The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom: A Complete Introduction to the Principles and Practices of Buddhism

by Gill Farrer-Halls

Joyful Effort, Right Livelihood, Compassionate Living, Freedom from Suffering---such principles offer healing balance to the hectic pursuit of the American Dream and explain why Buddhism is the fastest growing religion in the West. In Buddhism, many seekers find their true path to peace and happiness, regardless of hardship. This lavishly illustrated gift book The story of Prince Siddhartha and Buddhism's spread throughout Asia; Basic beliefs of Buddhism, emphasizing the Tibetan, Zen, and Theravadan traditions; Inspiring quotes from teachers such as the Dalai Lama; Practical instruction on how to meditate and what to expect when visiting a Buddhist center. Readers new to Buddhism as well as experienced practitioners will appreciate this accessible guidebook for living in harmony with ourselves, our communities, and our world.

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy, Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2000

About the author

Gill Farrer-Halls is a practicing Buddhist who has spent time studying in India and Nepal during her career. She has published several Buddhism-related books as well as those focused on alternative therapies. Besides writing, Gill is a producer for London's Meridian Trust Buddhist Film and Video Archive, and she teaches aromatherapy, meditation, and spiritual-awareness workshops. Artist and writer Robert Beer is well-known for his colorful and detailed illustrations. He has studied and practiced Tibetan art for more than 30 years. His works appear in several hundred books on Tibetan Buddhist art and religion.

Reviews

[Belle · Rating 2 out of 5]

not a bad book to skim for some introductory information about general concepts of buddhism and the major schools, but definitely left you wanting a more in-depth explanation about the history and schools of thought. maybe my expectations were set too high by the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this book on amazon.com.

also, it seemed quite peculiar that the author felt a need to include many detailed passages about buddhist schools in the west. seemed completely unnecessary.

[Kyami · Rating 5 out of 5]

`The only way we can find peace in our own hearts is by changing ourselves, not by changing the world.' - Ayya Khema

This beautifully illustrated book offers an easy to read, easy to understand introduction to Buddhism, with an emphasis on the philosophy of Buddhist practices.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice reference book. I found this book in a book sale for a dime! Unbelievable value. Great platform for understanding the methodology behind this way of life. Wonderful and informative images. Makes me curious about meditation and it's effects.

[Joni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enlightening. Although I am not yet enlightened. Very far from it.

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this beginner's exposure to Buddhism and learned a lot- and could learn more if I took the time to think about the book's content even more. There was a lot of good solid life wisdom contained within it's pages.

I do feel...which means this is just opinion...

That Buddhism is very self-oriented, at very least in the beginning.

That there is some degree of disagreement between the various types of Buddhism as to what constitutes the perfect state of existence for people.

That parts of Buddhism are definitely religious in nature, while others focus far more on contemplative arts and philosophy.

That I don't agree with a few basic tenets; that life isn't more about suffering and responding to suffering more than it is about happiness and our response to that.

I applaud their emphasis on good works, which is frequently an essential part of Buddhist practice and...

Good practical tips on how to meditate with realistic expectations and experiences.

I recommend this even if you aren't planning on shaving your head and grabbing up a begging bowl.

P.S. I apologize for the incorrect shelving; I didn't have a world religions category as I seldom read within that broad topic.

[Jenny Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've owned this book for years and read parts of it more than once, but recently decided to read it from cover to cover. It is a good reference book to become familiar with some of the basic concepts of Buddhism and provides helpful suggestions for meditation exercises.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent introduction to Buddhist concepts, practices and an overview of the history. Features some appealing pictures and the information is nicely organised. However, this should be by no means your only book on Buddhism, and there are definitely better places to start.

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent start.

[Ommiolgi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self explanatory, nice overview of philosophy of Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhism.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone in a mode of self discovery or on a path for spirituality, i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was nice to get some general insight to the different schools of Buddhism. I'm a visual person so the beautiful pictures of people and places were great! Not sure where another reading may be coming from in regards to their approach or interest in this book.
I have learned quite a bit and have taken some of the meditation examples to be used in my own life. Not saying that I am going to become Buddhist because of this book but I enjoyed reading it.

I hope this book touches another reader in the same way.

Thank you for reading this. Enjoy your day!

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a Buddhist, nor do I have a high degree of knowledge about Buddhism, and perhaps that makes me the perfect target audience for whom ‘The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom’ was written.

The text is basic enough for a lay person to follow and yet it is in-depth enough to still be informative/educational. In addition, the ample amount of color photographs make the book visually interesting and they add to the explanations.

'The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom' starts off with a very brief discussion on the early life of Siddhartha Gautama in India (roughly in 500 BCE), then there is a discussion on: how it spread to various countries in Asia, the underlying principles of Buddhism, the various sects that arose after Buddha's death (specifically Zen Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism) and there is also a section on various methods of meditation.

Each of the six chapters is further broken down into smaller headings that allow the reader to gain insights even if the book is not read in a linear fashion. The book comes in at just under 200 pages and the physical book is of high quality.

Overall, I enjoyed 'The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Buddhist Wisdom' because I was able to get a brief overview of Buddhism without being overwhelmed with details and technical information. I realize that those people looking to find very specific information, or those wanting to study Buddhism, will very likely know all of the information contained within this book and they would therefore find the content quite 'rudimentary'.

[Ryan Purchase · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the history and precepts of several types of Buddhist thought and practice. Seems a bit thrown-together near the end; less of a journey of learning and more of a disconnected jumble of "fun facts."

[Chira]

This book (for all religions) teaches you how to find inner peace in order to draw outer peace.

[Charissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

a+