A Concise History of Buddhism

by Skilton, Andrew

• ISBN13: 9780760721780
• ISBN10: 0760721785
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-07-01
• Publisher: Barnes & Noble

Summary

How and when did the many schools and subsects of Buddhism emerge? How does the historical figure of Siddhartha Gautama relate to the magical ritual of the Tantra or to the ardent devotion of the Pure Land schools? Did Buddhism modify the cultures to which it was introduced, or did they modify Buddhism? A Concise History of Buddhism explores the origins of this twenty-five-centuries-old religion and traces the major developments in Buddhism through the nineteenth century, focusing on the roots of present-day forms of the religion. Andrew Skilton describes and correlates the diverse manifestations of Buddhism -- in its homeland of India and in its spread across Asia, from Mongolia to Sri Lanka and from Japan to the Middle East. Drawing on the latest historical and literary research, the book explains the basic concepts of Buddhism, their development and their historical framework. Complete with a detailed index and comprehensive bibliography, A Concise History of Buddhism is a rich history of the Buddhist tradition. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

About the Author	p. 1
The Pronunciation of Sanskrit	p. 3
Preface	p. 5
Buddhism in India
The Ancient Indian Context	p. 13
The Buddha	p. 19
The Buddha's Teaching	p. 25
The Path to Awakening	p. 33
The Early Sangha	p. 39
The Councils	p. 45
Developments in the Sangha	p. 51
The Buddhist Schools	p. 59
The Tripitaka	p. 73
The Abhidharma	p. 85
Origins of the Mahayana	p. 93
The Mahayana Sutras	p. 99
The New Spiritual Ideal	p. 109
The Mahayana Schools I: The Madhyamaka	p. 115
The Mahayana Schools II: The Yogacara	p. 121
The Tathagatagarbha Doctrine	p. 131
The Tantra and Vajrayana Buddhism	p. 135
The End of Buddhism in India	p. 143
Buddhism Beyond India
Buddhism in Sri Lanka	p. 149
Buddhism in South-east Asia	p. 155
Buddhism in Central Asia and Kashmir	p. 161
Buddhism in China	p. 165
Buddhism in Korea	p. 175
Buddhism in Japan	p. 177
Buddhism in Tibet	p. 183
Buddhism in Mongolia	p. 193
Buddhism in Nepal	p. 195
Buddhism in Persia	p. 199
Notes	p. 205
Bibliography	p. 213
Index	p. 247
Maps
India	p. 12
Asia	p. 148
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