Buddha

Very Short Introductions #041

by Michael Carrithers, Vlad Russo (trad.)

Intr-o istorie care n-a pus in joc numai idei, Buddha este pesemne singurul creator de religie in numele caruia nu s-au miscat armate, n-a curs sange nevinovat si n-au avut loc rasunatoare demolari de zei. Si totusi, el n-a incetat sa exercite vreme de doua mii cinci sute de ani o fascinatie enigmatica asupra unei bune parti a omenirii. Asupra acestei enigme se apleaca Michael Carrithers – antropolog cunoscut in mediile academice britanice –, incercînd sa afle un raspuns in personalitatea Iluminatului, in povestea vietii sale, in doctrina nascuta din experienta trezirii sau in evolutia budismului dupa moartea intemeietorului sau.

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

140 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Michael B. Carrithers is a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Durham, and a member of its Behaviour, Ecology, and Evolution Research Centre.

Reviews

[فؤاد · Rating 3 out of 5]

بودا

سيذارتها گوتاما، شاهزاده اى كه از رنج خود و بشر به تنگ آمده بود، از زندگانی شاهانه ی خود گریخت و به تاركان دنيا پيوست، اما پس از پيمودن دو طريقت مراقبه و رياضت، به اين نتيجه رسيد كه اين راه ها هيچ يك به رستن از رنج نمى انجامد. پس فارغ از اين مسلك ها، زير درخت بودهى (انجير مقدّس) نشست و به تأمل فرو رفت، و ناگاه به روشنايى رسيد و راه گريز از چرخه ى ابدى رنج را يافت، و از آن پس بودا ناميده شد: آن كه به روشنايى رسيده است.


بودا بعدها آن چه در زير درخت بدان دست يافته بود را در چهار حقيقت شريف بيان كرد:

١. هستى رنج است.

اندوه هايى بزرگ، چون مرگ كودكان يا مادران، جنگ ها و مصيبت هاى بزرگ،
يا اندوه هايى كوچك، چون ضرر كردن در يك معامله يا اختلاف زناشويى يا كسالت از روزمرگى،
يا رنج هايى انتزاعى، همچون آگاهی از اين كه هر شادمانى ناپايدار است و باقی نخواهد ماند، خود رنجى است كه حتى در لحظه ى شادى آدمى را در بر گرفته، حتى اگر فرد غافل باشد.

٢. سبب رنج خواهش است.

نه انسان، بلكه هر باشنده اى پيوسته مى خواهد از حالى كه هست به درآيد و به حالى برود كه در بادى امر در نظرش خوشايندتر است، هر چند پس از رسيدن به آن حال، باز خواهش دگرگونى رهايش نمى كند.
خواهش همچون خدايى نامتشخص بر تمام پديده هاى اين جهانى حكم مى راند و آن ها را به عطشى سيرى ناپذير و حركتى بی توقف و در نتيجه رنجى مدام وا مى دارد.
و خواهش رفتن از بدنى به بدن ديگر در چرخه ى تناسخ نيز بيرون از سيطره ى اين خداى نامتشخص نيست.
اين خواهش هم جنبه اى شخصى و فلسفى دارد و هم جنبه اى اجتماعى و اخلاقى، و خواهش در عرصه ى اجتماع موجب نزاع ها و تعارض ها و جنگ ها مى گردد.

٣. درمان رنج در بى خواهشى است.

٤. بى خواهشى با هشتخوان شريف به دست مى آيد.

اين هشتخوان را در سه سرفصل عام تر دسته بندى كرده اند:
١. مراقبه، براى درمان خواهش شخصى.
٢. اخلاق، براى درمان خواهش اجتماعى.
٣. فرزانگى، كه حاصل دو سرفصل قبلى است.



كتاب

كتاب كمى پيچيده تر از اونه كه براى شروع بوداخوانى گزينه مناسبى باشه. مخصوصاً كه بخش زيادى رو به مقايسه تعليمات بودا و تعليمات مرتاض ها و جوكى ها (كه بستر تولد بودا بودن) مى پردازه، كه در عين مفيد و جالب بودن، ضرورتى ندارن.
هنوز اون قدر از بودا نخوندم (و قصد دارم بخونم) ولى به نظرم فصل بوداى "تاريخ جامع اديان" جان باير ناس، فعلاً گزينه بهتريه.

