What the Buddha Thought
Equinox Pub., 2009 - 240 pages
In What the Buddha Thought, Richard Gombrich argues that the Buddha was one of the most brilliant and original thinkers of all time. Intended to serve as an introduction to the Buddhas thought, and hence even to Buddhism itself, the book also has larger aims: it argues that we can know far more about the Buddha than it is fashionable among scholars to admit, and that his thought has a greater coherence than is usually recognised. It contains much new material. Interpreters both ancient and modern have taken little account of the historical context of the Buddhas teachings; but by relating them to early brahminical texts, and also to ancient Jainism, Gombrich gives a much richer picture of the Buddhas meaning, especially when his satire and irony are appreciated. Incidentally, since many of the Buddhas allusions can only be traced in the Pali versions of surviving texts, the book establishes the importance of the Pali Canon as evidence. The book contains much new material. The author stresses the Buddhas capacity for abstraction: though he made extensive use of metaphor, he did not found his arguments upon it, as earlier thinkers had done. He ethicized and radically reinterpreted older ideas of karma (human action) and rebirth. Similarly, building on older texts, he argued for the fundamental importance of love and compassion, and analysed fire as a process which could stand as a model for every component of conscious experience. Morally, the Buddhas theory of karma provided a principle of individuation and asserted each individuals responsibility for his own destiny. To make the book completely accessible to the general reader, the author provides an introductory section of Background Information, for easy reference.
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Contents
Causation and Nonrandom Process
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129 |
Cognition Language Nirvana
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144 |
The Buddhas Pragmatism and Intellectual Style
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161 |
Copyright
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Common terms and phrases
Agni argued ātman Bhikkhu Bodhi Brahmā brahmin Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Buddha Buddha says Buddha's ideas Buddha's teaching Buddha's thought Buddhaghosa Buddhism Began Buddhist tradition called century Chain of Dependent Chandogya Chapter claim cognition commentaries consciousness context death Dependent Origination Dhamma discussed doctrine dukkha early Buddhist Eightfold Path Enlightenment ethical evidence example existence experience explained fact five fire wisdom five khandha followers formulation Gombrich human impermanent important Indian individual intention interpretation Jain Jainism Jurewicz karma khandha kind language literally living Mahā Mahāvīra Mahayana means meditation metaphor mind modern monks moral Moreover negative nibbāna Nikaya nirvana Noble Eightfold Path Noble Truths normal one's Pali Canon passage person pragmatic preaching question Rahula realize rebirth reborn refer Ṛg Veda ritual rules samkhārā samsāra Sangha Sanskrit scholars sense Sermon soul Sutta term theory Theravada things translation understand Upanisads Veda Vedic Vedic thought verse Vinaya volitions