Basic Buddhism: Exploring Buddhism and Zen

by 南懷瑾, Nan Huai-Chin

Nan Huai Chin provides an overview of the history and tradition of Buddhism, tracing it from its inception in India to its transmission to China, and its subsequent blossoming throughout the world. He shares the basis and origins, relating the many stories surrounding the life of Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, as well as the cultural and religious setting of India that fostered the initial rise of Buddhism. He explains the various philosophical trends and evolution, and provides an overview of the Vinaya, Tiantai, Satyasiddhi, Three Treatises, Pure Land, Abhidharmakosha, Zen, Tantra/Esoteric, and other schools. He also discusses Buddhism in the rest of Asia, Europe, and America. and brings us up to date with a discussion of Buddhism in the 20th century. This is an indispensable book for a solid understanding of contemporary Buddhism in its varied forms.

243 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1997

About the author

南懷瑾，生於中國浙江樂清縣，為漢學學者、文化名人。南懷瑾於浙江國術館國術訓練員專修班畢業，中央軍校政治研究班畢業，金陵大學研究院社會福利系肄業。1949年隨中國國民黨遷至台灣，受邀在多所大學、機關、社會團體講學，後曾旅居美國、香港等地。其論著的主要方向包括儒家、道家、佛教等領域，其生平致力於傳播中國傳統哲學。2012年9月29日於中國蘇州太湖大學堂去世。

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book about how Buddhism arrived in China. Found it a bit hard to follow at times as it kept jumping back & forth in time. Also, I found some of the words very hard to pronounce which was a bit frustrating.