John S. Strong is the Charles A. Dana Professor of Religion, Bates College, in Maine, USA. Specializing in history of religions, Asian religions, and Buddhist Studies, with a focus on Buddhist legendary and cultic traditions in India and South Asia. He is the author of numerous books and articles including The Buddha: A Beginner’s Guide (Oneworld).

‘An original contribution and approach to this 2,500 year-old religion, with its precise explanations fortified by tables and information on further reading’.

• PrefaceSchemes and ThemesTechnicalitiesNote on abbreviations Chapter 1      Introduction: Lumbinī, a Buddhist World Exposition1.1 Theravāda and Mahāyāna1.2 Lumbinī’s Eastern Monastic Zone: South and Southeast Asian Traditions1.2.1 The Mahā Bodhi Society1.2.2 The Sri Lanka Monastery1.2.3 The Gautamī Center for Nuns1.2.4 Myanmar (Burma)1.2.5 Meditation Centers1.3 Lumbinī’s Western Monastic Zone: East Asian Traditions1.3.1 China1.3.2 Korea1.3.3 Japan1.3.4 Vietnam1.4 Lumbinī’s Western Monastic Zone: Tibetan Vajrayāna Traditions1.4.1 The Great Lotus Stūpa1.4.2 The Lumbinī Udyana Mahachaitya  Part I: Foundations of the Triple Gem: Buddha/s, Dharma/s, and Saṃgha/sChapter 2      Śākyamuni, Lives and Legends2.1 The Historical Buddha2.2 The Buddha’s World2.3 The Buddha of Story2.4 Past Buddhas and the Biographical Blueprint2.5 The Start of Śākyamuni’s Career2.6 Previous Lives (Jātakas)2.6.1 The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin2.6.2 Vessantara Jātaka2.6.3 The Tigress Jātaka2.7 A Lifestory of Śākyamuni2.7.1 Birth and Childhood2.7.2 Life in the Palace2.7.3 The Beginnings of Discontent2.7.4 The Great Departure2.7.5 Paths Not Taken2.7.6 Awakening2.7.7 After Enlightenment2.7.8 The First Sermon2.7.9 Various Conversions and Miracles2.7.10 Death and Parinirvāṇa Chapter 3      Overcoming the Buddha’s Absence3.1 Seeing the Buddha in the Dharma3.1.1 Excursus on the Buddhist Canon/s3.2 Places of Pilgrimage3.3 Relics3.4 Buddha Images3.5 The Masters of the Dharma3.6 The Arhat Dharma-Protectors 3.7 Meeting Maitreya  Chapter 4      Some Permutations of the Middle Way4.1 The Middle Way4.2 Karma and Saṃsāra4.2.1 Why Do Good Deeds?4.2.2 Contexts of Karma I: Neither Free Will nor Determinism4.2.3 Contexts of Karma II: Both Jain and Upaniṣadic Views4.3 The Doctrine of Non-Self (Anātman)4.3.1 Breaking Down the False Sense of Self: the Five Aggregates and Impermanence4.3.2 The Elements (Dharmas)4.3.3 Countering the Breakdown of Self: Personal Continuity4.3.4 Explications of Continuity: Pseudo-Selves and Ersatz Ātmans4.4 Summary Chapter 5      The Four Truths5.1 The First Truth: Stress5.2 The Second Truth: the Continual Arising of Stress and Interdependent Origination5.2.1 The Double Bind of Saṃsāra5.3 The Third Truth: the Cessation of Stress – Nirvāṇa5.4 The Fourth Truth: the Path to the Cessation of Stress5.4.1 Moral Discipline5.4.2 Meditation5.4.3 Wisdom5.5 Other Systematizations of the Path5.5.1 The Seven Factors Conducive to Enlightenment5.5.2 The Graduated Training5.5.3 The Four Divine Abidings5.5.4 The Four Fruits of the Path5.6 Summary Chapter 6      The Establishment and Character of the Early Buddhist Community6.1 Monastic–Lay Interactions6.1.1 Dāna (Giving) and Other Forms of Making Merit6.1.2 Lay Ethics6.1.3 Magical Protection6.1.4 Laypersons and the Monastic Rules6.1.5 Royal Supporters6.1.6 King Aśoka6.2 The Monastics: Wandering and Settling6.2.1 Monastic Lifestyles6.2.2 Monasteries6.3 Mahāprajāpatī and the Establishment of the Order of Nuns6.4 Common Moral Commitments6.5 Initiation Rituals: Wandering Forth and Ordination6.6 Monastic Rules6.6.1 The Elaboration of the Disciplinary Code6.6.2 Enforcement of the Rules: Prātimokṣa Recitation and Pravāraṇa6.7 Some Exemplary Disciples of the Buddha6.7.1 Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana6.7.2 Paṭācārā6.7.3 The Laypersons Nakulapitṛ and Nakulamātṛ6.7.4 Viśākhā, Preeminent Laywoman6.8 Summary Chapter 7      Visions and Divisions of the Saṃgha7.1 Council Stories7.1.1 The Council at Rājagṛha7.1.2 Vinaya Disputes: the Council of Vaiśālī7.1.3 The Councils of Pāṭaliputra7.1.4 Other Council Traditions7.2 The Flowering of Mainstream Factionalism7.3 Other Divisional Issues7.3.1 Practice vs. Study7.3.2 Meditators and Merit Makers7.3.3 Forest Monks and Town Monks7.3.4 The Question of Asceticism7.3.5 The Question of Bon-Vivant Monks7.3.6 Sect vs. Sect7.4 The Origins of the Mahāyāna7.5 Proliferation of Mahāyāna Schools7.5.1 Mahāyāna Schools in India7.5.2 Mahāyāna Schools in China7.5.3 Mahāyāna Schools in Japan7.5.4 Mahāyāna Schools in Tibet 7.6 Summary Part II: Further Elaborations of the Triple GemChapter 8      Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna Ways of Meeting the Buddha/s8.1 Changes in the View of the Buddha: the Lotus Sūtra and Śākyamuni’s Lifespan8.2 Three Bodies of the Buddha/s8.3 Meeting the Buddha/s in Their Pure Lands8.3.1 Akṣobhya8.3.2 Bhaiṣajyaguru8.4 Amitābha8.4.1 Meeting Amitābha through Visualization8.4.2 Rebirth in the Pure Land8.5 Meeting the Buddha in the Great Bodhisattvas8.5.1 Avalokiteśvara8.5.2 Other Great Bodhisattvas8.6 Meeting the Buddha/s in the Vajrayāna8.6.1 Maṇḍalas and the Five Tathāgatas8.6.2 Ritual Consecration (Abhiṣeka)8.6.3 Merging with the Buddha8.6.4 Visions: Meeting the Buddha/s in Bardo8.6.5 Buddha Embodiments in This World: Gurus and Tülkus8.7 Summary Chapter 9      Māhāyana Doctrinal Developments9.1 Emptiness: the Selflessness of Dharmas9.2 Nāgārjuna and the Madhyamaka9.3 The Expansion of Provisional Truth: Expedient Means (Upāya)9.4 Tiantai Doctrines9.5 The Ongoing Dialectic: the Yogācāra School9.5.1 Asanga and Vasubandhu and the Development of the School9.5.2 Yogācāra Doctrines9.6 Avataṃsaka Doctrines9.6.1 Applications of Interpenetration9.7 The Buddha Womb/Embryo (Tathāgatagarbha) Teachings9.7.1 Resurgence of the True Self9.8 Buddha-Nature Controversies9.8.1 Limitations to the Buddha-Nature: the Icchantika Debate9.8.2 The End of the Dharma9.8.3 Expansions of the Buddha-Nature Doctrine9.9 Summary Chapter 10      The Bodhisattva Path, Tantra, and Zen10.1 The Bodhisattva Path10.2 Sudden and Gradual10.2.1 Disagreements over the Nature of the Path: the Debate at Samyé10.2.2 Disagreements over the Nature of Enlightenment10.3 Graduated Paths10.3.1 Compassion and Bodhicitta10.3.2 The Stages of the Path, the Perfections, the Five Paths10.3.3 Routinization and Ritualization10.4 Path Shortcuts10.5 Tantra10.5.1 Uniting the Poles10.5.2 Tantric Physiology10.5.3 Mahāmūdra and Dzokchen (Rdzogs chen)10.6 Direct Experiences: Chan/Zen10.6.1 Kōans10.6.2 Critical Phrases (Huatou)10.7 Summary Chapter 11      Saṃgha Situations: Places, Persons, and Practices in Thai Buddhism/s11.1 Buddhism in Thailand11.2 Thai Monastic Life: Temporary Ordination11.2.1 Life as a Novice11.2.2 Experiences as a Monk11.3 The Lives of Two Charismatic Thai Monks11.3.1 Acharn Mun11.3.2 Khruba Siwichai11.4 The End of the Rains-Retreat in a Northern Thai Village11.5 A Thai Temple in Wimbledon, England Chapter 12      Saṃgha Situations: Places, Persons, and Practices in Japanese Buddhism/s12.1 The Hexagonal Hall (Rokkakudō)12.1.1 Prince Shōtoku12.1.2 Shinran12.1.3 Kannon, Jizō, and Fudō12.2 The Ritual Year at Shinnyodō12.2.1 New Year’s12.2.2 Ḍākinī and the Recitation of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra12.2.3 Main Hall Rituals12.2.4 Goma12.2.5 The Killing Stone12.3 The Ryōanji Rock Garden12.4 The Buddha’s Birthday at the Morgan Bay Zendō12.5 The Japan Temple in Lumbinī12.6 Conclusion Chapter 13      Saṃgha Situations: Places, Persons, and Practices in Tibetan Buddhism/s13.1 Lhasa Jokhang13.1.1 Pinning Down the Demoness13.1.2 Flood Control13.1.3 Grand Prostrations10.1.4 The Great Prayer Festival13.2 The Potala and the Dalai Lamas13.2.1 Finding a New Dalai Lama13.3 Scholars and Mad Saints13.3.1 Drepung Monastery and Monastic Studies13.3.2 Mad Monks: the Case of Tangtong Gyalpo13.4 Samding: Female Incarnations and a Contemporary Buddhist13.5 A Tibetan Dharma Center in Vermont, U.S.A.13.6 Conclusion AppendicesAppendix A: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in IndiaAppendix B: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in Sri LankaAppendix C: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in Myanmar (Burma)Appendix D: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in CambodiaAppendix E: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in ThailandAppendix F: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in ChinaAppendix G: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in JapanAppendix H: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in VietnamAppendix I: A Short Chronology of Buddhism in Tibet Bibliography of Works CitedIndex