Light of Liberation: A History of Buddhism in India (Crystal Mirror Series, Vol. 8)
The study of Buddhism in recent times has focused on the cultures in which Buddhism is currently practiced--cultures found in Japan, China, Tibet, and Southeast Asia. Buddhism disappeared from the country of India after the 12th century B.C.E., and any comprehensive exposition about Buddhism in India before its complete disappearance is welcomed. This history begins with a rich, highly detailed narrative of the historical and cosmogonic context into which the Buddha was born. It continues with a scholarly exposition of the life of the Buddha and the subsequent growth of the Sangha (community of mendicant monks) during a period that lasted 16 centuries; it ends with a long passage about the rise of the Mahayana sect. Much of the research is based on traditional sources (i.e., the Sutras, Avadanas, and Vinayas) and modern archaeological research. This work is intended for the scholar who is familiar with Buddhist terminology and Indian theology and history, and not for the untutored lay reader. Recommended for academic and theological libraries.- Glenn Masuchika, Chaminade Univ. Lib., HonoluluCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.