The Buddha's Golden Path: The Classic Introduction to Zen Buddhism

by Dwight Goddard

In 1929, when author Dwight Goddard wrote The Buddha’s Golden Path , he was breaking ground. No American before him had lived the life of a Zen Buddhist monk, and then set out to share what he had learned with his countrymen. The Buddha’s Golden Path is a true classic. It has touched countless lives, and opened the door for future generations in this country to study and embrace the principles of Zen.

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

American writer Dwight Goddard (1861-1939) studied at a monastery in Kyoto, Japan, for a year and was among the first Westerners to bring Zen Buddhism to the United States. His most famous book is The Buddhist Bible (1938).

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

In reading this book it is clear that Buddhism is not a religion in the normal sense of the word. There is no active creator/supreme being watching over your every action that may or may not intervene in your life depending on the circumstances and the intensity of your request. Buddhism is more a combination of a philosophy and an associated code of conduct for the individual. The fundamental tenets of Buddhism all have the form “right ####”, for example Goddard lists the eight stages of the first adventure:

*) Right ideas
*) Right resolution
*) Right speech
*) Right behavior
*) Right vocation
*) Right effort
*) Right mindfulness
*) Right concentration

In reading this description of Zen Buddhism it is easy to understand the appeal that it has. With no supreme being, there can be no argument over the name that s/he should be called. There is room for Buddhism to adapt to scientific advancement as the principles lack the rigidity of those of many other religions and the ideals of all but the most unusual of religions can be found in the Buddhist way. In a world where wars are still fought over religious differences, this is a comforting thought.
This book is suitable to be used as a textbook in courses covering religion as well as to satisfy the curiosity of one engaged in self-study. Some teachers of philosophy will also find content that they can use.

[Marcus Elliott Oneill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book , good directional read.

[Punk Johnny Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to Buddhism for westerners. It places things in clear concise terms that is easy for a beginner.