[Darwin8u · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice summary of Buddha and Buddhism. Hard to do a full biography of Buddha without exploring the religion and core writings of the Awakened One. For about 10 years I considered myself a Zen Mormon. Now, I'd probably consider myself an agnostic, humanist/secular Zen Mormon. But, hey, one way to strip oneself of labels is just to overlabel things. My interest in secular buddhism seems to parallel and overlap my interest in Greek (Zeno of Citium) and Roman (Marcus Aurelius) Stoicism. Anyway, a quick overview of the man and the path.

[Riku Sayuj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn’t really go into the buddhist philosophy at all. More of a biographical and historical overview and a casual investigation of what might have prompted Buddha’s trajectory of thoughts/teachings. And since most of that hagiography is common knowledge, even for a western reader, this was not very useful. Could have been a slightly deeper introduction. This one was way too shallow, most VSIs I have read till now cover much more ground.

[Stefun · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Doar abandonînd lumea cu desăvîşire, doar renunţînd la orice păgubitoare făptuire, poţi scăpa din acest cumplit mecanism şi poţi ajunge la "ceea ce nu se naşte, nu îmbătrîneşte, nu e supus bolii şi nici morţii"."

[Mckinley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but packed full. In describing the life, he explains the teachings. Short, concise description of the life of Siddhartha Gautama and the teachings of the Buddha.

One of my top 10 Buddhist books.

[Ahmed Faiq · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to choose as an introduction, for a big and important topic like the Buddha and Buddhism, although small but still compact and deep. It covers most of the life of the Buddha and a lot about his philosophy from a neutral and contemporary point of view.

[Shane Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good one to start with for those interested in Buddha.

[Jirka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I basically knew everything i wanted to know from this book in the first half and the other half was in my opinion same thing over and over again about his ways of teaching. I can't say im disappointed by this book because I already had small expectations but overall it's a good introduction to Buddhism.

[Nazila]

مترجم کتاب استاد عزیز خودم دکتر علی محمد حق شناس است که یادش به خیر و روحش قرین آرامش! شنیده بودم که بودا و فلسفه ی بودا سنگین است و گاه غیر قابل فهم با تمام این احوال، باید بگویم که گاه این مسئله را در ترجمه ی کتاب دیدم تادر پیچیدگی فلسفه ی بودا ! باز هم نمیدانم نویسنده برای موجز نویسی پیچیده کرده بود یا مترجم در برگردان متن با مشکل این همان گویی مواجه میشود، شاید هم هر دو. بیش ترین مشکل را در فصل سوم داشتم آن جا که نویسنده توضیح میدهد چرا بودا فرق دوره ی خودرا امتحان کرد ولی به هیچ کدام تن نداد با این همه، از هر کدام مخشی را که با آموزه ه پذیرفت قسمت چهارم درباره ی مراقبه های چهارگانه بودا میگوید که بازهم به نظرم آمد که این همان گویی دارد ضمن آن که نویسنده نه از منظر منتقد، بلکه از منظر ستایشگر به بودایسم مینگرد.

[Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have been checking out a lot of these recently. None have been poor so far and some have been quite good. This volume is solid. Those expecting a nuts and bolts life (always difficult with the Buddha, since most early accounts are saturated with parables, rumors and legends) will be a little disappointed. Carrithers gets pretty deep into the weeds as soon as he begins discussing the four noble truths and the Buddha's insights into meditation. So what begins as a kind of life turns into, by the end, a review of key buddhist doctrines (as they can be reconstructed) as received from the religion's founder. Those with at least a passing familiarity with Buddhism may do fine but absolute neophytes are going to find parts of this heavy sledding indeed.

[Addie Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the rest of the series this book gives you a solid foundation without overwhelming you. It covers the Buddha’s life and basic philosophy, but it’s more of a historical overview than a deep dive into doctrine. It shows how Buddhism changed as it spread and even highlights the periods when the tradition nearly disappeared

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Đúng là cần phải phân biệt rõ ngón tay và mặt trăng.

