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The world's three great universal religions-Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam-have all undergone schism and the proliferation into divergent sects that are nonetheless bound together by a common faith in the basic teachings of their founders.
The oldest of these religions, Buddhism, was founded some twenty-five hundred years ago by Shakyamuni, an Indian prince turned sage. Buddhism's long history, pragmatic approach to ethical problems, and encouragement of philosophical inquiry fostered the varied interpretations of original teachings that gave birth to the many forms of Buddhism practiced today.
Though an increasing number of books about Buddhist teachings are being published in English, few focus on the teachings that join all Buddhists: Theravada and Mahayana adherents, followers of Zen, members of Tibetan, Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Japanese sects.
This book provides lucid explanations of such fundamental Buddhist concepts as the Three Treasures, the sealsof the law, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, thelaw of causation, the Twelve-linked Chain of DependentOrigination, and the threefold learning-teachings that all Buddhists honor.
KOGEN MIZUNO, Litt.D., a specialist in Indian
philosophy and a renowned scholar of Buddhism, served till recently as president of Komazawa University, where he also taught Buddhology. An authority on Pali texts, hehas published many works on Buddhist subjects. His books in English include The Beginnings of Buddhism and Buddhist Sutras: Origin, Development, Transmission.
Basic Buddhist Concepts, Kogen Mizuno, Kosei, Paperback, 172pp, $12.95.
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