Reviews (5)

If you have never been to the Ajanta Caves...
If you, like me, have never been to the Ajanta Caves and would like to get a feel for the treasures they hold this is the right book to get. The quality of the prints is great - the artistry is beautiful. Very delicate and sensual in most places and quite bewildering in others. At times I wished the captions offered even more insight on the individual scenes but then I remember that this is not what this book is about. It is a delight to simply sit there, browse through this book and imagine what life must have been like in those faraway days. This book takes you places. If you are into ancient India you will not be disappointed.

magnificent and moving
although many of the old frescos hardly survived,
Beautifully Photographed
If you are planning a trip to India, you should consider visiting the caves at Ajanta. If you are planning to visit the caves, you should read this book before the trip. You will get a lot more out of the experience of the caves if you know the Jataka stories and understand the Buddhist iconography described in this book.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ajanta Caves    2. Ancient Art    3. Art    4. Art & Art Instruction    5. Buddhism - History    6. Cave paintings    7. History - Ancient & Classical    8. History - General    9. India    10. Mural painting and decoration, Buddhist    11. Painting Of Specific Subjects    12. Subjects & Themes - Religious    13. Techniques - Painting    14. Painting & paintings    15. Religious subjects depicted in art   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Egypt    2. Buddhism - History    3. Consumer Health    4. Health & Fitness    5. Health/Fitness    6. Yoga    7. Health & Fitness / Yoga    8. History-Ancient - Egypt    9. Religion-Buddhism - History   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - History    3. Buddhist converts    4. Buddhists    5. Conversion    6. History    7. India    8. Psychology    9. Religion    10. Religion - World Religions    11. To 324 B.C    12. Religion / Buddhism / History    13. Social, group or collective psychology   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - History    2. Ethnic Studies - General    3. Religion    4. Religion - World Religions    5. Buddhism    6. History of religion    7. Social Science / Ethnic Studies    8. The self, ego, identity, personality   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Buddhism - History    4. Gautama Buddha    5. History    6. Religion    7. Religion - Commentaries / Reference    8. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. 1951-    2. Asia - China    3. Asia - General    4. Asia - Tibet    5. Buddhism    6. Buddhism - History    7. China    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Politic aspects    12. Tibet    13. Tibet (China)    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. History / Asia    16. Tibetan Buddhism   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Buddhism - History    3. Chan yuan qing gui    4. Monasticism and religious orde    5. Monasticism and religious orders, Zen    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Rules    9. Zongze,    10. d. 1092    11. d. 1092.   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - General    2. Buddhism - History    3. Buddhism - Rituals & Practice    4. Buddhist shrines    5. Eastern - Buddhism    6. Gautama Buddha    7. History    8. Relics    9. Religion    10. Religion - World Religions    11. South Asia    12. Southeast Asia    13. Stupas    14. Anthropology    15. Asian and Asian American Studies    16. Buddhism    17. Religion / Buddhism / Rituals & Practice   

Subjects:  1. Asia - China    2. Buddhism - History    3. Buddhism - Zen    4. Buddhism and state    5. China    6. History    7. Political aspects    8. Religion    9. Religion - World Religions    10. Zen Buddhism    11. Religion & Theology | Buddhism    12. Religion / Zen Buddhism   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - History    2. Religion    3. Buddhism    4. Religion / General   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism - History    2. Buddhism - Zen    3. Linji lu    4. Religion    5. Religion - World Religions    6. Yixuan,    7. Zen Buddhism    8. d. 867    9. d. 867.    10. Buddhism    11. I-hsüan    12. Lin-chi lu   

Reviews (1)

Extensive to extremes but not exhausting
One of the problems of this book is it is too short. It can be finished in two hours flat or around that and contained an astonishing wealth of material including much I did not know. There are such tantalising leads set up about the man, and a voluminous set of follow up sources, but the book itself is turgid.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Buddhism - History    3. Gautama Buddha    4. General    5. Religion    6. Religious    7. Biography: general    8. Buddhism    9. Religious & spiritual leaders   

Subjects:  1. 1240-1321    2. 1240-1321.    3. Buddhism    4. Buddhism - General    5. Buddhism - History    6. Gyonen,    7. Gyåonen,    8. History    9. Jodo homon genrusho    10. Jåodo håomon genrushåo    11. Jåodoshåu    12. Pure Land Buddhism    13. Religion    14. Religion - World Religions    15. Gyonen    16. Other prose: classical, early & medieval    17. Prose & writers: classical, early & medieval    18. Religion & Theology | Buddhism    19. Religion / Buddhism    20. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (1)