[Saman]

بودا بيش از دوهزار و پانصد سال پيش در حالي كه زير درختي نشسته بود با اشراقي عظيم به بيداري رسيد و به معرفت تعيين كننده درباره‌ي سرنوشت آدمي راه برد و با يقيني تزلزل‌ناپذير پي‌برد كه خود از رنج آن سرنوشت رهايي يافته است
با گذشت زماني چنين بلند، گويي غبار زمانه هيچ از شفافيت پيام و اشراق بودا نكاسته است. افسون بودا هنوز در بين مريدانش كارگر است. اما به راستي چرا؟ آيا اين خود قابل دفاع است؟ آيا اهل رازي از ديار شرق كه در نيمه‌هاي هزاره‌ي نخست پيش از ميلاد در دل شرايط تاريخي‌اي به كلي بيگانه و متفاوت از روزگار ما مي‌زيست چه در چنته دارد تا امروز و اكنون براي دنياي معاصر به ارمغان آورد؟

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is some difficult material here when the author explains the different levels of meditation the Buddha described in the way to enlightenment, but in the whole a very easy to read book. Although the basics of Buddhism are explained, the author sets the scene for the time and place in which the Buddha lived, and actually cuts through the mysticism to try to get a sense of the man and his original message. I've read a lot on Buddhism, and found this definitely filled gaps in my knowledge. Very good book.

[M. Ashraf · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is more on Buddha not Buddhism or at least it did a bad job on the latter.
More of a biographical and historical overview on the man himself and what led him to be.
Great history lesson though.
Good VSI.

[Troy Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A succinct and clear map of the Buddha's path to enlightenment. Very accessible to an American such as myself and does a great job navigating the mythos of Buddha's origins as well as his most fundamental teachings. Great and short read.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly the kind of thing I had in mind to get started with such an interesting subject and philosophical outlook. I've been left wanting more, and will absolutely check out some of the recommended further reading.

[Tracey Hewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this introduction to Buddhism. Especially the genesis of Buddha's thinking. Recommended reading for anyone wanting to know about Buddhism's foundations

[0 Zayn!]

If u expected this book tell about Budha Gautama (as personal) just ignore it.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads # Buddhism, Buddha’s Biography & Retellings

Michael Carrithers’ slim volume in Oxford’s “Very Short Introduction” series might look like a pocket guide you can breeze through on a train ride, but its compactness hides a surprising depth. In just over a hundred pages, Carrithers sketches not only the life of Siddhartha Gautama but also the evolution of his teachings and the diverse worlds they entered. The result is not a mere primer but a kind of intellectual map, showing how a single seeker from the Ganges plain became the axis around which an entire civilizational tradition turned.

Carrithers opens with the basics—the Buddha’s birth, renunciation, and awakening—but he resists the easy temptation to narrate them as a series of pious legends. Instead, he sets each event against the social and philosophical backdrop of 5th-century BCE India.

The Ganges plain was a melting pot of new cities, new wealth, and new anxieties, and Carrithers highlights how the Buddha’s teachings about impermanence, compassion, and non-self spoke directly to this world in flux. Like Karen Armstrong, but in far briefer strokes, he shows how the Buddha’s message was both radical and practical, a rejection of empty ritual and a blueprint for ethical community.

What makes this “very short introduction” particularly satisfying is its balance between biography and doctrine. Carrithers devotes almost as much space to the early Buddhist community (the sangha) and its evolving practices as he does to Siddhartha’s life story. He discusses the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path without jargon, yet without diluting their rigor. He even manages to touch on the later developments—Mahayana, Theravāda, the spread to Sri Lanka and Central Asia — giving the reader a sense of Buddhism as a living, changing tradition rather than a static creed.

The prose is clean, concise, and accessible without feeling shallow. Carrithers is at his best when explaining complex ideas, like anattā (non-self) or dependent origination, in terms that invite curiosity rather than fear. You finish each chapter feeling that you’ve been given not only facts but also an interpretive framework for seeing why the Buddha’s insights have endured across cultures.

Of course, brevity comes at a price: readers wanting narrative colour or detailed textual analysis will need to turn to longer biographies. But as an orientation — a first port of call before diving into thicker tomes — Carrithers’ book excels. It’s like a clear lens you can look through before gazing at the dazzling but sometimes overwhelming landscape of Buddhist history.

By the final page, Buddha: A Very Short Introduction feels less like a summary and more like an invitation — to read further, to think harder, and perhaps even to practise. It’s a reminder that “short” need not mean superficial, and that even a concise sketch of the Awakened One can still illuminate a vast tradition with warmth and clarity.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This VSI is a reprint of Michael Carrithers introduction to the Buddha in Oxford's Past Masters series, published back in the 80s. This bring the case, the further reading section is a bit dated, with no books going beyond the mid 80s.

