In this book Donovan Roebert provides a path for Christians and Buddhists who wish to better understand the essential, living tenets of their own faith while exploring how these two great religious paths can provide insights of real benefit to adherents of either. Without lapsing into syncretism or demanding a departure from orthodoxy, this book provides a sound and thorough basis on which Christians and Buddhists Â- and all those seeking greater insight into faiths other than their own - can explore the rich possibilities for learning from one another. Beyond describing in detail the doctrines and practices of Christianity and Buddhism, this book describes the authentic human path of religious development with a strong focus on the problem of 'self' or 'ego' in spiritual growth, discussing obstacles to growth and exploring their remedies. Brief histories of both religions are provided, enabling the reader to understand how diversity is an inevitable consequence of historical development and, rather than standing as a problem in religious dialogue, is always a means to spiritual enrichment. The Gospel for Buddhists and the Dharma for Christians is the fruit of a personal spiritual journey of thirty years. It demonstrates that the search for religious freedom becomes richer and more rewarding when a spacious mind engages with, rather then flees from, religious paths outside of its own tradition. Finally, it is a plea for sincere friendship across factitious religious divides.

In 1959 Newsweek reported that a young Zen monk and scholar threatened to shake Japanese Buddhism by publishing the "secret answers" to the koan. Though he never took that step, Akizuki Ryomin did make good on his promise to devote himself to "breaking the formalism that constricts Zen and exposing the fake masters." Here, he brings his ideas on reform together into a proclamation of a "New Mahayana."

This landmark of interfaith dialogue will inspire readers of all faiths. In The Good Heart, The Dalai Lama provides an extraordinary Buddhist perspective on the teachings of Jesus. His Holiness comments on well-known passages from the four Christian Gospels, including the Sermon on the Mount, the parable of the mustard seed, the Resurrection, and others. Drawing parallels between Jesus and the Buddha — and the rich traditions from which they hail — the Dalai Lama delivers a profound affirmation of the sacred in all religions. Readers will be uplifted by the exploration of each tradition’s endless merits and the common humanity they share.

The Gospel of Buddha According to Old Records told by Paul Carus. Modeled on the New Testament and tells the story of Buddha through parables. It was an important tool in introducing Buddhism to the west and is used as a teaching tool by some Asian sects. Reproduction of 1894 Edition.

When Christian Zen was first published in the early 1970's, it was reviewed enthusiastically in many parts of the world. A subsequent edition added new material from the author's experience. This latest edition, from Fordham University Press, includes a new Preface by the author and a letter to the author from the Christian mystic Thomas Merton, written shortly before Merton's untimely death. William Johnston presents a study of Zen meditation in the light of Christian mysticism.

Buddhism is deeply attractive to many in the West. Its ideals of serenity and compassion seem to supply a dimension of personal spirituality that they don't find in their own traditions. For those raised in the Christian Church, Buddhism can appear to exemplify the best in their own religion--qualities such as peacefulness, simplicity, and reverence for life--while dispensing with rigid doctrines and legalistic morality. Indeed, the number of Christian converts to Buddhism--especially in the United States--has grown exponentially over the years. At the same time, Buddhists and Christians, recognizing the affinities of the two faiths, have increasingly sought to advance an inter-religious dialogue. In Serene Compassion, John and Denise Carmody provide an accessible overview and evaluation of Buddhist thought and practice from a Christian point of view. They find that Buddhism is, in many ways, an ideal complement and companion to Christianity. To show why, the Carmodys focus on Buddhist ideas about holiness--comprising such virtues as purity, devotion, orderliness, compassion, and wholeheartedness--and reveal how they compare to similar values in traditional Christianity. They emphasize the kinship between seekers of holiness in both traditions, and offer a nuanced and sympathetic portrait of meditative practices that bring attention and imagination into the service of spiritual life. At the same time, however, they are frank about matters of doctrinal disagreement, making it clear that some aspects of Buddhist thought are not compatible with a Christian world view. Moving well beyond a simple exposition of Buddhist notions, or a comparison of Christian with Buddhist practice, Serene Compassion concludes that Buddhists and Christians share a basic humanity, and that Buddhism's success at the task of nourishing this humanity has much to teach all Christians. Informative and insightful, it will appeal to readers approaching the dialogue from either side, and to all engaged in the spiritual quest.

Renowned scholar-monk writes accessibly on some of the most contentious topics in Buddhism—guaranteed to ruffle some feathers. Armed with his rigorous examination of the canonical records, respected scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo explores—and sharply criticizes—four examples of what he terms “superiority conceit” in Buddhism: the androcentric tendency to prevent women from occupying leadership roles, be these as fully ordained monastics or as advanced bodhisattvas the Mahayana notion that those who don’t aspire to become bodhisattvas are inferior practitioners the Theravada belief that theirs is the most original expression of the Buddha’s teaching the Secular Buddhist claim to understand the teachings of the Buddha more accurately than traditionally practicing Buddhists Ven. Analayo challenges the scriptural basis for these conceits and points out that adhering to such notions of superiority is not, after all, conducive to practice. “It is by diminishing ego, letting go of arrogance, and abandoning conceit that one becomes a better Buddhist,” he reminds us, “no matter what tradition one may follow.” Thoroughly researched, Superiority Conceit in Buddhist Traditions provides an accessible approach to these conceits as academic subjects. Readers will find it not only challenges their own intellectual understandings but also improves their personal practice.