The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom: A Complete Introduction to the Principles and Practices of Buddhism

A reader might reasonably expect to find more between the covers of a book with the words "encyclopedia" and "complete" in its title than is found here. In an attempt to provide a historical overview, Farrer-Halls (The World of the Dalai Lama) distills Buddhist thought to its essential points and provides practical examples of methods of practice in Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism. She is only moderately successful. One difficulty arises from the fact that important points, even though covered briefly, are often presented with commentary that might be considered extraneous and subjective rather than informational. The layout is attractive, but the illustrations unevenly support the concepts being presented. For a clear and concise introduction to Buddhist principles, Walpola Rahula's classic What the Buddha Taught (1986) still has not been surpasssed; for a discussion of contemporary practice, Samuel Bercholz's Entering the Stream (Shambhala, 1994), among others, is notable; and for a perceptive introduction and photographic study, Andrew Powell's Living Buddhism (Univ. of California, 1995) remains a good choice. Any or all of these titles would better serve most collections. Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.