Why I Am a Buddhist

Why I Am a Buddhist

Author: Stephen T. Asma

Publisher: Hampton Roads Publishing

Published: 2011-01-01

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1612830412

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Profound and amusing, this book provides a viable approach to answering the perennial questions: Who am I? Why am I here? How can I live a meaningful life? For Asma, the answers are to be found in Buddhism. There have been a lot of books that have made the case for Buddhism. What makes this book fresh and exciting is Asma’s iconoclasm, irreverence, and hardheaded approach to the subject. He is distressed that much of what passes for Buddhism is really little more than “New Age mush.” He asserts that it is time to “take the California out of Buddhism.” He presents a spiritual practice that does not require a belief in creeds or dogma. It is a practice that is psychologically sound, intellectually credible, and esthetically appealing. It is a practice that does not require a diet of brown rice, burning incense, and putting both your mind and your culture in deep storage. In seven chapters, Asma builds the case for a spiritual practice that is authentic, and inclusive. This is Buddhism for everyone, especially for people who are uncomfortable with religion but yearn for a spiritual practice.


Book Synopsis Why I Am a Buddhist by : Stephen T. Asma

Download or read book Why I Am a Buddhist written by Stephen T. Asma and published by Hampton Roads Publishing. This book was released on 2011-01-01 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Profound and amusing, this book provides a viable approach to answering the perennial questions: Who am I? Why am I here? How can I live a meaningful life? For Asma, the answers are to be found in Buddhism. There have been a lot of books that have made the case for Buddhism. What makes this book fresh and exciting is Asma’s iconoclasm, irreverence, and hardheaded approach to the subject. He is distressed that much of what passes for Buddhism is really little more than “New Age mush.” He asserts that it is time to “take the California out of Buddhism.” He presents a spiritual practice that does not require a belief in creeds or dogma. It is a practice that is psychologically sound, intellectually credible, and esthetically appealing. It is a practice that does not require a diet of brown rice, burning incense, and putting both your mind and your culture in deep storage. In seven chapters, Asma builds the case for a spiritual practice that is authentic, and inclusive. This is Buddhism for everyone, especially for people who are uncomfortable with religion but yearn for a spiritual practice.

Why I Am Not a Buddhist

Why I Am Not a Buddhist

Author: Evan Thompson

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2020-01-28

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 0300226551

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"A provocative essay challenging the idea of Buddhist exceptionalism, from one of the world's most widely respected philosophers and writers on Buddhism and science. Buddhism has become a uniquely favored religion in our modern age. A burgeoning number of books extol the scientifically proven benefits of meditation and mindfulness for everything ranging from business to romance. There are conferences, courses, and celebrities promoting the notion that Buddhism is spirituality for the rational; compatible with cutting-edge science; indeed, "a science of the mind." In this provocative book, Evan Thompson argues that this representation of Buddhism is false. In lucid and entertaining prose, Thompson dives deep into both Western and Buddhist philosophy to explain how the goals of science and religion are fundamentally different. Efforts to seek their unification are wrongheaded and promote mistaken ideas of both. He suggests cosmopolitanism instead, a worldview with deep roots in both Eastern and Western traditions. Smart, sympathetic, and intellectually ambitious, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Buddhism's place in our world today."--Provided by publisher.


Book Synopsis Why I Am Not a Buddhist by : Evan Thompson

Download or read book Why I Am Not a Buddhist written by Evan Thompson and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2020-01-28 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A provocative essay challenging the idea of Buddhist exceptionalism, from one of the world's most widely respected philosophers and writers on Buddhism and science. Buddhism has become a uniquely favored religion in our modern age. A burgeoning number of books extol the scientifically proven benefits of meditation and mindfulness for everything ranging from business to romance. There are conferences, courses, and celebrities promoting the notion that Buddhism is spirituality for the rational; compatible with cutting-edge science; indeed, "a science of the mind." In this provocative book, Evan Thompson argues that this representation of Buddhism is false. In lucid and entertaining prose, Thompson dives deep into both Western and Buddhist philosophy to explain how the goals of science and religion are fundamentally different. Efforts to seek their unification are wrongheaded and promote mistaken ideas of both. He suggests cosmopolitanism instead, a worldview with deep roots in both Eastern and Western traditions. Smart, sympathetic, and intellectually ambitious, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Buddhism's place in our world today."--Provided by publisher.

