Illustrated Buddha For Beginners

In this strikingly illustrated and authoritative volume, readers have an introduction to one of the world's greatest living faiths. 200 color photos, maps & drawings.

Consists more than 400 sayings from Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism. This title presents the text of F Max Muller's 1881 translation alongside illustrations from the collections of the Rubin Museum of Art. It portrays the Buddha as well as other sages in paintings, sculptures and textiles.

On Buddhist art and antiquity.

Despite the widespread popularity of Buddhist practices (like meditation), there is little understanding of the complex philosophy behind Buddhism. The historical Buddha, Gautama, was a real person—a radical—who challenged the religious leaders of his day. Buddha For Beginners introduces the reader to the historical Buddha, to the ideas that made him change his life, and to the fascinating philosophical debates that engaged him and formed the core of Buddhism. Buddha For Beginners compares Buddha’s philosophy with those of his contemporaries, the later Buddhist schools, and Western Philosophy. The book includes a survey, distinguishing the philosophical differences among later schools of Buddhism, such as Theravada, Madhyamaika, Tantric, Zen, and others. Buddha For Beginners is not a book you read, it is a book you experience. It makes you stop and close your eyes. Through some magical combination of words, drawings, and intuitive wisdom, Buddha For Beginners conveys not only the facts of Buddhism, but the peace, the silence...the feel of it. It is historically accurate, spiritually challenging, and the white spaces mean as much as the words.

"This lavishly illustrated book investigates an outstanding eighteenth-century example of a samut khoi, a type of beautiful folding book found in Southeast Asia, which became particularly popular as a repository for the Buddha's teachings. Written in Pali and produced in the Kingdom of Siam, its finely executed pictures, painted on khoi paper, show key incidents from stories of the past lives of the Buddha as he prepares for Buddhahood. These tales, historically one of the principal means whereby Buddhist teachings were communicated, known as Jatakas, are a favourite theme for manuscript art. Uniquely for such manuscripts, however, this samut khoi also offers an extensive series of scenes from the last life of the Buddha, including his final awakening and teaching, which is distinctive to the region. These related narratives all contribute to a superb example of eighteenth-century manuscript and calligraphic art. As well as affording great artistic opportunities for expressing the beauty of the Buddha's words and achievements, samut khois are repositories for popular chants and short distillations of doctrine. This book describes the context to this unusually rich expression of Thai Buddhist creativity and, in retelling the stories depicted, reveals the continued appeal of its closely related art and narrative traditions." -- Publisher's description.

Provides background information on Buddha and the Four Noble Truths, and describes meditation and Buddhist principles of the Theraveda, Zen, and Tibetan traditions.

This richly illustrated book introduces and explains Buddhist history, philosophy and practice, from its very beginnings to the present time. The first two chapters of the book deal with the life of the Buddha and his teachings. The third chapter covers the gradual spread of Buddhism and the interpretation of Buddhist scriptures over time. The fourth chapter deals with the practice of Buddhism today, country by country around the world. The final chapter discusses the major Buddhist schools and the key masters and interpreters within these schools, such as Theravada, Zen, Pure Land and Nichiren.

Meditation, Karma, Zen, Tantric and Nirvana are some of the many Buddhist ideas Westerners hear of frequently, even if their meaning has been lost in translation. This vast and complex non-theistic religion is woven into the fabric of Asian civilisations. from India to the Himalayan regions, China, Vietnam, Korea, Japan and elsewhere. What is Buddhism really all about? Introducing Buddha describes the life and teachings of the Buddha, but it also shows that enlightenment is a matter of experiencing the truth individually, and by inspiration which is passed from teacher to student. Superbly illustrated by Borin Van Loon, the book illuminates this process through a rich legacy of stories, explains the practices of meditation, Taoism and Zen, and goes on to describe the role of Buddhism in modern Asia and its growing influence on Western thought.

An Illustrated Outline of Buddhism is an ideal introduction to the vast and complex field of Buddhism, a world religion with more than a billion followers. In its short format and accessible style, it presents the essential features of the Buddhist religion with a clear yet concise style that is suitable for both the general reader and student of Buddhism. This fully color edition contains 40 color illustrations, including a stunning array of outstanding examples of Buddhist art, architecture, statuary, and calligraphy. Numerous maps, diagrams, and charts are included to illustrate important aspects of Buddhist beliefs and to summarize the different cultural forms and developmental phases of Buddhism. A select bibliography for further reading and a detailed index will also aid the reader.