Your hands-on guide to this widely practiced and ancient religion

Buddhism, one of the world's most widely practiced religions, is a fascinating yet complex eastern religion that is rapidly spreading throughout western civilization. What does it mean to be a Buddhist? What are the fundamental beliefs and history behind this religion? Buddhism For Dummies explores these questions and more in this updated guide to Buddhist culture. You'll gain an understanding of the origins of this ancient practice and how they're currently applied to everyday life.

Whether you're a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what makes Buddhism such a widely practiced religion, this guide is for you. In plain English, it defines the important terms, explains the key concepts, and explores in-depth a wide range of fascinating topics.

• New and expanded coverage on all the schools of Buddhism, including Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana

• The continuing relevance of the Dalai Lama

• Updated coverage on daily observances, celebrations, styles, practices, meditation, and more

  Continuing the Dummies tradition of making the world's religions engaging and accessible to everyone, Buddhism For Dummies is your essential guide to this fascinating religion.

  P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you re probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Buddhism For Dummies (9781118023792). The book you see here shouldn t be considered a new or updated product. But if you re in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We re always writing about new topics!

  Autorentext

Jonathan Landaw is the former English Translation Editor, Translation Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Stephan Bodian has studied and practices several schools of Buddhism. Gudrun Bühnemann, Professor, teaches the Sanskrit Language and its literature, along with courses on the religions of South Asia.

Klappentext

• Understand Buddhism and its teachings
• Practice daily observances, celebrations, meditation, and more

• Appreciate the continuing relevance of the Dalai Lama Your go-to guide to the Buddhist faith What does it mean to be a Buddhist? Who was the historical Buddha, and what did he teach? How do followers bring Buddhism into their everyday lives, and how has the practice evolved? Whether you're a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what makes Buddhism such a widely practiced religion, this friendly guide defines the important terms, explains key concepts, and explores in-depth the origins of this fascinating ancient practice. Inside...

• The philosophy of Buddhism
• Buddhist practices of wisdom and compassion
• Life and teachings of the historical Buddha
• Buddhist attitudes toward life and death
• A look at four Buddhist masters

• The major Buddhist pilgrimage sites

  Zusammenfassung
  Your hands-on guide to this widely practiced and ancient religion

  Buddhism, one of the world's most widely practiced religions, is a fascinating yet complex eastern religion that is rapidly spreading throughout western civilization. What does it mean to be a Buddhist? What are the fundamental beliefs and history behind this religion? Buddhism For Dummies explores these questions and more in this updated guide to Buddhist culture. You'll gain an understanding of the origins of this ancient practice and how they're currently applied to everyday life.

  Whether you're a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what makes Buddhism such a widely practiced religion, this guide is for you. In plain English, it defines the important terms, explains the key concepts, and explores in-depth a wide range of fascinating topics.

• New and expanded coverage on all the schools of Buddhism, including Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana
• The continuing relevance of the Dalai Lama

• Updated coverage on daily observances, celebrations, styles, practices, meditation, and more
  Continuing the Dummies tradition of making the world's religions engaging and accessible to everyone, Buddhism For Dummies is your essential guide to this fascinating religion.

  *P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Buddhism For Dummies (9781118023792). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics!

  Inhalt

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

How This Book is Organized 2

Part 1: Embarking on a Journey: The Basics of Buddhism 3

Part 2: A Short History of Buddhism 3

Part 3: Behaving Like a Buddhist 3

Part 4: Exploring the Buddhist Path 3

Part 5: The Part of Tens 4

Part 6: Appendixes 4

Icons Used in This Book 4

Where to Go from Here 5

Part 1: Embarking On a Journey: The Basics of Buddhism 7

Chapter 1: Entering the World of Buddhism: The Basics 9

Figuring Out Whether Buddhism is a Religion 10

Recognizing the Role of the Buddha 12

Understanding the Function of Philosophy in Buddhism 15

Appreciating Buddhist Practices 16

Living an ethical life 17

Examining your life through meditation 18

Practicing devotion 19

Dedicating Your Life to the Benefit of All Beings 19

Chapter 2: Understanding Your Mind: The Creator of All Experience 23

Recognizing How Your Mind Shapes Your Experience 24

Contrasting the Body and Mind 25

Approaching the Mind from Three Different Buddhist Perspectives 26

Recognizing the six major types of consciousness 27

Seeing how certain factors affect mental consciousness 28

Feeling around for your emotions 29

Appreciating the Fundamental Purity of Your Mind 31

Seeing that delusions can be remedied 31

Finding the sun behind the clouds 31

Tracing the Path of Wisdom and Loving Compassion 33

Wisdom: Removing the veils of misconception 33

Loving compassion: Opening your heart to others 34

Part 2: A Short History of Buddhism 37

Chapter 3: Surveying the Life and Teachings of the Historical Buddha 39

Revealing the Buddha's Early Life 40

A miraculous birth 42

An overprotective father 43

The prince marries: Imprisoned in palaces of pleasure 44

Forbidden knowledge revealed: The four visions 45

Beginning the Quest 46

Renouncing the royal life 46

Going to extremes and discovering the middle way 47

Sitting in the Shade of the Bodhi Tree: The Defeat of Mara 50

Benefiting Others: The Buddha's Career in Full Gear 52

Providing spiritual guidance: Turning the wheel of Dharma 52

Founding the community 53

Listening to the Buddha's final message: All things must pass 54

Understanding the Four Noble Truths 55

The truth of suffering 55

The truth of suffering's cause 57

The truth of suffering's cessation 59

The truth of the path 60

Envisioning the Future 63

The advent of Maitreya 63

Degeneration, followed by hope 64

Chapter 4: The Development of Buddhism on the Indian Subcontinent 67

Convening the First Buddhist Council 68

Gathering the council 68

Categorizing the teachings: The three baskets 69

Spreading the Teachings Peacefully 70

A Fork in the Road: Managing a Developing Split in the Buddhist Community 71

Convening the Second Council 71

Advancing the teachings in different ways 72

Making Buddhism a Religion of the People: The Emperor Ashoka's Influence 73

Transforming his approach 73

Promoting Buddhism beyond India 74

Two Levels of Practice in Early Buddhism 76

Witnessing Shifting All…