Buddhism: A Short Introduction

The book begins by explaining Buddhism as a diverse tradition rooted in the teachings of Gotama Buddha and shaped through many orders, schools, textual traditions, commentaries, and regional adaptations. Part I, “The Three Jewels of Buddhism,” presents the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha as the fundamental structure of Buddhist identity and practice. It discusses the historical Buddha, Buddhas of the past and future, Buddha images, remembrance of the Buddha, women connected with the Buddha’s life, the Indian background of the Dhamma, the development of Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna, Buddhist councils, the spread of Buddhism, Buddhist education, the Wheel of Becoming, the Dhammapada, King Milinda’s questions, the Pātimokkha, women and the Sangha, and the wider Buddhist community. Part II, “The Buddhist Path,” presents the way to nibbāna, the path of liberation, the arahant ideal, Buddhist meditation, the kasiṇas, brahma-vihāra, samatha and vipassanā bhāvanā, and the bodhisattva path through Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra and the ten bodhisattva bhūmis. Part III, “Schools of Buddhism,” introduces Buddhist systematic thought and polemics, Abhidhamma, Buddhist logic, Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, and Tantric Buddhism, concluding with Buddhism as both philosophy and religion.