Western feminist view of global social action by Buddhists
This is a set of 16 essays on Buddhist women's social change efforts around the globe, including little-known areas as Newar Buddhists of Nepal, Spiti Valley, & the unnerving "Trafficking in Buddhist Girls."The quality of the articles varies dramatically.However, as David Gellner points out, p. 156, "Social work by monks or nuns, worthy though it is, is a modernist adaptation of traditional Buddhist practice."Indeed, the book seems an application of feminism to Buddhism, disregarding Buddhist spirituality.In fact, some of the interviewed nuns disagreed with Western women authors on the why of gender differences, their meaning to them, & their actual importance.IMHO, the strong Western feminist bias detracts from the book's impact.Per Caren Ohlson p. 248: "The conflict between Asian and Western cultural values is just one example of the challenges...Western focus on individual goals and the cultivation of a `unique' identity grate against the Asian idea of identity in connection to family and community, not to a sense of individual uniqueness."Strangely, her article is replete with bias & high valence language-seemingly she knows better than Asian nuns what's best for them."Misogyny" is overused-in truth, nuns model it--its main meaning is "anti-marriage;" though "institutional androcentrism" & "anti-feminist" are justified, IMO.Several writers convincingly (both historically & per present trends) object to the 8 special rules making nuns subservient to monks.But their discounting Sri Lanka monks' objections to breaking lineage & labeling them misogynists is unjustified--people vary in need for structure etc. & attributing motivations to other people (& in a different culture) is risky at best.Also, most of their arguments are sociological-- p. 239: Caren Ohlson: "the socially constructed dichotomy of `woman' as the temptress and `man' as tempted."Jungians might consider this as psychological projection.Tsomo states: p. 67: "If Buddhist monastic institutions are to continue in the modern world, they must be based on gender equity...Neither the Buddha, his followers, nor the Buddhist monastic codes can be extracted from their social context...Now that gender equity has become part of a new global ethic, it is opportune to explore how Buddhism's egalitarian principles can be practically applied to social and religious institutions."But this assumes that SE Asia chooses to enter the "modern" (Western) world-one in which Buddhism has yet to make a major impact--despite p. 231 note 8: Elise Anne DeVido saying: "The requirements of the modern world demand modification to , or liberal interpretation of, the Vinaya."True, in her Introduction, Tsomo argues cogently concerning the legitimacy of Vinaya monastic rules & their relation to the 8.She is supported strongly in the last essay: pp. 237-8: Caren Ohlson: "Sponberg claims that the above story is by no means a historical account to the establishment of the nun's order.On the contrary, he asserts that the story was fabricated by monks...after the death of the Buddha...The 8 special rules that were created to govern nuns' behavior represented a mirror image of the husband/wife relationship in the lay community."Still, it's the prevailing Buddhist myth and scattered social action is unlikely to change it quickly especially without strong, active involvement & leadership by local Buddhist men & women.Tsomo & others' books do document progress in this & related areas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Buddhism - History    4. Buddhism - Rituals & Practice    5. Buddhist women    6. Ethics    7. Feminism    8. Monasticism and religious orde    9. Monasticism and religious orders for women, Buddhist    10. Religion    11. Religion - World Religions    12. Religious aspects    13. Social conditions    14. Women's Studies - History    15. Political activism   

Reviews (1)

Excellent analysis of the development of Joudo Shinshuu
The book provides detailed and profound information on the development of the Joudo Shinshuu sect of Japanese buddhism, which is the biggest of Japan's buddhist sects today and also the one whose beliefs arguably bear the most resemblance to those of Christianity. The orthodox view of Joudo history held by the members of the sect itself is covered as well as the "historical" view through the eyes of the scholar. The important - that is to say unique - parts of the Joudo belief are covered in detail, especially the process of the establishment of Amida as a kind of saviour whose mercy paves those who rely upon him the way to rebirth in the Pure Land - in sharp contrast to other sects of buddhism, which focus upon satori (enlightenment) through one's own efforts - mainly meditation (jou), study (e) and the strict observance of the rules for buddhist monks (kai). The evolution of Joudo belief and organization from the time of its founders Hounen and Shinran through the middle ages is also looked at in detail.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1185-1600    2. Buddhism    3. Buddhism - History    4. History    5. Japan    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Shin (Sect)    9. Biography: general    10. History of religion    11. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (1)

Luv ta see 'dem womens!
I'm collecting Shin books, and this one is really unique.If you are interested in classic Shin.....from a females practitioners point of view, then this is the book for you!
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Subjects:  1. 1182?-1268?    2. 1224?-1283?    3. Asia - Japan    4. Buddhism - General    5. Buddhism - History    6. Buddhist priests' spouses    7. Correspondence    8. Eshin-ni,    9. Japan    10. Kakushin-ni,    11. Medieval    12. Religion    13. Religion - World Religions    14. Buddhism    15. History of religion    16. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Subjects:  1. 1415-1499    2. Asia - Japan    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Buddhism - General    5. Buddhism - History    6. Doctrines    7. General    8. Religion    9. Religion - World Religions    10. Rennyo,    11. Shin (Sect)    12. Buddhism    13. Japan    14. Religion & Theology | Buddhism    15. Religion / Buddhism   

Reviews (1)

Highly valuable and accessible resource
This book supplies something hard to find: a presentation of the daily lives and routine of the original Buddhist monks, as much as we can get, based on solid research, good translations, and a clear understanding of the Buddha's teachings.It is presented in a style that is not overburdened with technical language or jargon.Tremendously useful and pleasant to read.Here is what they wore, what they ate, how they got it, why they were instructed to travel, and how the monastic code (Vinaya) was interpreted as times changed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asia - General    2. Buddhism - History    3. Eastern - General    4. Monasticism and religious orde    5. Monasticism and religious orders, Buddhist    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Theravada Buddhism    9. Theravåada Buddhism    10. ASIA    11. Buddhism    12. Religion / Buddhism   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Buddhism - History    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Religion & Beliefs    6. Religion / General   

Subjects:  1. Buddhism    2. Buddhism - General    3. Buddhism - History    4. Buddhist Philosophy    5. Eastern - General    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions