This Very Short Introduction introduces the reader to the teachings of the Buddha and to the integration of Buddhism into daily life. What are the distinctive features of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha, and what are his teachings? How has Buddhist thought developed over the centuries, and how can contemporary dilemmas be faced from a Buddhist perspective? Words such as 'karma' and 'nirvana' have entered our vocabulary, but what do they mean? Damien Keown's book provides a lively, informative response to these frequently asked questions about Buddhism.
Exploring Karma & Rebirth helps us to unravel the complexities of these two important but often misunderstood Buddhist doctrines. This thought-provoking book clarifies these traditional Buddhist teachings, examines them in relation to their cultural origins, considers how they are still relevant today, and offers an imaginative reading of what the teachings could mean for us now. Above all, Exploring Karma & Rebirth insists that, to be of enduring value, these doctrines must continue to serve the overriding aim of Buddhism: spiritual awakening.
Karma, the law of cause and effect, of nature's retribution for lost harmony, and Rebirth, from which it is inseperable, have been described as the oldest doctrine in the world. In today's turmoil, an understanding of Karma is one of the foundations on which we can build a more reasonable world.
For serious yoga practitioners curious to know the ancient origins of the art, Phillips lays out the philosophy of action, knowledge, and devotion, as well as the processes of meditation, reasoning, and self-analysis, that formed the basis of yoga in ancient and classical India.
"What was the historical context for the Buddha's teachings on rebirth? What is reborn? Do all Buddhist traditions agree about what happens after death? Is it necessary to believe in rebirth to consider oneself a Buddhist? All these questions will be addressed in this short, reliable, and accessible introduction to Rebirth across Buddhist history and traditions. The book will also cover contemporary refutations of rebirth in secular Buddhist contexts as well as western scientific attempts to document reincarnation in conversation with Buddhist beliefs"--
The latter half of the twentieth century witnessed a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. Numerous introductory books have appeared in recent years to cater for this growing interest, but almost none devotes attention to the specifically ethical dimension of the tradition. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West, and publications on the subject are few and far between. Here, Damien Keown, author of Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction , illustrates how Buddhism might approach a range of fascinating moral issues ranging from abortion and suicide to cloning. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Understanding Karma and Rebirth A Buddhist Perspective Rebirth and reincarnation are generally accepted realities in the East and have been since ancient times. What the next life will be is usually the question rather than whether it will be. In the West, on the other hand, we have our own religious and secular beliefs which usually do not include living another life, or at least not in this world or in this way. A common idea amongst Westerners is that annihilation is an unavoidable fact: 'When you're dead you're dead ' But unless one wakes up to the truth of it - East or West - one is caught in cultural conditioning and personal beliefs. Buddhism is about becoming aware of what life actually is rather than being blinded by beliefs and conditioning. The Buddha saw life as a changing procession of conditions, events, and circumstances, one thing leading to another without beginning or end, timeless and limitless. And he recognised that the part of ourselves which is aware, which sees and knows, is never born and never dies. He spoke of a direct 'seeing' into the nature of existence beyond words, beyond the intellect. Understanding the cause and effect process - the nature of karma and rebirth - and what lies behind it is the underlying message of this book. Diana St Ruth points out that Buddhism is a personal journey of discovery which involves seeing through one's own delusions. She leads us by degrees to a place of awareness, clarity of mind, and understanding.
