An Introduction to the Buddha and His Teachings

by Samuel Bercholz

The grandeur, simplicity, and freshness of the 2,500-year-old tradition of Buddhism are reflected in this collection of writings intended as a primer for newcomers to the subject as well as a reference for those familiar with Buddhism. The selections The story of the Buddha's life. A concise historical background. Key writings of Theravada, Mahayana, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism. Meditation instructions. A Buddhist explanation of reincarnation. Simple explanations of terms. A pictorial survey of Buddhist art and architecture.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion, Philosophy, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Zen

Hardcover

First published December 14, 1993

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great introduction to the Dharma. The chapters on the Heart Sutra, Diamond Sutra, and Zen Buddhism I found to be particularly interesting. The section on Zen Buddhism taught me the important of the Full Lotus Position while meditating, which I am currently struggling to get comfortable in over extended periods of time.

[Raul Alonzo Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad big-picture introduction. The chapters on meditation I found the most interesting. Might be better for general reference than as a full read-through like I did.

[Jeremy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively straightforward introduction to Buddhism, that expects a lot of the vocab footwork to be done on your own time.

The book is composed of four parts: The life and spread of Buddhism, the basic teachings of Buddhism, the teachings of the "great vehicle" (this part is basically a catch-all for various Buddhist teachings and stories), and finally, the tantric teachings.

As a complete beginner to Buddhism, the book excels in terms of content, but absolutely falls apart in teaching. I learned a great deal about the overall themes and teachings of Buddhism, such as emptiness, meditation, and duality (and subsequent nihilism, in some Buddhist stories), but found myself absolutely swamped in terminology that made some stories nigh unreadable for a beginner. The addition of a glossary does help this out a bit, but having more in-text explanations for various Buddhist terms would've done wonders to help the learning process for other beginners.

Overall, the book accomplished what it set out to be: a good starting point for those who aren't necessarily well versed in Buddhism. On a personal level I would've preferred a much more lengthy section on the history and spread of Buddhism, as that can give a lot of relative context on why certain Buddhist figures taught and thought the way they did.

I came out of this book with a much better understanding of the central tenets of Buddhism, and now have the ability to dive deeper into any aspect, so as an introduction, the book accomplished its goal quite well!

[Melissa Moniz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from reading this book. It labeled for me a lot of the things I’ve experienced while practicing meditation. Not only is it informative, but the stories in it are interesting and fascinating. I give it 4 stars and not five because some chapters are hard to read, particularly chapter 18 to me it was almost unreadable maybe it is just me but it wasn’t the languages used it was more of the wording that made it hard to read.

[Leo Michelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st book on Buddhism I read in 1994 that got me hooked from the 1st page...love that i found it at a used bookstore and revisit these accessible teachings!

[Jennings · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't read it all, as it is a compendium of readings rather than a book in and of itself. The readings were lovely but it isn't something to read in one sitting.

[C Settles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introductory read for those not familiar with Buddhism. Recommend followup with The Buddhist Bible for in depth look.

[Cat Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read multiple times in my life. It keeps me informed and centered when flipping the pages.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great glossary and introductory essays. I'm waiting to read more general overviews of Buddhism before returning to the selected pieces included here.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful introductory book to Buddhism. It told a succinct history of Buddhism and all of its tenets and off shoots. Because Buddhism provides a completely new way of looking at the world, it took me a bit to get through, but it was definitely worth the read. I especially loved how most of the components of Buddhism were explained through excerpts from practicing Buddhists. I now have a working reading list and an idea about the authors and their writing. A must read for anyone interested in learning about and studying Buddhism.

[Beesknees · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it gave a pretty thorough outline about Buddhism in general and also the three major schools of teaching. A solid intro book that presents a good selection of teachers and texts for further study.

I really like that there was a wide selection of different Buddhist texts, though I will admit I got completely lost on the language of some of the older ones.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dense book on Buddhism with chapters written by well-known buddhists such as Pema Chodron and Tich Naht Hahn. I never finished the book, but I read was well-written, interesting, and informative. I would recommend it for anyone with a serious interest in the teachings of Buddhism.

[Karl Nehring · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is some nice material anthologized here, although some of the later chapters on Tantric teachings are a bit esoteric. Still, it is good to have original material from primary sources brought together into one attractive volume.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful book of independent chapters exploring aspects of Buddhism. Highly recommended!

[Stacey Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

very interesting...

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is the book that got me interested in buddhism.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe this book has been retitled, but is a great introductory volume for anyone interested in Buddhism.

[Smp · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book for anyone who is interested in budhism, very easy to read.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buddhist reading is never easy, but reading this book in small bites opened doors to me that I didn't realize I'd closed. Eye-opening and enlightening.

[Kent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent introductory Buddhist texts drawn from all over the world.

[bobby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic overview or introduction to buddhism.