This is a decent introduction, though. It emphasizes the Buddha's doctrine more than his life details, as the author notes those details are full of myth and fable. The author is an anthropologist, and some of the highlights of this book are his recollections of his work with Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka. Also interesting was his situating the Buddha in the context of his era and locale. I found the bits about doctrine, especially the 4 noble truths and the concepts of self and non-self to be less interesting. In fact, those parts were a bit of a slog for me. Outside of that it was good. Also, I find I disagree with the Buddha on at least a few points. I had previously suspected as much but had it reinforced with this book.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the BUDDHISM one, I got more of what I felt was a "close" appreciation for the influence of the Buddha on religio-philosophical history. It might help that Carrithers did close studies of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks. There was still a bit of "Westernized" terminology (talking of "salvation," "transmigration," e.g.) but that might just be unavoidable in the Very Short Introductions format; and how much can you even optimize translations of classical Pali and Sanskrit jargon into modern English, even philosophical English? With any luck, BUDDHIST ETHICS and TIBETAN BUDDHISM will be even more interesting. Still don't think I'll actually *become* a Buddhist, though, whatever that means!

3.5 stars rounded down.

[Ahdom · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're curious about the life and teachings of the Buddha but unsure where to start, Buddha: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Carrithers is an excellent choice. Carrithers unpacks the sometimes-conflicting accounts of the Buddha’s life and explores the historical, social, and political context of ancient India that shaped his teachings.

This concise guide explains the Buddha’s transformative ideas, the rapid spread of Buddhism, and its enduring relevance today. Whether you're studying religion, philosophy, or simply curious about one of history's greatest thinkers, this book delivers clarity and insight in an accessible, engaging style. It's part of the acclaimed Very Short Introductions series, making complex topics approachable for any reader.

[Tiarnán · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief historical and intellectual biography of the Buddha (not an introduction to Buddh*ism*) situating him in terms of the ancient Indo-Gangetic civilisation which he inhabited.

Quite dry, like a lot of these "Very Short Introductions" are, reflecting their academic origins. Often feels more like a brief (undergraduate level) lecture or a rudimentary sketch of various notes pieces together rather than a cohesive single overview.

Still useful as a clear and concise capsule summary of its topic.

[Diana Marinescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

E un bun început pentru cine vrea să dobândească niște cunoștințe generale cu privire la budism. E o carte care tratează mai puțin viața lui Buddha (s-au păstrat puține documente care vorbesc despre viața lui, toate redactate la câteva sute de ani după moartea sa) și mai mult ideile dezvoltate de el în drumul său către "awakening" și iluminare (cele patru adevăruri nobile și cele opt principii care trebuie urmate pentru eliberarea din cercul reîncarnărilor repetate, samsara).

[Ziad Daoud · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎“There were three traits of the monks, which did seem directly pursuant upon the Buddhist ‎training.
‎
The first was an interested absorption in the hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute prosecution of the ‎daily round – study, careful eating, hygiene, meditation, exercise. ‎

Second, some did also pour energy and years of their lives into long-term projects. Yet they ‎remained indifferent to the results of the efforts. ‎

Third, courage. On two occasions in the jungle there stood between me and a threatening animal ‎only the slight body and unmoving equanimity of a monk. On both occasions, the monk took a ‎firm but unaggressive stance and spoke calmly to the animal, which crashed off into the ‎underbrush.”‎

[Tosca Wijns-Van Eeden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though interesting, I hoped it would have shed more light on how the Buddha became the Buddha, about the past Buddhas and their stories and how it all interweaves with the Buddhist religion/teachings.

Unfortunately it is very dry and not helpful as a short introduction without already having background knowledge.

[Eamonn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very worth reading, but the dating convention Carrithers uses a few times, e.g. "in the first millennium after Christ," is totally inappropriate both to the subject at hand as well as academic literature generally. Perhaps some grace is to be given it was originally published in the 1980s (hence four rather than three stars)...

[Nadvornix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chapter about cultural & political environment of Buddha's life is very good. Rest of book is just standard Theravedan hagiography. Without being clear what do we actually know and what is just a myth.

[Nitin Jain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Personally, Michael Carrithers' 'Buddha' wasn't quite what I was looking for. The book delves into theoretical aspects that may be more appreciated by those already familiar with Buddhism rather than beginners like myself seeking a more introductory approach.