An introduction to Buddhist philosophy

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
Acknowledgments......Page 11
Preface......Page 15
Part I A sketch of the Buddha and the Dhamma......Page 19
Key terms and teachings......Page 21
A disclaimer......Page 23
An "ordinary" life......Page 24
The samanas......Page 25
Living in a time of crisis......Page 26
An outline of Siddhattha’s life......Page 28
Thinking like the Buddha......Page 29
A philosophical reading of his life......Page 31
The benefits of this reading......Page 32
A clearer picture......Page 33
Things to think about......Page 35
Key terms and teachings......Page 37
Indian "visions" of reality......Page 38
Siddhattha’s cultural context......Page 41
Details of the pre-Vedic vision......Page 42
The question of life after death......Page 43
Kamma?......Page 44
Details of the Vedic vision......Page 46
Details of the post-Vedic vision......Page 48
Nine dassanas......Page 49
Six "orthodox" dassanas......Page 50
Three "heterodox" dassanaus......Page 54
The Buddha’s appeal......Page 56
The Buddha’s most basic philosophical insight......Page 58
Things to think about......Page 61
Key terms and teachings......Page 63
Three teachings......Page 65
The Buddha as doctor......Page 69
The Buddha’s diagnosis: the First Noble Truth......Page 70
The Second Noble Truth......Page 74
The Third Noble Truth......Page 75
The Fourth Noble Truth......Page 76
Things to think about......Page 78
Key terms and teachings......Page 79
A question of approach......Page 80
Multiple traditions......Page 82
A matter of interpretation......Page 83
Different ideals......Page 84
Extending the teachings: anatta......Page 85
Samsara and Nibbana......Page 86
Paticca-samuppada......Page 87
Different texts......Page 88
Different historical traditions......Page 90
Different local traditions......Page 94
Different geographical answers......Page 96
One and many forms of Buddhism......Page 97
Things to think about......Page 98
Part II Details of the Dhamma......Page 99
Key teachings and terms......Page 101
Two stories......Page 102
Contemporary cultural beliefs......Page 104
"Dasyu beliefs"......Page 106
Vedic beliefs......Page 108
The Buddha’s view......Page 109
Things to think about......Page 120
Key terms and teachings......Page 123
A general formulation......Page 124
Four views of the general formulation......Page 126
The Mainstream interpretation......Page 128
Basic features of paticca-samuppada......Page 129
The Madhyamaka interpretation......Page 130
The Yogacara interpretation......Page 131
Paticca-samuppada and human existence......Page 132
Some conceptual difficulties......Page 135
The Abhidhamma view......Page 136
A philosophical assessment......Page 139
Things to think about......Page 141
Key terms and teachings......Page 143
Which came first?......Page 144
The Buddha on impermanence......Page 145
Interdependent arising, again......Page 147
The Buddha on dukkha and anatta......Page 150
Interdependent teachings......Page 152
Abhidhamma details......Page 153
The Puggalavadins......Page 155
The Sarvastivadins......Page 156
The Sautrantikas......Page 157
The Buddha on emptiness......Page 158
Mahayana developments......Page 164
Things to think about......Page 166
Intellectual roots and ultimate goals......Page 167
The Indian conception of moksa......Page 168
The question of Nibbana......Page 169
The etymology of "Nibbana"......Page 171
The early conception of Nibbana......Page 173
Realizing Nibbana......Page 176
Nibbana and other teachings......Page 179
Kinds of Nibbana......Page 181
Nibbana-in-Life and Final Nibbana......Page 183
Philosophical questions about Nibbana......Page 186
Other interpretations of Nibbana......Page 190
Things to think about......Page 192
Part III Development of the Dhamma/Dharma......Page 193
Key terms and teachings......Page 195
Buddhism in China......Page 196
Historical background......Page 197
Confucianism and Daoism......Page 202
Bodhidharma......Page 208
Huineng......Page 215
Chinese Buddhism......Page 218
The Lotus Sutra......Page 221
Things to think about......Page 224
"Local" Buddhism......Page 225
Two approaches to the development of the Dharma......Page 226
The origins of Pure Land Buddhism......Page 229
Parinirvana - questions and problems......Page 230
Some preliminary responses......Page 231
Buddhas and Buddhaksetras......Page 233
Trikaya - the Buddha’s three bodies......Page 238
Chinese Pure Land Buddhism......Page 239
Japanese Pure Land Buddhism......Page 242
Things to think about......Page 246
Why study Tibetan Buddhism?......Page 247
Sources of Tibetan Buddhism......Page 248
Pre-Buddhist Tibetan beliefs......Page 249
Bon beliefs and practices......Page 250
The "official" Buddhism of the "Dharma" kings......Page 251
Indian Tantric Buddhism......Page 253
Tantras and their benefits......Page 255
Tibetan philosophy and practices......Page 258
The question of enlightenment......Page 259
Things to think about......Page 264
Echoing the Buddha......Page 265
His life......Page 266
His teachings......Page 267
Thich Nhat Hanh......Page 272
His life......Page 273
His teachings......Page 275
Conclusion......Page 280
Things to think about......Page 281
Glossary......Page 283
Secondary sources......Page 295
Index......Page 300