1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910462534903321

Autore

Lopez Donald S. <1952->

Titolo

The scientific Buddha [[electronic resource] ] : his short and happy life / / Donald S. Lopez, Jr

Pubbl/distr/stampa

New Haven, : Yale University Press, 2012

ISBN

1-283-60433-7

9786613916785

0-300-15913-7

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (163 p.)

Collana

The Terry lectures

Disciplina

294.3/365

Soggetti

Buddhism and science

Buddhism

Electronic books.

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

Front matter -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- ONE. A Purified Religion -- TWO. The Birth of the Scientific Buddha -- THREE. The Problem with Karma -- INTERLUDE. A Primer on Buddhist Meditation -- FOUR. The Death of the Scientific Buddha -- Notes -- Index

Sommario/riassunto

This book tells the story of the Scientific Buddha, "born" in Europe in the 1800's but commonly confused with the Buddha born in India 2,500 years ago. The Scientific Buddha was sent into battle against Christian missionaries, who were proclaiming across Asia that Buddhism was a form of superstition. He proved the missionaries wrong, teaching a dharma that was in harmony with modern science. And his influence continues. Today his teaching of "mindfulness" is heralded as the cure for all manner of maladies, from depression to high blood pressure. In this potent critique, a well-known chronicler of the West's encounter with Buddhism demonstrates how the Scientific Buddha's teachings deviate in crucial ways from those of the far older Buddha of ancient India. Donald Lopez shows that the Western focus on the Scientific Buddha threatens to bleach Buddhism of its vibrancy, complexity, and power, even as the superficial focus on "mindfulness"



turns Buddhism into merely the latest self-help movement. The Scientific Buddha has served his purpose, Lopez argues. It is now time for him to pass into nirvana. This is not to say, however, that the teachings of the ancient Buddha must be dismissed as mere cultural artifacts. They continue to present a potent challenge, even to our modern world.