The Supreme Doctrine

The Supreme Doctrine

Author: H. Benoit

Publisher: Pantheon

Published: 2013-08-21

Total Pages: 330

ISBN-13: 0307831957

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(With an Introduction by Aldous Huxley) In its Eastern aspects—Chinese, Hindu, and Japanese—Zen Buddhism has proved a puzzle, although a stimulating one, to the Western mind. Himself a Westerner, Dr. Benoit has approached it through an occidental manner of thinking. “For the first time, Dr. Benoit presents the traditional doctrine of Zen Buddhism in a language that is understandable to the Western world,” says one of his Indian admirers, Swami Siddheswarananda. The author does not advocate a “conversion” to Eastern religion and philosophy. Rather, he would have Western psychological thinking and reasoning meet with oriental wisdom on an intellectual plane, in order to make it participate in the oriental understanding of the state of man in general. “I do not need to burn the Gospels in order to read Hui-neng,” says Dr. Benoit. Zen, to be quite exact, is not so much a doctrine as a hygiene of intelligent living. As such it is presented by the author, a practicing psychoanalyst. It is a way of breaking the deadlock into which the faulty functioning of our civilization has led us, of liberating us from the prevalent contemporary sickness, anxiety. This book provides the elements for reaching “satori,” that modification of the internal functioning of man which can be described as a state of unassailable serenity. This state, Dr. Benoit makes clear, is he truly “normal” one. How to develop intelligence and will so that this transformation of life can be achieved is the subject of this book.


Book Synopsis The Supreme Doctrine by : H. Benoit

Download or read book The Supreme Doctrine written by H. Benoit and published by Pantheon. This book was released on 2013-08-21 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: (With an Introduction by Aldous Huxley) In its Eastern aspects—Chinese, Hindu, and Japanese—Zen Buddhism has proved a puzzle, although a stimulating one, to the Western mind. Himself a Westerner, Dr. Benoit has approached it through an occidental manner of thinking. “For the first time, Dr. Benoit presents the traditional doctrine of Zen Buddhism in a language that is understandable to the Western world,” says one of his Indian admirers, Swami Siddheswarananda. The author does not advocate a “conversion” to Eastern religion and philosophy. Rather, he would have Western psychological thinking and reasoning meet with oriental wisdom on an intellectual plane, in order to make it participate in the oriental understanding of the state of man in general. “I do not need to burn the Gospels in order to read Hui-neng,” says Dr. Benoit. Zen, to be quite exact, is not so much a doctrine as a hygiene of intelligent living. As such it is presented by the author, a practicing psychoanalyst. It is a way of breaking the deadlock into which the faulty functioning of our civilization has led us, of liberating us from the prevalent contemporary sickness, anxiety. This book provides the elements for reaching “satori,” that modification of the internal functioning of man which can be described as a state of unassailable serenity. This state, Dr. Benoit makes clear, is he truly “normal” one. How to develop intelligence and will so that this transformation of life can be achieved is the subject of this book.

The Trouble with Buddhism

The Trouble with Buddhism

Author: Robert M. Ellis

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2011-03-13

Total Pages: 307

ISBN-13: 1447516788

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This book is a critique of Buddhism by a philosopher with about 20 years' experience of practising Buddhism. It attempts to judge Buddhism by the standards of its own key insight of the Middle Way. This book argues that Buddhism has often abandoned the Middle Way and allowed dogmatic metaphysical assumptions to take its place. The Buddha criticised appeals to metaphysics, yet many of the trappings of traditional Buddhism are built on it - whether these are karma and rebirth, the revelations of the enlightened and their scriptures, dependent origination, the interpretation of the Four Noble Truths, alienated idealisations of love, or rituals that celebrate metaphysics rather than insight. This is not a purely negative book, but an attempt at a balanced appraisal of Buddhism with praise as well as criticism. In the West we have an opportunity to evaluate Buddhism anew and reform it so that it best applies its own insights.


