese Milieu,” analyzes developments in Buddhist thought in China.

Seeks To Trace The Growth Of The Buddhist Community, To Indicate Its Relation To The World Of Hindu And Non-Hindu Society And To Follow The Rise And Development Of The Doctrines From Their Legendary Origin Into The System Which Has Sread Over A Great Part Of Asia. This Reprint Of The Work Originally Published In London In 1933, Contains 19 Chapters, 2 Appendices, 4 Plates, Bibliography And Index.

Zhu Xi (1130-1200) is the most influential Neo-Confucian philosopher and arguably the most important Chinese philosopher of the past millennium, both in terms of his legacy and for the sophistication of his systematic philosophy. The Buddhist Roots of Zhu Xi's Philosophical Thought combines in a single study two major areas of Chinese philosophy that are rarely tackled together: Chinese Buddhist philosophy and Zhu Xi's Neo-Confucian philosophy. Despite Zhu Xi's importance as a philosopher, the role of Buddhist thought and philosophy in the construction of his systematic philosophy remains poorly understood. What aspects of Buddhism did he criticize and why? Was his engagement limited to criticism (informed or otherwise) or did Zhu also appropriate and repurpose Buddhist ideas to develop his own thought? If Zhu's philosophical repertoire incorporated conceptual structures and problematics that are marked by a distinct Buddhist pedigree, what implications does this have for our understanding of his philosophical project? The five chapters that make up The Buddhist Roots of Zhu Xi's Philosophical Thought present a rich and complex portrait of the Buddhist roots of Zhu Xi's philosophical thought. The scholarship is meticulous, the analysis is rigorous, and the philosophical insights are fresh. Collectively, the chapters illuminate a greatly expanded range of the intellectual resources Zhu incorporated into his philosophical thought, demonstrating the vital role that models derived from Buddhism played in his philosophical repertoire. In doing so, they provide new perspectives on what Zhu Xi was trying to achieve as a philosopher, by repurposing ideas from Buddhism. They also make significant and original contributions to our understanding of core concepts, debates and conceptual structures that shaped the development of philosophy in East Asia over the past millennium.

Originally published in 1971. The essays in this volume cover some of the most important aspects of Buddhism and include discussion of such themes as the nature of Buddhism, Buddhist ethics and philosophical concepts, Buddhism and science, the Power of Mindfulness, Anatta and Nibbana.

This book presents a brilliant account of of Theravada Buddhism and embraces a wide variety of themes ranging from the birth of Buddhism to the Buddha’s prophetic teachings regarding the future of mankind. Topics covered include, among many others, the background of early Buddhism; the significance of the Buddha’s birthday; the Buddhist doctrines of karma and reincarnation; the Buddhist conception of truth, good and evil, Nirvana, the individual, the universe and the material world; the Buddhist view of nature and destiny; Buddhism and the caste system; Buddhism and international law; and the contemporary relevance of the Buddha’s teachings to the modern world. Professor Jayatilleke always writes with both the scholar and the lay reader in mind. As a result, this is a highly readable and extremely penetrating book—and one that explores the roots and nature of the Buddha’s teachings and examines them in the light of contemporary knowledge. The present collection contains all essays earlier published in the book The Message of the Buddha, edited by Ninian Smart, as well as essays that were published the Wheel Publication series. Contents 1. Buddhism and the Scientific Revolution 2. The Historical Context of the Rise of Buddhism 3. The Buddhist Conception of Truth 4. The Buddhist Attitude to Revelation 5. The Buddhist Conception of Matter and the Material World 6. The Buddhist Analysis of Mind 7. The Buddhist Conception of the Universe 8. The Buddhist Attitude to God 9. Nibbana 10. The Buddhist View of Survival 11. The Buddhist Doctrine of Kamma 12. The Case for the Buddhist Theory of Karma and Survival 13. The Conditioned Genesis of the Individual 14. The Buddhist Ethical Ideal of the Ultimate Good 15. The Basis of Buddhist Ethics 16. The Buddhist Conception of Evil 17. The Criteria of Right and Wrong 18. The Ethical Theory of Buddhism 19. Some Aspects of the Bhagavad Gita and Buddhist Ethics 20. Toynbee’s Criticism of Buddhism 21. The Buddhist Attitude to Other Religions 22. Buddhism and Peace 23. The Significance of Vesakha 24. Buddhism and the Race Question 25. The Principles of International Law in Buddhist Doctrine

