This introduction to Buddhism examines its basic  philosophical teachings and historical development, setting forth  complex and significant ideas in a straightforward and simple style  that is easily accessible to the student. The author's orientation is  philosophical, rather than religious or sociological. This approach is  both the uniqueness and the strength of the work.    Part I outlines the historical background out of which Buddhism arose  and emphasizes the teachings of early Buddhism. By comparing the  earliest Buddhist literature in both the Pali Nikayas and the Chinese  Agamas, the author has established the common base of earliest  Buddhism most free of sectarian rivalry. Topics such as epistemology,  causality, existence, karma, morality, ethics, and nirvana are  discussed in detail.    Part II examines developments in the history of Buddhist thought and  the emergence of the various schools of Buddhism. The development of  Abhidharma is studied through analysis of the various doctrines of the  scholastics that comprise Abhidharma literature, as is early Mahayana  through the Mahayana sutras. Two chapters examine Madhyamika  Transcendentalism and Yogacara Idealism. The Buddha's attitude toward  metaphysics and the relationship between early Buddhism and Zen are  covered in two appendices.

Buddhist Philosophy: A Historical Analysis (National Foreign Language Center Technical Reports) PDF

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