1 He Teachers, Tradl-Rlons, and Literature of Asian /F//1S0O1/1 | PDF | Nondualism | Ātman (Hinduism)
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The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion - Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Zen — A Complete Survey of the Teachers, Traditions, and Literature of Asian Wisdom.pdf
See this imageThe Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion: Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, Hinduism Paperback – January 1, 1994
by Ingrid Fischer-Schreiber (Author), & 3 more
4.6 out of 5 stars 26 ratings
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Dharma, karma, yoga, Tao -- what does it all mean? Buddha, Krishna, Lao-tzu, Rinzai -- who in the heck were they? Translated from the German of four specialists in the fields of Buddhism and Taoism, Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism and Zen, The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion is more than just a dictionary of terms. It includes the lives of significant teachers, mystics and philosophers; entries for the basic texts and scriptures; capsules of the various sects and schools of thought; as well as mythological figures and events. Packed with information, inexpensive and printed on acid-free paper -- a bargain investment.
From Booklist
This encyclopedia purports to be "a complete survey of the teachers, traditions, and literature of Asian wisdom." With more than 4,000 entries compiled by four experts, one each for Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, and Hinduism, it is certainly as close to complete as any single-volume work covering four religions can be.
The short introduction explains the compiler's intention to give the nonscholar a readable guide to these complicated belief systems. There is a pronunciation guide to the five original languages: Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese. Entries are in alphabetical order in their most common transliteration. Each entry includes a symbol indicating its religion and a literal translation of the term followed by its definition. The numerous cross-references are indicated by an arrow preceding the term. In-depth explanations or biographies are often included in the entries in smaller print. There are many diagrams and photographs to enhance the text. Those terms that are common to two or more disciplines, but have divergent meanings, have separate entries. An extensive bibliography is divided into the four religions and subdivided by primary and secondary sources.
It seems appropriate to compare this title to the recently reviewed Historical Dictionary of Buddhism (HDB) [RBB N 1 93], which also covers Zen. The pronunciation guides are similar; the encyclopedia includes a detailed chart of pinyin to Wade-Giles transliteration. The entries in HDB are shorter, and the language is more scholarly, whereas the encyclopedia has more in-depth explanations and is easier to read. For example, in HDB the entry Shambhala is 59 words in length with no cross-references; in the encyclopedia it is 250 words with six cross-references. There is no entry in HDB for Yoga; the encyclopedia's entry is more than 200 words. The encyclopedia devotes 1 1/2 pages to Zen and includes a Ch'an/Zen lineage chart, whereas HDB has a 150-word paragraph.
On the whole, the encyclopedia is easier and more interesting to read than HDB (in spite of the smaller type) and includes illustrations. At half the price, it is the better choice for high-school and small public libraries. An academic, religious, or large public library may want both titles.
Review
"This valuable reference work is the result of a monumental effort to bring together in a form accessible to English readers the basic terminology and doctrinal systems of the four great wisdom teachings of the East: Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Zen. . . . The Encyclopedia is clearly written, items are cross-referenced, and when a concept is given a different meaning by different traditions, each interpretation is provided for the reader. . . . A necessary reference book for everyone's bookshelf."—Karuna
"Very satisfying . . . A certain reverence to the Eastern traditions on the part of the writers seeps through every page of this admirable volume. One comes to love it."—The Advent
"A useful—indeed essential—source of just the kind of authoritative information any knowledgeable person needs in the post-secular era of today. The material is judiciously selected and helpfully organized for ready access."—Professor Harvey Cox, Harvard Divinity School
"This is a work no student of religion can dispense with. It is a highly professional, specialized, yet broadly informative book one needs for frequent consultation on such topics as the Lotus School, Nagarjuna, Zen Buddhism, Vasubandhu, or I Ching . The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion covers in depth a very large number of entries, from the most general to the very specialistic, being a necessary tool in the orientation of a broad audience within the fascinating yet unfamiliar land of Eastern religions. It is an excellent instrument of knowledge for an essentially pluralistic age."—Ioan P. Couliano, author of Out of This World
About the Author
Shambhala Publications is dedicated to creating books, audio, and immersive courses aimed at improving lives—in ways big and small—in the hope of contributing to the development of a thoughtful, kindhearted, and contemplative society.
