The Buddhist Handbook: A Complete Guide to Buddhist Schools, Teaching, Practice, and History

Description

This book offers a comprehensive worldwide cultural and historical view of Buddhism. The initial chapters detail its spread from India into China, Asia, Tibet, Japan, and adjacent areas. Later chapters deal with Buddhism in Europe since World War II, the history of North American Buddhism, and the influence of Buddhism on psychotherapy. The book is indexed and the appendixes contain a who's who in Buddhism; World Buddhist Festival dates; the addresses of the major North American, European, and world Buddhist societies; and bibliographies for each chapter. The only deficiency is that it's not a good guide to the practical details of meditation--the author believes meditation needs to be practiced under the direction of a teacher.

John Snelling (1943-1992) was General Secretary of the Buddhist Society as well as editor of the Society's journal, The Middle Way, the most widely circulated Buddhist periodical in the West. Among the many books he wrote are The Sacred Mountain: Pilgrims and Travellers at Mt. Kailas in Western Tibet, Buddhism in Russia, and The Elements of Buddhism.

"An invaluable nonsectarian map to the complex terrain of Buddhist philosophy, history, and practice."-- "Yoga Journal" "A useful and valuable guide. In a concise and readable style, it provides a foundation for discriminating among the range of authentic but different teachings being presented in the West today."-- "Shambhala Sun" "The perfect volume for a Western Buddhist to hand to a friend who asks, 'What is Buddhism, anyway?' Snelling is a fine writer: his prose is clear and readable, infused with intelligence and humor. This gives The Buddhist Handbook a significant advantage over many books about Buddhism, which can tend to be abstract and dryly scholarly."-- "American Bookseller"