The Vision of Buddism

The view of Buddhism, destined to become a classic in its field, is a dramatic departure from most Western treatments of Buddhism. To maintain that the usual historical approach is not only irrelevant to Buddhism, but also destructive to its distinctive worldview. Corless takes a non-linear approach, one more faithful to the Buddhist tradition itself.

Most Western treatments of Buddhism are historical, tracing in detail the chronology of Buddhism's rise and growth and its division into dozens of competing schools. This clear and elegant introduction to Buddhism takes a non-historical approach, one that is more faithful to the Buddhist tradition itself. Author Roger Corless presents and explains Buddhist teachings and practices in light of events in Buddha's life. He examines the mythologized version of Buddha's life and the various accounts of Buddha's life given by his followers. In the main body of the book, he considers the issue of paramount importance to modern readers: how the life of the Buddha, in all his descriptions, can be repeated by each individual practitioner.