Book Synopsis The Trouble with Buddhism by : Robert M. Ellis

Download or read book The Trouble with Buddhism written by Robert M. Ellis and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2011-03-13 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a critique of Buddhism by a philosopher with about 20 years' experience of practising Buddhism. It attempts to judge Buddhism by the standards of its own key insight of the Middle Way. This book argues that Buddhism has often abandoned the Middle Way and allowed dogmatic metaphysical assumptions to take its place. The Buddha criticised appeals to metaphysics, yet many of the trappings of traditional Buddhism are built on it - whether these are karma and rebirth, the revelations of the enlightened and their scriptures, dependent origination, the interpretation of the Four Noble Truths, alienated idealisations of love, or rituals that celebrate metaphysics rather than insight. This is not a purely negative book, but an attempt at a balanced appraisal of Buddhism with praise as well as criticism. In the West we have an opportunity to evaluate Buddhism anew and reform it so that it best applies its own insights.

Why Buddhism is True

Why Buddhism is True

Author: Robert Wright

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2017-08-08

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 1439195471

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From one of America’s most brilliant writers, a New York Times bestselling journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness. At the heart of Buddhism is a simple claim: The reason we suffer—and the reason we make other people suffer—is that we don’t see the world clearly. At the heart of Buddhist meditative practice is a radical promise: We can learn to see the world, including ourselves, more clearly and so gain a deep and morally valid happiness. In this “sublime” (The New Yorker), pathbreaking book, Robert Wright shows how taking this promise seriously can change your life—how it can loosen the grip of anxiety, regret, and hatred, and how it can deepen your appreciation of beauty and of other people. He also shows why this transformation works, drawing on the latest in neuroscience and psychology, and armed with an acute understanding of human evolution. This book is the culmination of a personal journey that began with Wright’s landmark book on evolutionary psychology, The Moral Animal, and deepened as he immersed himself in meditative practice and conversed with some of the world’s most skilled meditators. The result is a story that is “provocative, informative and...deeply rewarding” (The New York Times Book Review), and as entertaining as it is illuminating. Written with the wit, clarity, and grace for which Wright is famous, Why Buddhism Is True lays the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age and shows how, in a time of technological distraction and social division, we can save ourselves from ourselves, both as individuals and as a species.


Book Synopsis Why Buddhism is True by : Robert Wright

Download or read book Why Buddhism is True written by Robert Wright and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-08-08 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From one of America’s most brilliant writers, a New York Times bestselling journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness. At the heart of Buddhism is a simple claim: The reason we suffer—and the reason we make other people suffer—is that we don’t see the world clearly. At the heart of Buddhist meditative practice is a radical promise: We can learn to see the world, including ourselves, more clearly and so gain a deep and morally valid happiness. In this “sublime” (The New Yorker), pathbreaking book, Robert Wright shows how taking this promise seriously can change your life—how it can loosen the grip of anxiety, regret, and hatred, and how it can deepen your appreciation of beauty and of other people. He also shows why this transformation works, drawing on the latest in neuroscience and psychology, and armed with an acute understanding of human evolution. This book is the culmination of a personal journey that began with Wright’s landmark book on evolutionary psychology, The Moral Animal, and deepened as he immersed himself in meditative practice and conversed with some of the world’s most skilled meditators. The result is a story that is “provocative, informative and...deeply rewarding” (The New York Times Book Review), and as entertaining as it is illuminating. Written with the wit, clarity, and grace for which Wright is famous, Why Buddhism Is True lays the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age and shows how, in a time of technological distraction and social division, we can save ourselves from ourselves, both as individuals and as a species.

What Makes You Not a Buddhist

What Makes You Not a Buddhist

Author: Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2008-08-12

Total Pages: 144

ISBN-13: 9780834823167

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So you think you're a Buddhist? Think again. Tibetan Buddhist master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, one of the most creative and innovative lamas teaching today, throws down the gauntlet to the Buddhist world, challenging common misconceptions, stereotypes, and fantasies. With wit and irony, Khysentse urges readers to move beyond the superficial trappings of Buddhism—beyond the romance with beads, incense, or exotic robes—straight to the heart of what the Buddha taught.