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Product details
Publisher : Shambhala; UNABRIDGED VERSION edition (January 1, 1994)
Language : English
Paperback : 488 pages
ISBN-10 : 0877739803
ISBN-13 : 978-0877739807
Item Weight : 1.44 pounds
Dimensions : 6 x 0.94 x 9 inchesBest Sellers Rank: #247,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)#69 in Dalai Lama
#103 in Philosophy Reference (Books)
#264 in Mystery Writing ReferenceCustomer Reviews:
4.6 out of 5 stars 26 ratings
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M. A. Bailey
4.0 out of 5 stars A call to publish this book in digital formatReviewed in the United States on December 20, 2020
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This is such a valuable resource. I have used it for years now. I only wish the publisher would put it in Kindle format. This would make the encyclopedia so accessible. When I travel I read a lot. Inevitably I find myself wishing I had brought the large book. Its size is a deterrent.
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Patrick Church
4.0 out of 5 stars nice to have 😐Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2018
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Knowledge is power...nice to have 😐
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Bobbie Gleason
5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and ReligionReviewed in the United States on October 4, 2007
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Great reference book at a small price. You will not be dissapointed. I wasn't. I love it. Just wish it was also a dictionary with roman transliteration
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Tami Tamitegama
4.0 out of 5 stars Esoteric knowledge on 4 important Eastern Philosophies and Religions are clearly outlined.Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2019
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I use the encyclopedia for much of my circumspect research, and it is spot on with spontaneous illuminations and profound descriptors. It is also a delightful reading companion.
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Issa Abramaleem
5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable Reference Tool!Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2013
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Very, very, very comprehensive!
An invaluable reference for anyone looking to fill in the gaps of their understanding.
Very valuable, indeed!
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Moria Williams
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United States on February 17, 2015
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Just as described and prompt shipping
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Walter Otto Koenig
5.0 out of 5 stars An helpful Reference Book at a Reasonable PriceReviewed in the United States on October 27, 2000
Usually Reference Books of this type are quite expensive and are also often difficult to find. Congratulations to Shambhala Press for providing a useful book at a reasonable price. The Book concentrates on four areas: Buddhism, Hindiusm, Taoism and Zen. The first three are covered by German and Austrian Scholars, and Zen by a Japanese Scholar. The Book is a translation (by Committee) from the German, and suffers surprisingly little as a result. All entries are Alphabetical and are coded to the four categories listed above, thus making it easy to use. Within the text of the entries arrows next to trems lead readers to related entries. The entries are by necccessity brief. An extensive but incomplete Bibliography, provides much of the most important Source Material. It is an ambitious undertaking to produce a one Volume, 468 page, Reference Book of this type. I think that the Editors have succeeded in their undertaking. I hope that subsequent editions will expand on some of the more important entries and add others. I recommend this Book highly to Students and Scholars alike.
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craiger
4.0 out of 5 stars Not what the title suggestsReviewed in the United States on May 6, 2004
I can not give this book one star or less as a reflection of my disappointment in what I was expecting. I was expecting an "encyclopedia" of eastern philosophy. I received a "dictionary" of eastern philosophy. I write this review to prevent others from spending money as I did in hopes of getting some kind of overview of eastern philosophy. You will not. Do you wonder what Abhava means? Or Miroku? How about Hsi K'ang? Then buy this book. This is a thorough (very thorough) glossary of terms. I have been reading western and a mix of western and eastern philosophy by western authors. So I thought I'd pick up this book to ease myself into eastern philosophy, to get an idea of what is out there and what might be to my liking. If you are looking for the same, save your money. If, on the other hand, you are a student or a reader of eastern philosophy who needs reference material to help you along the way I would not hesitate to recommend this book. It is smartly organized (just like a dictionary) with an impressive bibliography. Keep in mind though, this is strictly a reference book. My hope was to find an introduction to eastern philosophy. You will not find yourself reading this book but rather augmenting what you are currently reading through its vast definition of terms. I look forward to using it when I am finally introduced to real eastern philosophical writings. I must give this four stars for its content (I'd like to give it none in comparison to what I was expecting but that would be inappropriate) However, "The Dictionary of Eastern Philosophy and Religion" would have been a more appropriate title. Had that been the title, I would have stayed away and saved twenty-five dollars. Hopefully I will have a use for it in the future.
12 people found this helpful
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Cath
5.0 out of 5 stars Good referenceReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 26, 2015
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Easy to use with good information, especially for the Buddhist tradition.
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JOAQUIN VIÑOLY PALOP
5.0 out of 5 stars IndispensableReviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2017
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There should a copy in any library, public or at home.
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Penny-Shaini
4.0 out of 5 stars Four StarsReviewed in Canada on June 6, 2017
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A must have resource.
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