Buddha for Beginners (Writers and Readers Documentary Comic Book, 79,) - Softcover

Asma, Stephen T.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0863161863 ISBN 13: 9780863161865

Publisher: Writers & Readers, 1996

Synopsis

Explains the underlying philosophies of Buddhism, introduces the historical Buddha, and discusses the philosophical differences between the Theravada, Madhyamaika, Tantric, and Zen forms

About this title

About the Author:

Stephen T. Asma is a professor of philosophy at Columbia College, Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of several books, including The Gods Drink Whiskey and Stuffed Animals and Pickled Heads. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.

From Publishers Weekly:

Revising his 1996 illustrated primer, Asma (The Gods Drink Whiskey) explores the key tenets of Buddhism in the style of a graphic novel. A sparse text punctuated by extensive illustrations—some cartoonlike and others more serious and detailed—describes Siddhartha Gautamas enlightenment, what the Buddha taught and how Buddhism developed as the Buddhas followers encountered various Asian cultures. Asma, a professor of philosophy at Chicagos Columbia College, argues that Buddhist ideas are deeply misunderstood in the West, and he distinguishes these from Buddhist culture. Placing Buddhism in the context of Hindu philosophy, Asma explores the four noble truths, the eightfold path, the five aggregates, the concept of no-self and other ideas critical to this Asian religion. He liberally references specific Hindu and Buddhist scriptures and tackles such tricky subjects as how reincarnation can occur if an immortal self doesnt exist. Asma also briefly touches on the role of women as Buddhism developed. His take on which current forms hold closest to the Buddhas teachings may provoke disagreement from some practitioners. This brief, irreverent tour of Buddhism and the sometimes humorous, sometimes grotesque, illustrations wont be to all tastes; the book includes adult images. (Jan.) 
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Writers & Readers
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0863161863
• ISBN 13: 9780863161865
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 155