Introducing the Buddhist Experience Second Edition
"Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experiencehas only strengths, as unbelievable as that sounds. It is probably the best introduction to Buddhism available. Mitchell presents not only the rich historical development of Buddhism, its major texts and doctrines right up to the present; he also guides us through the enormous variety of Buddhist cultures, sects, and schools in a clear and engaging fashion. Brief autobiographical narratives of well-known Buddhist practitioners and scholars as well as individual essays on the contemporary lived experience of Buddhism in various countries add greatly to this book's uniqueness and value. We get real Buddhism, not just textbook Buddhism."--Bradley Malkovsky,University of Notre Dame"Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experienceuses a very broad historical and cultural framework to introduce and accommodate a whole wide spectrum of 'Buddhist experiences'--across 2,500 years and the entire continent of Asia and beyond. Such an endeavor, to my knowledge, is perhaps the most ambitious and comprehensive treatment given to the subject. This book is truly one of a kind."--Wei Zhang,University of South Florida"The author has done an excellent job of presenting a clear and accurate exposition of Buddhism."-Paul J. Griffiths,University of Illinois at Chicago"Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experienceis among the most clearly written and even-handed treatments of the whole of Buddhist history for undergraduate classroom use on the market today."--Linda Penkower,University of Pittsburgh