Buddha For Beginners

Writers & Readers Documentary Comic Book

by Stephen T. Asma

Despite widespread popularity of Buddhist practices (like meditation and yoga), there remains little understanding of the traditions and beliefs behind them.
"Buddha For Beginners" is a comprehensive introduction to the spiritual leader—a real person, named Siddhartha Gautama—who founded Buddhism. Within the contents of this book, Dr. Stephen T. Asma explains the Buddha’s ideology and explores the major philosophical questions that lie at Buddhism’s core.
Additionally, "Buddha For Beginners" studies the similarities and differences between Buddhism and analogous spiritual practices like Theravada, Madhyamika, Tantric, and Zen, as well as modern Buddhist schools of thought and Western philosophies.
It’s not only a book, but an experience; Using concrete knowledge and intuitive wisdom, Buddha educates while channeling the metaphysical components—such as peace and harmony—for which Buddhism is so well-known.
As a result, "Buddha For Beginners" is a definitive and fundamental foundation for understanding the creation and practice of Buddhist philosophy while challenging and enlightening readers.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Philosophy, History, Biography, Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Stephen T. Asma is a philosopher, author, and professor of philosophy at Columbia College Chicago, where he is also co-founder of the Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture. He is the author of eleven books exploring the intersections of philosophy, religion, science, imagination, and culture. His newest book, The Alchemist's Thread (HarperCollins, 2027), explores the hidden history of magic, mysticism, and esoteric spirituality, and features a foreword by actor Paul Giamatti.

His previous books include On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears (Oxford University Press), The Evolution of Imagination (University of Chicago Press), Why We Need Religion (Oxford University Press), The Emotional Mind (Harvard University Press, with Rami Gabriel), Against Fairness (University of Chicago Press), and The Gods Drink Whiskey (HarperOne).

A Fulbright Scholar, Asma has lived and taught in China and Cambodia and lectured internationally at institutions including Harvard, Oxford, Jia Tong, Fudan University, and the Smithsonian. His essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, Aeon, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and other publications. His books have been translated into numerous languages.

Beyond his academic work, Asma is a visual artist and blues/jazz musician who has performed with legendary musicians including Bo Diddley and Buddy Guy. He also co-created and co-hosted the popular podcast Chinwag with Paul Giamatti, exploring mysteries, the paranormal, philosophy, and the stranger corners of human experience.

Reviews

[Jason Pettus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a chance earlier this year to read Columbia College Chicago professor Stephen Asma's Why I Am a Buddhist, and ended up really enjoying it, a no-nonsense and secular-slanted guide to this philosophy/religion that humorously takes the piss out of hippie New Agers; so I've decided to read several other of his books this summer as well, with this being the first one I finished. It's exactly what the title describes, with content that could've easily been in one of those "Buddhism for Dummies" series instead, punctuated with several hundred illustrations done by Asma himself; it covers the life of Buddha the man, the ways that Buddhism is a direct response to the Hinduism that was popular in his lifetime, the core principles of the philosophy, and the ways that Buddhism broke off into various competing sects after Buddha's death, including a huge wing of mystical and religious Buddhism that was the exact opposite of what he originally taught. Nothing too fancy, this is a great little guide for people like me who know barely anything about Buddhism, and can be read from start to finish in a single day.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this book for free via a Goodreads Give Away - thank you!


Though this is definitely a "beginners" book, it is by no means dumbed down in language, so I appreciate that a lot. A great lets-start-at-the-beginning, informative breakdown of the historical Buddha. Would recommend this book to anyone looking to get a better understanding of the origins of Buddhism or of the historical Buddha vs. the popular Buddha.

[Angelina Núñez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Corta y divertida manera de conocer un poco mas esa cultura religiosa.

[Jeff Song · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is the best primer on Buddhism for anyone interested in learning the basic underlying principals, and the ways they relate to western ways of thinking.
I recommend this as a starting point to anyone who asks me about Buddhism, or wants to learn more.

[Christophunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually learned some new things from this wonderfully illustrated book, and I've been studying Buddhism for some time. Surprising and delightful and a good primer that breaks down some of the tougher concepts.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent short and simple explanation of a complex religion. Focuses on the philosophy (or psychology depending on your viewpoint) of the Buddha himself; not on the mythological religion that has been wrapped around this person. A great beginning point for the study of Buddhism.

[Mckinley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was disappointed. This is also full of western bias and frequently the illustrations detract rather than add to understanding. It is weak writing to insult others and be dismissive to make one's point. The first section and last sections of this book do this. Middle part is ok.

I don't recommend this for people interested in Buddhism. See Buddha: A Very Short Introduction
by Michael Carrithers; Buddha, the Word by Nyanatiloka; The Book on the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan W. Watts; What Makes You Not a Buddhist by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse; What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula; and The Dharma: That Illuminates All Beings Impartially Like the Light of the Sun and Moon by Khenpo Kalu Karma-Ran-Byun-Kun-Khyab-Prin-Las.

[Kristina Moses · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a really good quick refresher about Buddhism (I studied it in school so I'm not exactly the targeted beginner xD ). I especially enjoyed the explanations of how different schools of Buddhism changed the original ideas through their culture. The pictures were pretty entertaining though not my favorite art style. I also enjoyed the analogies the author included that help explain things such as the sense of no self through the use of a candle lighting another candle. The flame is not identical, yet there is a relationship. I'd say three and a half stars. It lost some points for bad editing in the beginning.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure the title fits this book

Not sure the title fits this book. It’s more a history of Buddhism. I found most of the art distracting although some were profound. Read more like a term paper. For me, there are better books to read for a beginner. I’d like to read more on practice and how to start your journey. If you want to understand the history, evolution and comparisons to religions, this may be the book for you.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent overview of Buddhism, its history, how has evolved through time and geography etc. It served well as a refresher for me as I walked round Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha and Buddhist pilgrimage site. I would note though, that despite being informative it doesn’t particularly engage with the philosophies, teachings or discourse within Buddhism. Definitely more of a factual and historical intro to the religion rather than a beginner’s guide to the religion itself.

[Biblioteca de evocaciones · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro es demasiado básico, tiene mucho dibujo y poco texto al menos en comparación a otros de esta misma serie. Sin embargo, es tan interesante el tema que trata que cumple con el objetivo de enseñar los más elementales postulados del hinduismo y el budismo. Quedará en el lector la tarea de buscar el camino para completar el conocimiento de esta milenaria y extraordinaria cultura y el hombre cuyas ideas ayudaron a crearla. Otra de las cosas interesantes que tiene esta obra es que hace hincapié en la figura humana del Buda y lo trata como un filósofo, comparando su pensamiento con el de otros autores tanto contemporáneos como anteriores (aquellos a los que se enfrentó) y posteriores. Un libro sólo para quienes no sepan nada de Buda y quieran conocer conceptos como NIRVANA, SAMSARA o EGO.

[Min · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stated objective to introduce Westerners to Buddhist philosophy, not its later developments. Quoting from sayings of the Buddha to explain the core teachings as believed to be preserved in the Theravada (Hinayana) canon. This work gives one an introduction to those original thoughts, and then argues why any later changes are not Buddhism, such as Nirvana as a heaven-like place, or any construction of metaphysics--which the Buddha specifically refused to speculate regarding it, regardless of the ideas being well-established in various popular sects.
The author offers a quick examination of women within Buddhism--how the Buddha said the sexes were equal, but that social traditions asserted themselves over the teachings, and women were again relegated to mother, or wife.

A list for further reading, of primary, and secondary sources, is offered.

The subject of Buddhism is so vast, no single book could cover the topic completely. Despite that, this book feels too narrow in its focus. It is the absolute bare bones concepts of early Buddhism, and a few of the major developments of later systems presented here. The information is reliable, yet, I wish there was more.

