E. A. Burtt (1892 - 1989) was an American philosopher and educator. He was the Susan Linn Sage Professor of Philosophy at Cornell University and is the author of several books on the philosophy of religion, including Types of Religious Philosophy and The Teachings of the Compassionate Buddha.
Preface vii
General Introduction xi
Book 1 The Early Scriptures of Buddhism 1
Part I. Some Basic Doctrines of the Buddha 3
1. The Sermon at Benares 5
2. Questions Not Tending to Edification 8
3. Truth Is Above Sectarian Dogmatism 12
4. How Buddha Met a Schism Among His Disciples 15
5. The Parable of the Mustard Seed 19
6. Universal Love and Good Will 22
7. Buddha's Farewell Address 23
Part II. Treading the Path to Nirvana 26
1. The Way of Truth 27
2. Songs of the Wayfarers 49
Part III. The Spirit of Theravada Buddhism 59
1. The Zenaka Story of Buddha's Birth and Early Life 63
2. The Fire Sermon 72
3. On Health of Mind 74
4. What Is Gained by Abandoning the World and Becoming a Monk? 76
5. The Duties of the Theravada Layman 84
6. What Is Nirvana? (Theravada View) 87
7. The Nirvana of the Buddha 91
8. Crossing the Ford 93
9. Is the Buddha Equally Compassionate Toward All? 96
10. Is Adopting the Way of the Monk a Selfish Act? 97
Book 2 Buddhist Thought Through Later Centuries 99
Part IV. The Mahayana Religious Ideal 101
1. Hymn to the Buddha of Infinite Compassion and Wisdom 105
2. The Bodhisattva's Vow of Universal Redemption 107
3. The Path of Light and Love 112
4. Famous Mahayana Parables 118
5. The Eternal Buddha of Countless Worlds 135
6. What Is Nirvana? (Mahayana View) 139
Part V Some Mahayana Philosophies 143
1. Nagarjuna's Analysis of Causality and of Nirvana 147
2. Vasubandhu's Argument for Subjective Idealism 153
3. Ultimate Reality Is Absolute Mind 159
4. Ultimate Reality Transcends What Can Be Expressed in Words 172
Part VI. Devotional and Intuitional Buddhism in China and Japan 181
1. The Pure Land of Amitabha 184
2. The White Lotus Ode 188
3. Honen's Letter and Poems 190
4. Shinran's Songs to Amida 196
5. The Bodhisattva Who Saves Even from the Depths of Hell 201
6. Tao Sheng on Nirvana and the Buddha's Way 204
7. Seng Ts'an's Poem on Trust in the Heart 205
8. Shen Hui's Sermon on Sudden Awakening 208
9. A Zen "Koan" 214
10. The Mahayana Layman's Ideal 215
Epilogue: Buddha's Pity 218
Bibliography 220
Glossary 222
