Religion & Belief (Alor Pothay) > Buddhism

Some features on Buddhism

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Anisur Rahman:
Navayana Buddhism


 Many of us, easterners and westerners, have been profoundly influenced by our study of Buddhism, and yet do not find ourselves attached to any one particular sect or interpretation of Buddhism.  Further, many of us, especially westerners, find the fundamental ideas of Buddhism deeply meaningful, but cannot, without being dishonest with ourselves, accept certain other ideas usually associated with Buddhism.  This leaves us with a somewhat ambiguous sense of who and what we are.

For example, many of us are unable, or do not desire, to attach ourselves to one or another of the monastic traditions.  And we are often unable and unwilling to take certain beliefs literally.  The many gods and demons, heavens and hells, that some traditional Buddhists accept as real, are things that strain our credibility.  And rebirth strikes many of us as a metaphor rather than a literal reality.  Because of these things, to some traditional Buddhists we are just not Buddhists at all.

We are heartened by the fact that Buddha himself seems to have considered arguments about cosmology and gods and the reality of life after death as irrelevant to the more immediate concern, which is the practice of the eight-fold path.  It is, of course, a little presumptuous to say which of the many sutras are the ones we should pay attention to, and which should be considered some kind of later addition or modification.  We will never know exactly what the Buddha said and did not say.  We can only be "lights unto ourselves" and do the best we can.

This by no means suggests that we look down upon other Buddhist orientations or that we have a better or purer understanding of Buddhist life.  We only want to acknowledge our debt to the teachings of the Buddha.  For this reason, I would like to recommend the term Navayana Buddhism ("new vehicle of awakening") to all those who wish to so identify themselves.

 

Anisur Rahman:
Links and Suggested Readings


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Access in Insight: Gateways to Theravada Buddhism. (www.accesstoinsight.org)

Fantastic set of translations of suttas from the Pali Canon
Osel Shen Phen Ling: The Tibetan Buddhist Center. (www.fpmt-osel.org)
A particularly beautiful web site, with lovely teachings from modern lamas.
BuddhaNet: Buddhist Information Network. (www.buddhanet.net)
Rich site, with a great glossary by Ven. S. Dhammika, and many downloadable texts of all traditions.
The White Path Temple: Shin Buddhism. (www.mew.com/shin/)
Many articles and resources regarding the popular Shin tradition.
The Buddhist Library (worldtrans.org/CyberSangha/csindex.html)
A very large collection of Buddhist texts and commentary.
Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. (www.tricycle.com)
A site associated with the magazine Tricycle. Some articles are are available right here!
The Journal of Buddhist Ethics. (jbe.la.psu.edu)
Very technical, philosophical free internet publication.
The E-Sangha. (www.e-sangha.com)

A large and active Buddhist discussion forum.


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Suggested Readings

Walpola Rahula -- What the Buddha Taught -- A really good explanation of basic ideas, using lots of Pali Sutra quotes.

Kogen Mizuno -- The Beginnings of Buddhism -- A great review of the Buddha's teachings, presented in the form of a biography.

John Snelling -- The Elements of Buddhism and The Buddhist Handbook -- Great introductions (the first short, the second long), especially to the history of Buddhism, up to the present.

The Dhammapada -- The most beautiful summation of Buddhism in the sutras!  Many translations available.

The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion -- Shambhala, publisher -- Every Buddhist, Hindu, and Taoist word in Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, and Japanese, you are ever going to come across.  Also available in more limited versions (e.g. one for Zen...)!

Shunryu Suzuki -- Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind -- IMHO the very best book ever written on Zen.

Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki -- Introduction to Zen Buddhism and Manual of Zen Buddhism -- Classic introduction and selection of readings on Zen.

Philip Kapleau -- The Three Pillars of Zen -- Great introduction. Follow-up books also available.

Thich Nhat Hanh -- Being Peace -- Suggestions for meditation by the originator of Engaged Buddhism.  He's written many others.

Robert Thurman -- Essential Tibetan Buddhism -- Collection of Tibetan texts by the father of Uma.  Tough reading!

Dalai Lama -- The Art of Happiness:  A Handbook for Living -- It's by the Dalai Lama!  He has written many others as well.

Stephen Batchelor -- Buddhism Without Beliefs -- A wonderful effort at fitting Buddhism together with Western society (not an easy task!).

Sylvia Boorstein -- That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist -- Buddhism from the Jewish perspective.

Charlotte Joko Beck -- Everyday Zen:  Love and Work -- Zen in ordinary life.

David Brazier -- Zen Therapy -- An expanation of how Zen contributes to therapy.  And The Feeling Buddha -- a great introduction to Buddhist Psychology.

Mark Epstein -- Thoughts Without a Thinker -- Zen blended with Freud.

Alan Watts -- wrote lots of great books, introducing a generation of hippies to "beat" Zen.

Thomas Cleary -- good modern translator of many Buddhist texts.

Stephen Mitchell -- another good modern translator of many Buddhist texts.

John Stevens -- a third good translator.  See especially Wild Ways: Zen Poems of Ikkyu and Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf: Zen Poems of Ryokan.

Lao Tsu -- The Tao te Ching -- It's not really Buddhism, but it has contributed to Zen enormously.  And it is one of the greatest little books ever written.  I would recommend the translation by Ursula K. leGuin.

Epictetus -- The Art of Living -- Ancient Greek Buddhism?  A translation of this great Stoic work by Sharon Lebell.  Short and easy to read.

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