[Heike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m just starting out on my journey into learning something about Buddhism. I found this to be a good beginner book. Interesting enough to hold my attention, but not too difficult to understand. A quick informative read.

[Stacey Slager · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's good if you need something to fall asleep to. I listened to the audiobook, and so I didn't get to see the illustrations. Bit of a snore, that one.

[Tom Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great overview.

[AlondraRR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sencillo, con dibujos muy bonicos peeeero, me ha parecido que profundizaba poquito aunque eso como introducción esta bastante bien👌🏻

[Paballo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book! You will realise that it’s about the backs principles of life rather than religion.

[Aubrey Nekvinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and easy to follow. I did the audiobook and enjoyed it!

[Xolrax · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2

[Nate Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely helpful in understanding the history of Buddhism, and its similarities and differences to Western thought.

[Sun Matsui · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good quick overview of the Buddha principals.

[Jedidja · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Interesting introduction to Buddhist thinking! Very accessible and concise.

[Kat W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is good for people like me who have little to no knowledge of Buddhism. It even had some explanations regarding Hinduism and Western monotheism, which may help some readers put Buddhism in perspective. The book covers the basics with some history and covering the Buddha's philosophy/religion and how Buddhism has changed over time in different cultures. There's no filler content, no rambling, and there are pictures (if that helps you), though I did not like the art, it could be helpful.

[Derrick McNealy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting to see how Buddhism has evolved over the centuries. Occasionally, the author's illustrations helped to drive a main idea home, but I mostly found them to be a distraction from the text. Don't let the "two star" rating mislead you. "Two Stars" means "it was OK". So, I got something worthwhile out of reading it.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and informative discussion of the life of Guatama. Takes a somewhat dismissive tone with regard to Mahayana developments. More historical than philosophical.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is sweet, it presents deep and complicated themes about Buddhism simplistically and very straight forward. Don't let the title fool you, while it starts from the beginning and doesn't assume you know anything about the subject, its not elementary. But probably the best thing I like about this book is that its filled with pictures and makes for an easy read (it refers to itself technically as a "documentary comic book" which I rather like and find fitting). I love this kind of material but I just don't have the energy at this point to pick up a heavy & dense book, especially on on a topic such as this. So there you have it, great material that really makes you think and appreciate Buddhism for what it is in a nice and easy to digest format.

[Dauro Veras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Budismo em quadrinhos para principiantes, no título em português. Excelente introdução pra quem pretende conhecer melhor essa filosofia de vida, desde às origens às várias correntes e deturpações que surgiram depois. O leitor fica sabendo, por exemplo, que o Buda histórico era agnóstico - nunca quis responder de forma positiva ou negativa às perguntas dos discípulos sobre a vida eterna, para ele uma questão irrelevante diante dos desafios da iluminação durante a vida. As ilustrações são bem-humoradas, mas acho que nesse quesito, alguns cartunistas que conheço fariam bem melhor. Recomendo.

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good basic account of some aspects of Buddhist thinking, with strong sections on dependent origination and the two fold understanding of nibbana is very well explained in particular I.e. saupadisesa/anupadisesa. I didn't like some of the drawings at all, which detract from the text, and there's one minor but unforgivable typo which says the Yogacarins arose in the 6th century bCE, which would have predated the historical Buddha. Lots of areas I could criticise but given the type of book this is and the audience it's intended for that would be harsh. It is what it is.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very strange. It's a documentary comic book, part of a series that includes Black Panthers for Beginners, The History of Clowns for Beginners, and The Arabs and Israel for Beginners, to name just a few.

This volume focused on the Buddha and was a good intro to the Buddha's life in context and the evolution of Buddhism. I thought the illustrations were sort of creepy and the author was surprisingly snarky in places. Three stars, in part because I got this book for free.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Asma's intro to the life and thoughts of Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as the Enlightened One, or the Buddha, is a painless way to understand the key concepts of his philosophy. Asma provided his own illustrations, and the book covers the key aspects of Buddhist thought, and what happened to his theories after his death, as his ideas were formed into a "religion."