Book Synopsis What Makes You Not a Buddhist by : Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Download or read book What Makes You Not a Buddhist written by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2008-08-12 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: So you think you're a Buddhist? Think again. Tibetan Buddhist master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, one of the most creative and innovative lamas teaching today, throws down the gauntlet to the Buddhist world, challenging common misconceptions, stereotypes, and fantasies. With wit and irony, Khysentse urges readers to move beyond the superficial trappings of Buddhism—beyond the romance with beads, incense, or exotic robes—straight to the heart of what the Buddha taught.

Buddhism for Busy People

Buddhism for Busy People

Author: David Michie

Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Published: 2017-05-16

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1611803675

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In this simple and accessible but beautifully written book, David Michie opens the door to the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, and shows us how he himself first began incorporating Buddhist practices into his daily life. What does it take to be happy? We've all asked ourselves this question at some point, but few of us have found the path to lasting fulfillment. David Michie thought he had achieved his life's goals--the high-level job, the expensive city apartment, the luxury car, the great vacations--but a small voice was telling him he wasn't really happy. A chance remark from a naturopath sent him to his local Buddhist center. There he began the most important journey of his life. In Buddhism for Busy People Michie explains how he came to understand the difference between the temporary pleasures of ordinary life and the profound sense of well-being and heartfelt serenity that comes from connecting with our inner nature.


Book Synopsis Buddhism for Busy People by : David Michie

Download or read book Buddhism for Busy People written by David Michie and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2017-05-16 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this simple and accessible but beautifully written book, David Michie opens the door to the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, and shows us how he himself first began incorporating Buddhist practices into his daily life. What does it take to be happy? We've all asked ourselves this question at some point, but few of us have found the path to lasting fulfillment. David Michie thought he had achieved his life's goals--the high-level job, the expensive city apartment, the luxury car, the great vacations--but a small voice was telling him he wasn't really happy. A chance remark from a naturopath sent him to his local Buddhist center. There he began the most important journey of his life. In Buddhism for Busy People Michie explains how he came to understand the difference between the temporary pleasures of ordinary life and the profound sense of well-being and heartfelt serenity that comes from connecting with our inner nature.

Mindfully Facing Disease and Death

Mindfully Facing Disease and Death

Author: Analayo

Publisher: Windhorse Publications

Published: 2016-10-03

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1909314730

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Disease and death are undeniably integral parts of human life. Yet when they manifest we are easily caught unprepared. To prepare for these, we need to learn how to skilfully face illness and passing away. A source of practical wisdom can be found in the early discourses that record the teachings given by the Buddha and his disciples. The chief aim of this book is to provide a collection of passages taken from the Buddha's early discourses that provide guidance for facing disease and death.


Book Synopsis Mindfully Facing Disease and Death by : Analayo

Download or read book Mindfully Facing Disease and Death written by Analayo and published by Windhorse Publications. This book was released on 2016-10-03 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Disease and death are undeniably integral parts of human life. Yet when they manifest we are easily caught unprepared. To prepare for these, we need to learn how to skilfully face illness and passing away. A source of practical wisdom can be found in the early discourses that record the teachings given by the Buddha and his disciples. The chief aim of this book is to provide a collection of passages taken from the Buddha's early discourses that provide guidance for facing disease and death.

The Accidental Buddhist

The Accidental Buddhist

Author: Dinty W. Moore

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Published: 1997-01-10

Total Pages: 221

ISBN-13: 1565128516

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THE ACCIDENTAL BUDDHIST is the funny, provocative story of how Dinty Moore went looking for the faith he'd lost in what might seem the most unlikely of places: the ancient Eastern tradition of Buddhism. Moore demystifies and explains the contradictions and concepts of this most mystic-seeming of religious traditions. This plain-spoken, insightful look at the dharma in America will fascinate anyone curious about the wisdom of other cultures and other religions. "Sure of foot in complex terrain, and packing a blessedly down-to-earth sense of humor, Dinty Moore is the perfect scout for the new frontiers of American Buddhism."--Rodger Kamenetz, author of THE JEW IN THE LOTUS and STALKING ELIJAH.


Book Synopsis The Accidental Buddhist by : Dinty W. Moore

Download or read book The Accidental Buddhist written by Dinty W. Moore and published by Algonquin Books. This book was released on 1997-01-10 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE ACCIDENTAL BUDDHIST is the funny, provocative story of how Dinty Moore went looking for the faith he'd lost in what might seem the most unlikely of places: the ancient Eastern tradition of Buddhism. Moore demystifies and explains the contradictions and concepts of this most mystic-seeming of religious traditions. This plain-spoken, insightful look at the dharma in America will fascinate anyone curious about the wisdom of other cultures and other religions. "Sure of foot in complex terrain, and packing a blessedly down-to-earth sense of humor, Dinty Moore is the perfect scout for the new frontiers of American Buddhism."--Rodger Kamenetz, author of THE JEW IN THE LOTUS and STALKING ELIJAH.

Be the Refuge

Be the Refuge

Author: Chenxing Han

Publisher: North Atlantic Books

Published: 2021-01-26

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 1623175232

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A must-read for modern sanghas--Asian American Buddhists in their own words, on their own terms. Despite the fact that two thirds of U.S. Buddhists identify as Asian American, mainstream perceptions about what it means to be Buddhist in America often whitewash and invisibilize the diverse, inclusive, and intersectional communities that lie at the heart of American Buddhism. Be the Refuge is both critique and celebration, calling out the erasure of Asian American Buddhists while uplifting the complexity and nuance of their authentic stories and vital, thriving communities. Drawn from in-depth interviews with a pan-ethnic, pan-Buddhist group, Be the Refuge is the first book to center young Asian American Buddhists' own voices. With insights from multi-generational, second-generation, convert, and socially engaged Asian American Buddhists, Be the Refuge includes the stories of trailblazers, bridge-builders, integrators, and refuge-makers who hail from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds. Championing nuanced representation over stale stereotypes, Han and the 89 interviewees in Be the Refuge push back against false narratives like the Oriental monk, the superstitious immigrant, and the banana Buddhist--typecasting that collapses the multivocality of Asian American Buddhists into tired, essentialized tropes. Encouraging frank conversations about race, representation, and inclusivity among Buddhists of all backgrounds, Be the Refuge embodies the spirit of interconnection that glows at the heart of American Buddhism.


Book Synopsis Be the Refuge by : Chenxing Han

Download or read book Be the Refuge written by Chenxing Han and published by North Atlantic Books. This book was released on 2021-01-26 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A must-read for modern sanghas--Asian American Buddhists in their own words, on their own terms. Despite the fact that two thirds of U.S. Buddhists identify as Asian American, mainstream perceptions about what it means to be Buddhist in America often whitewash and invisibilize the diverse, inclusive, and intersectional communities that lie at the heart of American Buddhism. Be the Refuge is both critique and celebration, calling out the erasure of Asian American Buddhists while uplifting the complexity and nuance of their authentic stories and vital, thriving communities. Drawn from in-depth interviews with a pan-ethnic, pan-Buddhist group, Be the Refuge is the first book to center young Asian American Buddhists' own voices. With insights from multi-generational, second-generation, convert, and socially engaged Asian American Buddhists, Be the Refuge includes the stories of trailblazers, bridge-builders, integrators, and refuge-makers who hail from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds. Championing nuanced representation over stale stereotypes, Han and the 89 interviewees in Be the Refuge push back against false narratives like the Oriental monk, the superstitious immigrant, and the banana Buddhist--typecasting that collapses the multivocality of Asian American Buddhists into tired, essentialized tropes. Encouraging frank conversations about race, representation, and inclusivity among Buddhists of all backgrounds, Be the Refuge embodies the spirit of interconnection that glows at the heart of American Buddhism.