This book provides a comprehensive but concise introduction to Chinese Buddhism and the study of Buddhism in China: their Indic roots, their Sinicization, the development and philosophies of the three central lineages, the natural exchange between Buddhist cultures and schools of thought, the foundations of Buddhist studies in China, and the chief schools and sects in Chinese Buddhism as well as their characteristics and ethos.

Written by leading scholars and including a foreword by the Dalai Lama, this book explores the interface between Buddhist studies and the uses of Buddhist principles and practices in psychotherapy and consciousness studies. The contributors present a compelling collection of articles that illustrate the potential of Buddhist informed social sciences in contemporary society, including new insights into the nature of human consciousness. The book examines the origins and expressions of Buddhist thought and how it is now being utilized by psychologists and social scientists, and also discusses the basic tenets of Buddhism and contemporary Buddhist-based empirical research in the psychological sciences. Further emphasis is placed on current trends in the areas of clinical and cognitive psychology, and on the Mahayana Buddhist understanding of consciousness with reference to certain developments in consciousness studies and physics. A welcome addition to the current literature, the works in this remarkable volume ably demonstrate how Buddhist principles can be used to develop a deeper understanding of the human condition and behaviours that lead to a balanced and fulfilling life.

This book traces the Trinitarian thought of Raimon Panikkar in his attempt to bridge the gap between Christianity and the world religions. The viewpoints of the early and later Panikkar show continuity and shifts in his Trinitarian theology. The early Panikkar provides a Trinitarian theology and reaches the heart of the world religions, especially the Advaita Vedanta experience in Hinduism and the Nirvana experience of Buddhism. The later Panikkar, still using many of the probing concepts of his earlier thought, departs significantly from traditional Christian theology. His thoughts still continue the attempt at bridge-building between Christianity on the one hand and the world religions, and even the secular world, on the other. Although several dimensions of Panikkar's Trinitarian theology are open to severe criticism, nevertheless, it serves as an effective tool for furthering awareness of and dialogue between the world religions.

Jan Westerhoff unfolds the story of one of the richest episodes in the history of Indian thought, the development of Buddhist philosophy in the first millennium CE. He starts from the composition of the Abhidharma works before the beginning of the common era and continues up to the time of Dharmakirti in the sixth century. This period was characterized by the development of a variety of philosophical schools and approaches that have shaped Buddhist thought up to the present day: the scholasticism of the Abhidharma, the Madhyamaka's theory of emptiness, Yogacara idealism, and the logical and epistemological works of Dinnaga and Dharmakirti. The book attempts to describe the historical development of these schools in their intellectual and cultural context, with particular emphasis on three factors that shaped the development of Buddhist philosophical thought: the need to spell out the contents of canonical texts, the discourses of the historical Buddha and the Mahayana sutras; the desire to defend their positions by sophisticated arguments against criticisms from fellow Buddhists and from non-Buddhist thinkers of classical Indian philosophy; and the need to account for insights gained through the application of specific meditative techniques. While the main focus is the period up to the sixth century CE, Westerhoff also discusses some important thinkers who influenced Buddhist thought between this time and the decline of Buddhist scholastic philosophy in India at the beginning of the thirteenth century. His aim is that the historical presentation will also allow the reader to get a better systematic grasp of key Buddhist concepts such as non-self, suffering, reincarnation, karma, and nirvana.