The Buddhist World joins a series of books on the world's great religions and cultures, offering a lively and up-to-date survey of Buddhist studies for students and scholars alike. It explores regional varieties of Buddhism and core topics including buddha-nature, ritual, and pilgrimage. In addition to historical and geo-political views of Buddhism, the volume features thematic chapters on philosophical concepts such as ethics, as well as social constructs and categories such as community and family. The book also addresses lived Buddhism in its many forms, examining the ways in which modernity is reshaping traditional structures, ancient doctrines, and cosmological beliefs.
"In The Buddhist World, John Powers has brought together many of the world's best Buddhism scholars to create a volume that approaches the tradition from several key angles: historical, geographical, religious, philosophical, social, and biographical....The book as a whole is a landmark contribution, sure to be a source of information for general readers and an important research tool for scholars for many years to come."
Roger R. Jackson, Carleton College, USA
"The Buddhist World is a remarkable introduction to Buddhism by some of the world's leading scholars. The work is breathtaking in scope, covering the entire Buddhist world in its full geographical and historical breadth. Thematic and biographical chapters offer added depth into key issues and important figures. Introducing readers to the latest, cutting-edge scholarship in accessible, jargon-free prose, this is a fabulous resource for beginning and advanced students of Buddhism alike."
José Cabezón, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
"This volume covers an array of key facets of Buddhism(s), and does so with a good balance between topics and thinkers/schools. It also features essays about different Buddhist regions, including the United States."
Christopher Ives, Stonehill College, USA
Roger R. Jackson, Carleton College, USA
"The Buddhist World is a remarkable introduction to Buddhism by some of the world's leading scholars. The work is breathtaking in scope, covering the entire Buddhist world in its full geographical and historical breadth. Thematic and biographical chapters offer added depth into key issues and important figures. Introducing readers to the latest, cutting-edge scholarship in accessible, jargon-free prose, this is a fabulous resource for beginning and advanced students of Buddhism alike."
José Cabezón, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA
"This volume covers an array of key facets of Buddhism(s), and does so with a good balance between topics and thinkers/schools. It also features essays about different Buddhist regions, including the United States."
Christopher Ives, Stonehill College, USA