Buddhism For Dummies von Gudrun/Bodian Bühnemann

<p><b>Your hands-on guide to this widely practiced and ancient religion</b></p><p>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?<i>Buddhism For Dummies</i> 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.</p><p>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.</p><ul><li>New and expanded coverage on all the schools of Buddhism, including Theravada, Tibetan, and Mahayana</li><li>The continuing relevance of the Dalai Lama</li><li>Updated coverage on daily observances, celebrations, styles, practices, meditation, and more</li></ul><p>Continuing the Dummies tradition of making the world's religions engaging and accessible to everyone,<i>Buddhism For Dummies</i> is your essential guide to this fascinating religion.</p><p></p><p></p><p><i>P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, youre 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 shouldnt be considered a new or updated product. But if youre in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. Were always writing about new topics!</p>

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.

Introduction1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 2How This Book is Organized 2Part 1: Embarking on a Journey: The Basics of Buddhism 3Part 2: A Short History of Buddhism 3Part 3: Behaving Like a Buddhist 3Part 4: Exploring the Buddhist Path 3Part 5: The Part of Tens 4Part 6: Appendixes 4Icons Used in This Book 4Where to Go from Here 5Part 1: Embarking On a Journey: The Basics of Buddhism 7Chapter 1: Entering the World of Buddhism: The Basics 9Figuring Out Whether Buddhism is a Religion 10Recognizing the Role of the Buddha 12Understanding the Function of Philosophy in Buddhism 15Appreciating Buddhist Practices 16Living an ethical life 17Examining your life through meditation 18Practicing devotion 19Dedicating Your Life to the Benefit of All Beings 19Chapter 2: Understanding Your Mind: The Creator of All Experience 23Recognizing How Your Mind Shapes Your Experience 24Contrasting the Body and Mind 25Approaching the Mind from Three Different Buddhist Perspectives 26Recognizing the six major types of consciousness 27Seeing how certain factors affect mental consciousness 28Feeling around for your emotions 29Appreciating the Fundamental Purity of Your Mind 31Seeing that delusions can be remedied 31Finding the sun behind the clouds 31Tracing the Path of Wisdom and Loving Compassion 33Wisdom: Removing the veils of misconception 33Loving compassion: Opening your heart to others 34Part 2: A Short History of Buddhism 37Chapter 3: Surveying the Life and Teachings of the Historical Buddha 39Revealing the Buddhas Early Life 40A miraculous birth 42An overprotective father 43The prince marries: Imprisoned in palaces of pleasure 44Forbidden knowledge revealed: The four visions 45Beginning the Quest 46Renouncing the royal life 46Going to extremes and discovering the middle way 47Sitting in the Shade of the Bodhi Tree: The Defeat of Mara 50Benefiting Others: The Buddhas Career in Full Gear 52Providing spiritual guidance: Turning the wheel of Dharma 52Founding the community 53Listening to the Buddhas final message: All things must pass 54Understanding the Four Noble Truths 55The truth of suffering 55The truth of sufferings cause 57The truth of sufferings cessation 59The truth of the path 60Envisioning the Future 63The advent of Maitreya 63Degeneration, followed by hope 64Chapter 4: The Development of Buddhism on the Indian Subcontinent 67Convening the First Buddhist Council 68Gathering the council 68Categorizing the teachings: The three baskets 69Spreading the Teachings Peacefully 70A Fork in the Road: Managing a Developing Split in the Buddhist Community 71Convening the Second Council 71Advancing the teachings in different ways 72Making Buddhism a Religion of the People: The Emperor Ashokas Influence 73Transforming his approach 73Promoting Buddhism beyond India 74Two Levels of Practice in Early Buddhism 76Witnessing Shifting Allegiances and New Ideals 77Turning to the