Buddhism: Religion in Korea

by Joon-sik Choi

Understanding Buddhism is essential to understanding Korean culture. Some 70 percent of the extant Korean cultural treasures are Buddhist legacies clearly reflecting how deeply Buddhism is entrenched as more than a religion to most Koreans. This book is an easy-to-read general introduction to how Buddhism developed and spread to Korea. The author traces Buddhism s profound influence in China, Japan and Southeast Asia as well as in Korea and how it contributes to the cultural interaction of East and West today. Part I provides historical background and teachings of Buddhism and a brief life story of the historical Buddha. Part II explains how Buddhism evolved into a major religion by recounting the development of early monasteries and the Mahayana school which characterizes the Northern Buddhism followed in Korea. Part III focuses on how Korean Buddhism differs from Chinese and Japanese Buddhism.

180 pages, Hardcover

First published November 28, 2007

Reviews

[Veronika · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, nicely organised although there are some flaws: it fails to explain some concepts or tie sentences together sometimes leaving you to ponder whether you're making the right connections or just missing out on something.