Understanding Buddhism: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places

by Malcolm David Eckel

Buddhism today is one of the fastest-growing faiths in North America. The reasons can be found here, in this comprehensive introduction to the history, practices, and beliefs of a religion that seeks the “Middle Way” between self-denying spirituality and the demands of everyday life.

Genres: Religion, Buddhism, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good basic grounding in Buddhism. It's easy to read, had great pictures, and is easy to understand. Perfect for someone who knows little to nothing about Buddhism.

[Azzam Syafiq · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book if you want to learn a bit about Buddhism. Basic philosophies of the religion is taught here, along with brief history of its expansion.

[Sarah Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination… to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influence of desire, ill will, ignorance and fear.”

This book gave a good overview of Buddhism and the various schools of Buddhism. It did not have much philosophy included but had a lot of facts and history. Could be a but dry at times but otherwise it was a quick and interesting read.

[Tara Haskins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of history of Buddhism, which important yes, I just don’t feel like I gained a much better understanding of the practice. Perhaps this was not the read for that. Didn’t take long to read though. I did learn something though.

[Danny · Rating 4 out of 5]

No God, no holy men (excluding the Tibetan sect) and no self. Desire and aversion are the roots of suffering. These are just a few of the things I'll be mulling over for weeks, maybe years. Too soon for an opinion. I'm very happy I read it. I'll say that.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

decent. provides basic information about the background and history of buddhism. i would’ve liked to read more about the actual principles, meditation, spiritual practices. but this was still informative.

[Luca Dell'Oca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buon libro per farsi una prima idea di cosa sia il buddismo, da un punto di vista da puro studioso, quindi molto asettico (il che è un bene) e non di parte.

[Eugenio Ghirlanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Elenco noioso che non entra mai in profondità. Utile per uno studio superficiale, non per chi vuole cominciare

[Nicola Maledetta Primavera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ottimo libro se si vuole iniziare a conoscere il mondo buddhista o orientale in generale. Avrei preferito una parte riguardante l'aldilà più approfondita e curata, ma va bene lo stesso:D .

[Nexusjio · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a very beginner and short details of Buddhism. fairly straight forward on the basics. did a fine job, albeit very breathe.

[A. B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, very short introduction to the diversity of Buddhist thought, practice, history, and tradition.

[Elise Ravenclaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is divided in 9 short chapters that aim to clarify the key concepts of Buddhism and its development. Such a task is accomplished in a succinct and easy to understand fashion. It did help me to understand some concepts better, such as "boddhisattva", the role of deities in Buddhism, the different kinds of Buddhism, and where the written teachings come from.
It is very basic, but that is what I need, since I have had little contact with this belief system.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buddhism is based on the teachings of Siddhartha, also know as Budda. The author gives a background on the development of this Eastern religion as well as on the sacred texts, spaces, and times. The afterlife is also explored.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book on Buddhism that I have ever read. It is informative and appears to be a concise introduction to Buddhist religion and culture. I will continue to read other books on Buddhism to expand my knowledge

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book concentrated mainly enthusing the basics of Buddhism, there was little more than just the main concept of karma and the history of Buddhism, I was expecting more.

[Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.