Publisher's Synopsis
Dhammapada, a Collection of Verses; Being One of the Canonical Books of the Buddhists; A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms; A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 1; The Essence of Buddhism; The Religion of the Samurai are the Best Books on Buddhism.
Beyond what he himself tells us in the journals of his journeys in India and Ceylon from the years 399 to 414 in search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline, little is known about the Chinese monk Fâ-hien, who lived in the fifth century. But when he travels in the footsteps of the Buddha, returning to the holy sites, his astute observations reveal a timeless enlightenment. travelling via Ceylon and the South East Asian Islands from China to India and returning to China. Khotan, Skardu, Crossings of the Indus, Udyana, Gandhara, Takshashila, Peshawar, Nagara, Mathura, Kosala, Kapilavastu, Vaishali, Rejagriha, Gaya, Patna, and Ceylon are among the locations the monk has visited.
The fundamental ideas of Buddhism are explained in this book. Buddhism and its methods of practise have been extensively written about. It won't be difficult for readers to find hundreds of books on the subject. This book merely concentrates on the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-fold Path as the essence of Buddhism.
The Japanese Samurai were the perfect audience for Zen. When the Japanese soldiers who became samurai accepted and modified the great moral concepts of Buddhism, they produced an austere philosophy of exceptional beauty and depth. Ancient warrior monks showed its distinctive requirements of strong control over body and mind. Their peaceful demeanour, even in the face of imminent death, made them widely admired even by their enemies.
Zen might be the moral philosophy in the world that is the most misunderstood. Although it is sometimes categorised as a religion, its adherents frequently regard it as a utilitarian philosophy, a set of logical moral principles, or, even more simply, as a state of being.The aim of the practice of Zen is to become Enlightened and achieve the beatitude of Nirvana.
