Book Review "Unmasking Buddhism" by Bernard Faure

Lucidly accomplishes its stated aim.

Bernard Faure is a renowned Buddhist scholar and the author of a number of excellent Buddhist studies, including the landmark, "Chan Insights and Oversights."

This book sets out to present the basic elements of Buddhist history, doctrines, beliefs, and practices. In this slim volume (159 pages), Professor Faure lucidly and succinctly provides readers with a remarkably extensive overview of the fundamental characteristics of Buddhism in plain English (where Buddhist "jargon" is unavoidable, Faure offers succinct, straightforward explanations).

While furnishing the average reader with an excellent grasp of Buddhist basics, Bernard Faure also applys his sword to some of the common, widespread misunderstandings concerning Buddhism.

The book is divided into three parts: I - Buddhism in History - II Buddhism in Local Cultures - III Buddhism and Society.

Some of the issues dealt with in Part I include: the diversity of Buddhist schools (or sects), the "human" nature of the Buddha, Buddhism and "nothingness", Karma, and the teaching of reincarnation. Part II includes discussions on: Buddhism as atheistic, Buddhism as "spiritual", the role of the Dalai Lama, and the place of "Zen" in the Buddhist realm. Part III discusses, among other topics: Buddhism and tolerance, Buddhist violence, Buddhism's relation to science, Buddhism and vegetarianism.

The book is rounded off with a thought provoking and insightful "Conclusion." It also includes a great little Glossary, a Biblography, and a very good index. Bottom Line: A great book for beginners that want to get a solid grasp of Buddhist basics.

Recommended for every Buddhist who has ever been asked by their non Buddhist friends, "What does Buddhism teach anyway?"

Dialogues of the Buddha - Digha Nikaya Parts I, II, III

Dialogues of the Buddha. Translated from the Pali of the Digha Nikaya. Parts I, II, III. THREE VOLUMES (Sacred Books of the Buddhists, Volumes II; III; IV) Translated by T. W. Rhys Davids

The Dialogues of the Buddha is a three volume collection of the Digha Nikaya (the long dialogues of the Buddha), which belongs to the Suttapitaka (basket of teachings of the Buddha). Consisting of thirty four sutras (or suttas), the Suttapitaka, along with the Vinayapitaka and Abhidhammapitaka is one of the most important collections of the Pali Buddhist texts. This set consists of texts that were translated over a period of years (from 1899 through 1921) by T.W.Rhys Davids, Professor of Pali at the University College of London. He was the founder of the Pali Text Society which has published nearly all of the basic texts and commentaries in the Pali canon.

Each of the thirty four suttas in The Dialogues of the Buddha presents an in-depth examination of a specific topic or subject of Buddhist doctrine. The Buddha of the Pali texts, like Plato, offers profoundly subtle teachings through the medium of dialogue. The Dialogues of the Buddha present an extensive overview the earliest teachings of the Buddha providing the fundamental foundation of Buddhism that is essential to all serious students, practitioners, and followers of all the Buddhist schools--including the Zen and Pure Land schools of the Mahayana.

Contents First Volume:

PREFACE vii Note on the probable age of the Dialogues vii Note on this Version xviii Abbreviations xxii 1 BRAHMA-GALA SUTTANTA. Introduction xxiii Text 1 (The Silas, 3-26) 2 SAMANNA-PHALA SUTTANTA. Introduction 56 (Index to the paragraphs repeated in the other Suttantas, 57-59.) Text 65 3 AMBATTHA SUTTANTA. Introduction (Caste) 96 Text 108 4 SONADANDA SUTTANTA. Introduction 137 (The Arahat the true Brahman.) Text 144 5 KUTADANTA SUTTANTA. Introduction 160 (The irony in this text, 160; Doctrine of sacrifice, 164; Lokayata, 166.) Text 173 6 MAHALI SUTTANTA. Introduction 186 (The Indeterminates; Buddhist Agnosticism, 186; The Sambodhi, 190; Names in the texts, 193.) Text 197 7 GALIYA SUTTANTA 8 KASSAPA-SIHANDA SUTTANTA. Introduction 206 (Method of the Dialogues, 206; Tapasa and Bhikshu, ascetic and wandering mendicant, 208; Indian religieux in the Buddha's time, 220) Text 223 9 POTTHAPADA SUTTANTA Introduction (The Soul) 241 Text 244 10 SUBHA SUTTANTA Introduction 265 Text 267 11 KEVADDHA SUTTANTA. Introduction 272 (Iddhi, 272; Buddhist Idealism, 274.) Text 276 12 LOHIKKA SUTTANTA. Introduction. (Ethics of Teaching) 285 Text 288 13 TEVIGGA SUTTANTA. Introduction (Union with God) 298 Text 300 Index of Subjects and Proper Names 321 Index of Pali Words 328 Transliteration of Oriental Alphabets adopted for the Translation of the Sacred Books of the Buddhists. 331

Contents Second Volume:

14 MAHAPADANA SUTTANTA Introduction (Buddhas, Bodhisats, and Arahants) 1 Text 4 15 MAHA NIDANA SUTTANTA Introduction (The doctrine of natural causation) 42 Text 50 16 MAHA PARINIBBANA SUTTANTA Introduction (Passages in this Suttanta compared with others) 71 Text 78 17 MAHA SUDASSANA SUTTANTA Introduction (Comparison with other versions) 192 Text 199 18 JANA-VASABHA SUTTANTA Introduction (Buddhist irony. Two expressions discussed) 233 Text 237 19 MAHA-GOVINDA SUTTANTA Introduction (More irony. Other versions compared) 253 Text 259 20 MAHA-SAMAYA SUTTANTA Introduction (A glimpse of the evolution of gods) 282 Text 284 21 SAKKA-PANHA SUTTANTA Introduction (The conversion of a god. The Sakka myth) 294 Text 299 22 MAHA SATIPATTHANA SUTTANTA Introduction (Discussion of the title) 322 Text 327 23 PAYASI SUTTANTA Introduction (Teaching of the Community after the Buddha's death. Doctrine of Dana) 347 Text 349 Index of Principal Subjects and Proper Names 375 Index of Pali Words 381

Contents Third Volume:

24 PATIKA SUTTANTA Introduction: Iddhi, Arahants 1 Suttanta (Mystic Wonders and the Origin of Things) 7 25 UDUMBARIKA-SIHANADA SUTTANTA (On Asceticism) 33 26 CAKKAVATTI-SIHANADA SUTTANTA Introduction: Normalism 53 Suttanta (war, Wickedness, and Wealth) 59 27 AGGANNA SUTTANTA (A Book of Genesis) 77 28 SAMPASADANIYA SUTTANTA (The Faith that Satisfied) 95 29 PASADIKA SUTTANTA (The Delectable Discourse) 111 30 LAKKHANA SUTTANTA Introduction: Myths of the World-Man 132 Suttanta (The Marks of the Superman) 137 31 SIGALOVADA SUTTANTA Introduction: Quarter-worship; The Layman's Social Ethics 168 Suttanta (The Sigala Homily) 173 32 ATANATIYA SUTTANTA Introduction: Adjuration and Prayer 185 Suttanta (The Ward Rune of Atanata) 188 33 SANGITI SUTTANTA Introduction: Sariputta; Sutta and Abhidhamma 198 34 DASUTTARA SUTTANTA (The Tenfold Series) 250 APPENDIX Name in Atanatiya Suttanta 266 INDEXES I. Names and Subjects 268 II. Pali Words Discuss 273

Bottom Line: Essential reading/reference/lifetime study for all English reading Buddhists of all schools--and a fascinating view for anyone wanting to get a handle on one of the most influential teachers of all time.