Buddhist Images of Human Perfection
Buddhist Images of Human Perfection

Author: Nathan Katz

Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.

Published: 1989

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13:

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All forms of Buddhism--The Theravada, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana--affirm the perfectability of the person, and one finds this notion of perfection embodied in three images; the arahant, the bodhisattva and the mahasiddha. Reader also finds, in scholarly treatments of Buddhism, much made of the perceived differences among these three `vehicles` (yana). By close textual analysis as well as by extensive field work, Katz criticizes this emphasis on difference and prefers to treat Buddhism as a whole, a position he finds in accord with the teachings of both Buddhists and Buddhist texts. By a close examination of these three images of human perfection, bridges among the Theravada, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana are built and continuities within Buddhism are explored. This comparison involves pioneering discussions of Buddhist philosophy of language and hermeneutics, which are facilitated by Katz`s familiarity with Pali, Sanskrit and Tibetan Buddhist texts as well as his sympathetic involvement with the living Buddhist tradition.

Buddhist Images of Human Perfection
Buddhist Images of Human Perfection

Author: Nathan Katz

Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.

Published: 1989

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 9788120806474

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All forms of Buddhism--The Theravada, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana--affirm the perfectability of the person, and one finds this notion of perfection embodied in three images; the arahant, the bodhisattva and the mahasiddha. Reader also finds, in scholarly treatments of Buddhism, much made of the perceived differences among these three `vehicles` (yana). By close textual analysis as well as by extensive field work, Katz criticizes this emphasis on difference and prefers to treat Buddhism as a whole, a position he finds in accord with the teachings of both Buddhists and Buddhist texts. By a close examination of these three images of human perfection, bridges among the Theravada, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana are built and continuities within Buddhism are explored. This comparison involves pioneering discussions of Buddhist philosophy of language and hermeneutics, which are facilitated by Katz`s familiarity with Pali, Sanskrit and Tibetan Buddhist texts as well as his sympathetic involvement with the living Buddhist tradition.

Mapping the Buddhist Path to Liberation
Mapping the Buddhist Path to Liberation

Author: Jianxun Shi

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-04-15

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 9811611521

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Due to the diversity in Buddhism, its essence remains a puzzle. This book investigates the Buddhist path to liberation from a practical and critical perspective by searching for patterns found in the Pāli Nikāyas and the Chinese Āgamas. The early discourses depict the Buddhist path as a network of routes leading to the same goal: liberation from suffering. This book summarizes various teachings in three aspects, provides a template theory for systematically presenting the formulas of the sequential training of the path, and analyses the differences and similarities among diverse descriptions of the path in the early Buddhist texts. By offering a comprehensive map of the Buddhist path, this book will appeal to scholars and students of Buddhist studies as well as those practitioners with a serious interest in the Buddhist path.

Linguistic Approach to Buddhist Thought
Linguistic Approach to Buddhist Thought

Author: Genjun Sasaki

Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publ.

Published: 1986

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 9788120800380

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Dr. Sisir Kumar Mitra's book, entitled The Early Rulers of Khajuraho constitutes a welcome addition to the existing literature on the history of the Candellas of Bundelkhand. He gives a comprehensive and fascinating account of the varied activities of this distinguished family of rulers, based on a minute and detailed study of the material which he collected with great industry and thoroughness from diverse sources, indigenous and foreign, literary and archaeological. Though most of his data have been compiled from epigraphic sources, he is not over-zealous in his estimate of the importance and reliability of inscriptional material which he examines as critically as any piece of literary gerated. he has discussed the controversial issues connected with his subject without any bias. His chapters on administrative, social, economic and religious history will be specially useful to those interested in the compilation of epigraphic material bearing on the evolution of ancient Indian culture.

The Six Perfections
The Six Perfections

Author: Dale Stuart Wright

Publisher: Oxford University Press on Demand

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 0195382013

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This book provides a guide to the six perfections, a set of Buddhist teachings designed to transform human character.

Paranormal States
Paranormal States

Author: D. E. Osto

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2024-09-10

Total Pages: 206

ISBN-13: 0231561334

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A number of converts to Buddhism report paranormal experiences. Their accounts describe psychic abilities like clairvoyance and precognition, out-of-body experiences, near-death experiences, and encounters with other beings such as ghosts and deities, and they often interpret these events through a specifically Buddhist lens. This book is a groundbreaking exploration of these phenomena and their implications for both humanistic and scientific study of the paranormal. D. E. Osto examines accounts of paranormal phenomena experienced by convert Buddhists from around the world collected through an online survey and interviews, placing them in the context of Indian Buddhist sources and recent scientific research. They focus in detail on the life stories of two interviewees and the important role the paranormal has played in their lives. These contemporary first-person narratives demonstrate the continued importance of the psychic and paranormal within the Buddhist tradition, and they can be interpreted as a living Buddhist folklore. Osto considers the limitations of both traditional religious views and Western scientific studies of the paranormal and proposes instead a new Buddhist phenomenological approach. Ultimately, Paranormal States contends, these deeply mysterious and extraordinary experiences exceed current understandings—and they can help bridge the gap between religious and scientific worldviews.

Buddhist-Christian Dialogue as Theological Exchange
Buddhist-Christian Dialogue as Theological Exchange

Author: Ernest M Valea

Publisher: James Clarke & Company

Published: 2015-10-29

Total Pages: 253

ISBN-13: 0227905237

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This book is intended to encourage the use of comparative theology in contemporary Buddhist-Christian dialogue as a new approach that would truly respect each religious tradition's uniqueness and make dialogue beneficial for all participants interested in a real theological exchange. As a result of the impasse reached by the current theologies of religions (exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism) in formulating a constructive approach in dialogue, this volume assesses the thought of the founding fathers of an academic Buddhist-Christian dialogue in search of clues that would encourage a comparativist approach. These founding fathers are considered to be three important representatives of the Kyoto School - Kitaro Nishida, Keiji Nishitani,and Masao Abe - and John Cobb, an American process theologian. The guiding line for assessing their views of dialogue is the concept of human perfection, as it is expressed by the original traditions in Mahayana Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity. Following Abe's methodology in dialogue, an Orthodox contribution to comparative theology proposes a reciprocal enrichment of traditions, not by syncretistic means, but by providing a better understanding and even correction of one's own tradition when considering it in the light of the other, while using internal resources for making the necessary corrections.

A Comparative Study of Don Juan and Madhyamaka Buddhism
A Comparative Study of Don Juan and Madhyamaka Buddhism

Author: Mark Macdowell

Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publishe

Published: 1981

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 9788120801622

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The publication of Carlos Castaneda`s works on the teachings of Don Juan, a yaqui Indian seer, was a momentous event in the history of esoteric literature. At the time of their publication, the author was engaged in the study of Indian philosophy, with special reference to the Madhyamaka Buddhism, as formulated and expounded by Nagarjuna. The author was struck by the profound similarities between the teachings of Don Juan and Nagarjuna--in particular concerning Samvrti and Paramartha of Madhyamaka and the Tonal and Nagual of Don Juan and the concept of categorical frameworks. This recognition on his part prompted him to compose the present work. The author has chosen to write in a manner and style intelligible to the non-specialiist and yet an inquiring reader. The essential unity of human experience is clearly demonstrated by the fact that human beings widely separated in space, time, language and culture, discern, at their wisest, the same fundamental truths concerning man and the world.

The Hidden "God"
The Hidden

Author: Peter Baekelmans

Publisher: Angelico Press

Published: 2022-05-27

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 162138845X

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"Theology" means "discourse about god." Christian theology is a reflection on the Christian faith in which God takes a central place. Therefore, the Christian theology of other religions seeks to understand if and how "God" as Christians call their experience of Him may be present in the thought, devotion, and ritual of those other religions. Christian theology of Buddhism is then a Christian reflection on the Buddhist faith in "god" or "gods." Now, Buddhist teaching contains many seeming contradictions (as does Christian teaching). Accepting these, and looking for clues to understand how they came about and how they might be reconciled, is not only an intellectual challenge but also a religious duty. The Hidden "God" feels like a detective story, taking the reader along on an exacting investigation of the manifold themes, concepts, and persons of the different Buddhist faith traditions in order to discern whether they can be related to the Christian understanding of who God is. The result, which is both complex and simple, will enable readers to take steps toward uniting both religions in the mystery that God or the Dharma is.