Encyclopaedia of Buddhism: A World Faith, Volume 13: Edifice of Buddhism

The introductory materials portray Buddhism as a lived spiritual discipline rather than simply an intellectual doctrine. The Foreword characterizes the book as an exploration of the core of Buddhism and stresses compassion, equality and the overcoming of greed, delusion and hatred. 

The Message develops a universalist vision of religion in which different traditions should cooperate in reducing poverty, ignorance, violence and suffering. It explicitly associates religious life with compassion, tolerance, non-violence and service to humanity. 

The extensive Prelude then provides the conceptual foundation for the volume. It presents compassion and loving-kindness as essential Buddhist values and moves through topics such as meditation, enlightenment, karma, the Noble Eightfold Path, self-reliance, Buddha-nature and the Bodhisattva path. This structure establishes the larger argument of the book: the “edifice” of Buddhism is constructed through ethical conduct, wisdom, compassion and the realization of the conditioned and selfless nature of existence.

Table of Contents

The volume contains 19 principal chapters, followed by a bibliography and index. 

Foreword
Message
Appreciation
Prelude

1. Humanity: A World Family

2. Compassion is Divine

3. Loving Kindness

4. Buddha, His Form and Virtue

5. Sabbe Sankhara Anatta and Sabbe Sankhara Anicca

6. Dependent Origination

7. Time Space And Causation

8. No-Mind

9. Dhammam Pali, Dharma Sanskrit

10. Realising Fearlessness

11. Consciousness Inextricably Interwoven with Entire Universe

12. Doctrine of Karma

13. Equality Liberty and Fraternity

14. Conventional and Ultimate Truth

15. Desires and Eternal Quest

16. Existence is but suffering

17. Interdependence

18. Reincarnation and Rebirth

19. Self and Selflessness

Bibliography
Index