Includes bibliographical references and index.

I: Origins and historical development -- Crows and monks: introduction -- The elephant and the Buddha -- 2: Theravāda philosophy and practice -- The narrative path of the Buddha -- Ethical and political implications of Buddhist narratives -- The tale of beggars and donors -- The feminine narrative in Buddhism -- Stories from Buddhists villages -- 3: Major Mahāyāna movements and schools -- The Bodhisattva's path to perfection -- Secret narratives: philosophies of emptiness -- Devotional voices of the pure land -- Tales of Lamas: Tibetan Buddhism -- The no-narrative of seated meditation: Zen -- New narratives: recent paths of reform and revival.

"Offers a comprehensive introduction to the main branches of the Buddhist tradition in both the Mahayana and Theravada schools, including the Madhyamika school, the Yogacara school, Pure Land devotionalism, Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and village folk Buddhist traditions. Chapters explore the life and teachings of the Buddha in historical context, the early development and institutionalization of Buddhism, its geographic spread across Asia and eventually to the United States, philosophy and ethics, the relationship between monks and laity, political and ethical implications, the role of women in the Buddhist tradition, and contemporary reinterpretations of Buddhism."--Page 4 of cover.

Print version record.

Master record variable field(s) change: 072