Facets of Buddhist Thought: Six Essays

The text is organized into six essays that together outline major dimensions of Buddhist philosophy. The first essay discusses the Buddhist conception of the universe in relation to ancient cosmology and modern astronomy, including world-systems, galaxies, cosmic cycles, and the relativity of time. The second essay analyzes the Buddhist attitude to God, arguing that Buddhism rejects the idea of a personal creator God while distinguishing Buddhist atheism from materialistic atheism. The third essay examines revelation and contrasts Buddhist knowledge with scriptural authority and speculative rationalism. The remaining essays develop the Buddhist conception of truth, the understanding of matter and the material world, and the analysis of mind, showing how Buddhist philosophy approaches reality through critical reasoning, experience, and the practical aim of overcoming suffering.