Today the Buddha is honored throughout the world as one of the great religious figures in the history of humankind.
In this authoritative biography, John Strong presents the story of Siddhartha Gautama the way Buddhists have told it -- from accounts of his previous lives, and the story of his birth and upbringing, through to his enlightenment, deathbed deeds, and ongoing presence in the relics that he left behind. Along the way, he explores the roots of key Buddhist beliefs and practices, making this volume not only a useful study of the life of the Buddha, but a helpful introduction to Buddhism as a whole.
The Buddha: Beginners Guides, John Strong, One World, Paperback, 264 Pages, $14.95
John Strong is Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Bates College in Maine, USA. He has lectured in countries across the world, including Japan and Sri Lanka, and is the respected author of four books and numerous articles on Buddhism.
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CONTENTS: The Buddha
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| Tables |
ix |
| Illustrations |
x
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| Preface |
xi |
| Pronunciation and transliteration of terms |
xiv |
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| 1
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Introduction: the lifestory of the Buddha |
1
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| 2
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Previous lives of the Buddha |
19 |
| 3
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Ancestry, birth, and youth |
47 |
| 4 |
Quest and enlightenment |
65 |
| 5
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Teachings and community |
101 |
| 6
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Daily routines, miracles, and distant journeys |
131 |
| 7
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Final days, the parinirvana, and the nirvana of the relics |
163 |
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| Sources and further reading |
194 |
| Glossary of Sanskrit names and terms with Pali equivalents |
224 |
| Bibliography |
232 |
| Index |
249 |
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