Buddhism

Buddhism began in northern India about 2,500 years ago. Its founder was a royal prince named Siddhartha Gautauma who became known as the Buddha. He taught his followers how to overcome suffering, greed, and desire, and how to achieve "enlightenment." His teachings spread from India to Sri Lanka and then to other parts of Asia, where it has thrived down to the present day.

Annotation

Discusses the principles and practices of Buddhism, including information about holy people and places, art, and festivals.

Editorial Reviews

This title is part of the publisher's "Atlas of World Faiths" series (other titles are Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and Buddhism). Ganeri is known for her nonfiction educational titles on a range of subjects, many of them related to the history, stories and traditions of the Indian subcontinent. In this book, she offers an introduction to the life of the Buddha, his enlightenment and his first teaching. This is followed by an interesting and clearly-presented chapter on early Buddhism in India, including the Hellenistic traditions of the northwest, the emperor Ashoka, and the decline of Buddhism in India. Successive chapters address Buddhism in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) and Southeast Asia, China, Korea, Japan, and Tibet. The final chapter deals with Buddhism in the modern world, including sections on the role of monks, "engaged Buddhism," repercussions on practice of political upheavals, Buddhist evolution and traditions in the West, and speculative thinking on the future of Buddhism. Sidebars explain concepts, define terms, and offer explanations of aspects that are historical, archeological, iconographic, and philosophical. Illustrations include file photos, an interesting array of maps (one on every double-page spread), and a pie-chart showing the size of the world's Buddhist population compared to other faiths. Brief notes are offered on the lives of important figures in the history of Buddhism. Facts and figures, a calendar of events, a timeline, a glossary, a list of additional resources, and an index can also be found in the back matter. This is an accessible introduction that negotiates the complex history and geography of thismajor world religion. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami