Images of the Buddha are everywhere—not just in temples but also in museums and homes and online—but what these images mean largely depends on the background and circumstance of those viewing them. In Behold the Buddha, James Dobbins invites readers to imagine how premodern Japanese Buddhists understood and experienced icons in temple settings long before the advent of museums and the internet. Although widely portrayed in the last century as visual emblems of great religious truths or as exquisite works of Asian art, Buddhist images were traditionally treated as the very embodiment of the Buddha, his palpable presence among people. Hence, Buddhists approached them as living entities in their own right—that is, as awakened icons with whom they could interact religiously. Dobbins begins by reflecting on art museums, where many non-Buddhists first encounter images of the Buddha, before outlining the complex Western response to them in previous centuries. He next elucidates images as visual representations of the story of the Buddha’s life followed by an overview of the physical attributes and symbolic gestures found in Buddhist iconography. A variety of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and other divinities commonly depicted in Japanese Buddhism is introduced, and their “living” quality discussed in the context of traditional temples and Buddhist rituals. Finally, other religious objects in Japanese Buddhism—relics, scriptures, inscriptions, portraits of masters, and sacred sites—are explained using the Buddhist icon as a model. Dobbins concludes by contemplating art museums further as potential sites for discerning the religious character of Buddhist images. Those interested in Buddhism generally who would like to learn more about its rich iconography—whether encountered in temples or museums—will find much in this concise, well-illustrated volume to help them “behold the Buddha.”

A beginner's guide to appreciating Buddha statues from a whole new perspective. This is a ground-breaking guide book focusing on how you can receive a stronger impression when appreciating Buddha statues. People tend to look at the sculptures absentmindedly, experiencing the statues as a confirmation of the information they read or heard before. This way of viewing tends to quickly diminish the impression of the art work. But how can we deepen our impression and excitement towards each Buddha statue? This book presents different perspectives and steps to help reader go one step further when appreciating Buddha statues. For example, readers are invited to compare two Buddha statues (the same icon from a different eras), and observing them from all 360 degrees. Comparing the statues like this reveals the subtle differences of style, such as proportion, mass, atmosphere, movement, drapery, posture, modeling, and contour, gradually making readers understand the characteristics and trend of eras and the manner of the carvers. Also, while other guide books tend to focus on academic facts and trivia, this book leans more towards the works' style and beauty. This book is for those who are interested in appreciating Buddha statues but don't know how to, and for those who can feel the magnificence of the wonderful piece of art but don't know how to delve deeper. No special background information is necessary to appreciate Buddha statues. With this new point of view presented by Yoshihiro Suzuki, an honorary member of the Nara National Museum, who now gives lectures in Japan on how to appreciate Buddha statues, readers will be able to see Buddha statues from a whole new perspective and spend a more fulfilling time in museums. Readers will surely be intrigued by the deep world of Buddha statues. This book collects many national treasures and important cultural properties such as the Standing Kongo Riksihi statues in the Nandaimon gate at Todaiji, the Seated Chogen Shonin (Todaiji Temple, Nara), the Standing Mujaku Bosatsu (Asanga Bodhisattva) and Senshin Bosatsu (Vasubandhu Bodhisattva), and the Standing Demons Tentoki and Ryutoki.

A Bodhisattva is someone who has resolved to liberate all living beings from suffering by fulfilling his or her full spiritual potential. Many people have the compassionate wish to benefit others, but few understand how to make this wish effective in their daily life. In this highly acclaimed explanation of the great Buddhist classic, Guide to the Bodhisattva`a Way of Life, Geshe Kelsang shows how we can develop and maintain the supremely compassionate motivation of a Bodhisattva, and how we can then engage in the actual practices that provide the greatest benefit to others and lead to the attainment of full enlightenment.

"The perfect guide for a course correction in life" (Deepak Chopra) that teaches us how to enjoy a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the spiritual in our present troubled times. Drawing on his experiences as a former priest, Watts skillfully explains how the intuition of Eastern religion—Zen Buddhism, in particular—can be incorporated into the doctrines of Western Christianity, offering a timeless argument for the place of mystical religion in today’s world.

The Gospel of Buddha According to Old Records told by Paul Carus. Modeled on the New Testament and tells the story of Buddha through parables. It was an important tool in introducing Buddhism to the west and is used as a teaching tool by some Asian sects. Reproduction of 1894 Edition.

This special presentation of Buddha's teachings by the author of Modern Buddhism, offers truly liberating insights and advice for the contemporary reader. It reveals the profound meaning of the very heart of Buddha’s teachings - the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras. The author shows how all our problems and suffering come from our ignorance of the ultimate nature of things, and how we can abandon this ignorance and come to enjoy pure, lasting happiness by developing a special wisdom associated with compassion for all living beings. 'Many people are very intelligent in accomplishing worldly attainments. This intelligence is not wisdom because worldly attainments such as a high position, reputation, wealth and success in business are deceptive. If we die tomorrow, they will disappear tomorrow, and nothing will be left for our future. Wisdom, however, will never deceive us. It is our inner Spiritual Guide, who leads us to the correct path. It is the divine eye through which we can see what we should know, what we should abandon, what we should practise and what we should attain.' -Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism offers a comprehensive, nuanced, and chronological account of the evolution of Buddhist religion in Japan from the sixth century to the present day. Traces each period of Japanese history to reveal the complex and often controversial histories of Japanese Buddhists and their unfolding narratives Examines relevant social, political, and transcultural contexts, and places an emphasis on Japanese Buddhist discourses and material culture Addresses the increasing competition between Buddhist, Shinto, and Neo-Confucian world-views through to the mid-nineteenth century Informed by the most recent research, including the latest Japanese and Western scholarship Illustrates the richness and complexity of Japanese Buddhism as a lived religion, offering readers a glimpse into the development of this complex and often misunderstood tradition

Contains essays by many of the most important twentieth century Japanese philosophers, offering challenging and illumination insights into the nature of Reality as understood by the school of Zen.

The essays in this volume focus on the historical, institutional, and ritual context of a number of Japanese Buddhist paintings, sculptures, calligraphies, and relics?some celebrated, others long overlooked.

Donna Quesada had been teaching for about a dozen years when the first signs of burnout hit her. Rather than give in to her frustration, she reached for Buddha’s teachings, the Zen wisdom that formed the basis of her own longtime spiritual practice. She survived the semester and gradually rediscovered the joy in her job that had been progressively declining. In this wise and inspirational book, she shares the lessons she learned—lessons that revealed, time and again, that no matter the situation, it’s always about getting your head in the right place first. Resolution begins in our own minds. Some days, some semesters, and even some years will be more challenging and more wearisome than others, she warns. But in The Inspired Teacher, Quesada offers a lasting source of encouragement and Zen. Although the book draws from Eastern teachings, the wisdom is for everyone, regardless of personal background, creed, or faith. With elements of The Last Lecture as well as Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul, this is the perfect gift for teachers—but also for anyone needing inspiration.