stupas 78Taking a ride in the Great Vehicle: Mahayana Buddhism 78Recognizing the Major Mahayana Themes 79Chronicling the Rise of the Mahayana Teachings 80White Lotus of the Good Dharma Sutra 80Exposition of Vimalakirti Sutra 81Perfection of Wisdom Sutras 81Descent into Lanka Sutra 82World-Array Sutra 82Land of Bliss Sutras 83Looking at the Decline and Reappearance of Buddhism in India 84Disappearing act 85Reappearing in India 86Moving Mountains: Buddhism in Nepal 86Delving into Buddhist traditions of Nepal 87Narrowing in on Newar Buddhism 87Chapter 5: Watching Developments Continue to the Present Day 89Tracing the Two Routes of Buddhism 90Spreading the Way of the Elders Across Southeast Asia Theravada Buddhism takes root in Thailand 92Vipassana meditation gains popularity in the West 94Driving the Great Vehicle to China and Beyond 97Watching Mahayana Buddhism evolve in China 98Examining Flower Ornament and Tiantai: The great unifying systems 101Chronicling Pure Land and other devotional schools 102Zen: Taking root in the Far East and the West 108From Tibet to the West: Charting the movement of the Diamond Vehicle 114Part 3: Behaving Like a Buddhist 125Chapter 6: Turning to Buddhism127Proceeding at Your Own Pace 127Taking responsibility for your own life 128Determining your level of involvement 129Getting Acquainted with the Teachings of Buddhism 130Reading books on Buddhist teachings 131Choosing a tradition 131Receiving meditation instruction 132Developing a meditation practice 133Finding a teacher 133Formally Becoming a Buddhist 135Focusing on the importance of renunciation 135Taking refuge in the Three Jewels 136Receiving the precepts 137Exploring further stages of practice 139Entering the Monastic Way 140Renouncing the world 140Ordaining as a monk or nun 141Dedicating your life to Buddhist practice 142Chapter 7: Meditation: A Central Practice of Buddhism145Dispelling Some Meditation Myths 146Defining Meditation 147Exploring the Benefits of Meditation 149Examining how neuroscientists see it 149Recognizing the condition youre in 150Cultivating equanimity 152Turning an old phrase upside down: Dont do something just sit there 153Appreciating your life 156Understanding the Threefold Nature of Buddhist Meditation 157Developing mindful awareness 158Deepening concentration 160Developing penetrating insight 161Developing the Three Wisdoms As the Foundation for Insight 162Cultivating wisdom from listening to the teachings 163Cultivating wisdom from reflecting on what you heard 164Cultivating wisdom from meditating on what you understand 164Chapter 8: A Day in the Life of a Buddhist Practitioner 167Surveying the Role of Monasteries in Buddhism 168Renouncing Worldly Attachments: A Day in the Life of a Western Buddhist Monk 169Following a day in the life 170Punctuating the calendar with special events 171Growing a Lotus in the Mud: A Day in the Life of a Zen Practitioner 175Following a day in the life 176Attending silent retreats 179Gathering for special events 181Devoting Yourself to the Three Jewels: A Day in the Life of a Vajrayana Practitioner 181Trusting the Mind of Amida: A Day in the Life of a Pure Land Buddhist 185Chapter 9: Walking in the Buddhas Footsteps187Visiting the Primary Places of Pilgrimage 187Lumbini: A visit to the Buddhas birthplace 189Bodh Gaya: Place of enlightenment 190Sarnath: The first teaching 193Kushinagar: The Buddhas death 195Seeing Other Important Pilgrimage Sites 195Rajgir 195Shravasti197Sankashya 197Nalanda 198Going on Pilgrimage Today 198Part 4: Exploring the Buddhist Path 201Chapter 10: What is Enlightenment, Anyway? 203Considering the Many Faces of Spiritual Realization 204Reviewing the Theravada Traditions Take on Nirvana 206Defining nirvana 206Revealing the four stages on the path to nirvana 207Getting a Handle on Two Traditions of Wisdom 208Realizing the Minds Essential Purity in the Vajrayana Tradition 209Taking the direct approach to realization 210Understanding the complete enlightenment of a Buddha 211Standing Nirvana on Its Head with Zen 211Tuning in to the direct transmission from master to disciple 212The ten ox-herding pictures 214Finding the Common Threads in Buddhist Enlightenment 221Chapter 11: A Matter of Life and Death223Taking Death Personally 224Recognizing Your Life As a Rare and Precious Opportunity 226Facing Reality: The Nine-Part Death Meditation 227Understanding that your death is definite 228Realizing that the time of your death is uncertain 230Using death awareness as your spiritual ally 230Reaping the Result of the Death Meditation 231Dealing with the Death of a Loved One 232Surveying Attitudes toward Death in Buddhist Traditions 232Theravada: Getting off the wheel of existence 233Vajrayana: Turning death itself into the path 235Zen: Dying the great death before you die 236Chapter 12: Minding the Concept of Karma239Appreciating the Law of Karmic Cause and Effect 239Experiencing Karmic Consequences 240Following the Buddhas Ethical Guidance 241Exploring the Buddhist Precepts 242Arranging the precepts behind three doors 243Taking a deeper look at the ten nonvirtuous actions 244Dealing with Transgressions 251Atoning for mistakes 251Purifying negative karma 252Chapter 13: Breaking Free of the Cycle of Dissatisfaction255Feeling Like Lifes a Big Rat Race 256Spinning the Wheel of Life: The Meaning of Wandering in Samsara 257Identifying the root delusions 260Surveying the six realms of existence 263Understanding the 12 links 266Cutting through Suffering: The Three Trainings 271Chapter 14: Fulfilling Your Highest Potential 275Ordering a Round of Happiness for Everyone and Everything 276Dedicating Your Heart to Others 277Keeping it all in the family 278Figuring out what all beings desire 279Nurturing the Four Divine Abodes 281Extending loving-kindness 281Developing compassion 281Nurturing sympathetic joy 283Establishing equanimity 283Cultivating the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva 285Practicing open-hearted generosity 286Following the self-discipline of ethical behavior 287Developing patience 288Practicing with enthusiastic effort 290Sharpening your concentration 291Cultivating the ultimate perfection: Insightful wisdom 293Chapter 15: Life Stories of Four Buddhist Masters 295Dipa Ma (19111989) 296Spending her early years as a wife and mother 296Overcoming physical ailments through meditation 297Sharing her story with others 298Ajahn Chah (19181992) 299Finding his way in the forest of life 300Blazing the monastic trail 300Thich Nhat Hanh (Born 1926) 301Working for peace in times of war 302Forging new beginnings from classic ideals 303The Dalai Lama (Born 1935) 304Understanding the legacy of reincarnation 305Reviewing the early life of the present Dalai Lama 306Dealing with the Chinese 308Finding freedom in exile 309Appreciating his interest in science 310Embracing the role of Buddhist ambassador to the world 310Part 5: The Part of Tens313Chapter 16: Ten Common Misconceptions about Buddhism315Buddhism is Only for Asians 316To Buddhists, the Buddha is God 317Buddhists are Idol Worshippers 317Because Buddhists Think Life is Suffering, They Look Forward to Dying 318Buddhists Think That Everything is an Illusion 318Buddhists Dont Believe in Anything 319Only Buddhists Can Practice Buddhism 320Buddhists are Interested Only in Contemplating Their Navels 320Buddhists Never Get Angry 321Its Just Your Karma; Theres Nothing You Can Do about It 322Buddhists Dont Know How to Count 322Chapter 17: Ten Ways Buddhism Can Help You Deal with Lifes Problems 323Affirming the Basic Principles 324Applying the Basic Principles 324Turning the page on your great expectations 325Accepting change gracefully 325Breaking up the concrete 326Pretending to Be a Buddha 327Watching your car rust 328Seeing that whats yours isnt really yours 328Feeling sorry for a thief 329Tendering your resignation to pain 330Turning off the projector 331Dealing with uninvited houseguests 332Part 6: Appendixes335Appendix A: Explaining Buddhist Terms 337Appendix B: Additional Buddhist Resources to Check Out 343Index 353

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