The Creed of Buddha

The book is organized into nine chapters. “East and West” contrasts Western outward-oriented religious thought with Eastern inward-oriented spirituality and sets up the comparative framework of the book. “The Wisdom of the East” discusses ancient Indian religious and philosophical insight as the wider background for understanding Buddhism. “The Path of Life” presents the religious life as a process of inward growth, self-discipline, and spiritual realization. “The Teaching of Buddha” explains the author’s understanding of the Buddha’s central doctrine and ethical method. “A Misreading of Buddha” addresses interpretations that, in Holmes’s view, reduce Buddhism to pessimism, nihilism, or mere moralism. “The Silence of Buddha” examines the Buddha’s refusal to formulate speculative answers about ultimate realities and treats this silence as philosophically significant. “The Secret of Buddha” develops the author’s interpretative thesis concerning the hidden spiritual meaning of the Buddha’s creed. “The Bankruptcy of Western Thought” critiques Western materialism, dogmatism, and intellectual exhaustion. “Light from the East” concludes by proposing that Eastern spiritual insight, especially as clarified through Buddhism, can help renew Western religious and philosophical life.