Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) - Softcover

Williams, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415025370 ISBN 13: 9780415025379

Publisher: Routledge, 1989

Synopsis

Originating in India, Mahayana Buddhism spread to Central Asia, Tibet, Mongolia, China, Japan and other countries of East Asia. In Tibet and East Asia, Mahayana eventually became the prevalent form of Buddhism. Western interest in Mahayana has increased considerably over the last twenty-five years, reflected both in the quantity of scholarly material produced and also in the attraction of Westerners towards Tibetan Buddhism and r augThis book aims to provide in one volume an up-to-date and accurate account of the principles of Mahayana Buddhism as they are found in both the Indo-Tibetan and East Asian forms of Mahayana. It seeks to introduce and reflect some of the recent scholarly work in the field, and in particular the book is concerned to convey the diversity and richness of Mahayana Buddhism, a diversity which prevents any attempt at simple definition.

About this title

About the Author:

Paul Williams is Professor of Indian and Tibetan Philosophy and Co-director of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Bristol. The author of six books and an editor of a further eight, he is a former President of the UK Association for Buddhist Studies. Among his other books for Routledge is Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the Indian Tradition (2000).

Review:

The work is in fact an admirable introduction to the Mahayana traditions, both for the undergraduate student and others who wish to explore the `Great Vehicle.' Such a useful, up-to-date overview fills a real need. Moreover, its thorough references can be used as a basis for further study and research.
–Religious Studies

This will without doubt become a standard textbook on the Mahayana. Argument and assertions are throughout backed up by reference to primary sources and there are citations or quotations from texts on almost every page.
–Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 1989
• ISBN 10: 0415025370
• ISBN 13: 9780415025379
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336