Buddhism: A Modern Perspective

Jacket Description/Back: An introduction to Buddhism of value both to the scholar and the reader with no prior knowledge of the subject, this book begins with a comprehensive survey of fundamentals and goes on to include topics previously untouched in introductory texts. Table of Contents: Contents List of Contributors iiForeword ixPreface and Acknowledgments xi Part I: Indian Buddhism 1. The Background to BuddhismStephan V. Beyer 3 2. Life of the BuddhaCharles S. Prebish 10 3. Early History of the Buddhist OrderCharles S. Prebish 16 4. Buddhist Councils and Divisions in the OrderCharles S. Prebish 21 5. A?oka and the Missionary Activity of the Buddhists Stefan Anacker 27 6. Doctrines of the Early BuddhistsCharles S. Prebish 29 7. Major Schools of the Early Buddhists: Mah?s?mghika Charles S. Prebish 36 8. Major Schools of the Early Buddhists: Therav?da Charles S. Prebish 39 9. Major Schools of the Early Buddhists: Sarv?stiv?da Charles S. Prebish 42 10. Kani?ka Stefan Anacker 46 11. The Vinaya Pitaka Charles S. Prebish 49 12. The S?tra Pitaka Francis H. Cook 54 13. The Abhidharma Pitaka Stefan Anacker 59 14. The Rise of the Mah?y?na Lewis R. Lancaster 65 15. The Prajn?p?ramit? Literature Lewis R. Lancaster 69 16. Doctrines of the Mah?y?na Lewis R. Lancaster 72 17. Major Schools of the Mah?y?na: M?dhyamika 76Douglas D. Daye 18. Major Schools of the Mah?y?na: Yog?c?ra Stefan Anacker 97 19. The Saddharmapundar?ka-S?tra 102Mark A. Ehman 20. The Vimalak?rti-Nirde?a S?tra Stefan Anacker 108 21. The La?k?vat?ra S?tra Mark A. Ehman 112 22. The Pure Land S?tras Mark A. Ehman 118 23. Cosmology Douglas D. Daye 123 24. Buddhist Logic Douglas D. Daye 127 25. Nirv?na Francis H. Cook 133 26. The Doctrine of Meditation in the H?nay?na Stephan V. Beyer 137 27. The Doctrine of Meditation in the Mah?y?na Stephan V. Beyer 148 Part II: Buddhism Outside of India 28. Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon Mark A. Ehman 161 29. Monastic Life in Ceylon Charles S. Prebish 166 30. Introduction of Buddhism to Southeast Asia and Subsequent History up to the Eleventh CenturyStefan Anacker 170 31. Medieval Buddhism in Southeast Asia Stefan Anacker 178 32. The Spread of Buddhism into China Roger J. Corless 187 33. History of Buddhism in China Roger J. Corless 190 34. Ch'an Roger J. Corless 194 35 Ching-t'u Roger J. Corless 198 36. Chinese Academic Schools and Doctrinal InnovationsFrancis H. Cook 201 37. Chinese Buddhism and the Communist Regime Roger J. Corless 208 38. Introduction of Buddhism to Korea and Subsequent DevelopmentLewis R. Lancaster 212 39. Buddhism in Korea Survives Suppression and ChangeLewis R. Lancaster 215 40. Introduction of Buddhism to Japan and Its Development During the Nara PeriodFrancis H. Cook 218 41. Heian, Kamakura, and Tokugawa Periods in JapanFrancis H. Cook 223 42. Japanese Innovations to Buddhism Francis H. Cook 229 43. Japanese Buddhism and the New Religions Francis H. Cook 234 44. Buddhism in TibetStephan V. Beyer 239 45. Buddhism and the WestRoger J. Corless 248 Appendix: Partial Listing of Representative Buddhist Groups in the United StatesRoger J. Corless and Charles S. PrebishGlossary 259Bibliography 311Index 319

Contributor Bio:  Prebish, Charles S Charles S. Prebish is Associate Professor of Religion at Pennsylvania State University and author and editor of numerous works, including "American Buddhism" and "Buddhist Monastic Discipline". He is currently coeditor of the electronic "Journal of Buddhist Ethics". Kenneth K. Tanaka is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the Institute for Buddhist Studies at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and the author of "Ocean: An Introduction to Jodo-Shinshu Buddhism in America" (1997). He is president of the Buddhist Council of Northern California. Contributor Bio:  Trungpa, Chogyam Chogyam Trungpa (1940-87), meditation master, teacher, and artist, founded Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, the first Buddhist-inspired university in North America; the Shambhala Training program; and an international association of meditation centers known as Shambhala International. He is the author of numerous books including "Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior", "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism", and "The Myth of Freedom".