Buddha for Beginners (Tr)

Stephen, in this remarkable book, is able to portray both Buddha and his message with great beauty and vividness. While it is extremely suited for a beginner, anyone interested in Buddha will find this slim book a pleasure to read. Despite the author's "absolutist" presentation of Nagarjuna's views (perhaps Stephen is a fan of the likes of Prof. Murti and Ed. Conze) and a rather unsatisfactory treatment of the other prevailing philosophies of the land (now I am nitpicking), it is an outstanding book for its intended readers and an excellent one for everyone.

For all those who want a general idea on Buddhism:This book is a MUST. If you are interested in Buddhism, this book gives all the beginning information you need. It tells the life and history of Siddhartha, making it easier to understand his actions by providing a general outline of the religions followed at the time. Even for old hands, this book provides an interesting crash course in what Buddhism was meant to mean.

Mr. Asma treats his subject matter with a wit and irreverance that makes for very entertaining reading. However, he shows his respect for the teachings of Buddhism by referring to the writing of Siddhartha himself, rather than rely on many of the myths and misinformation that have been disseminated about the life and teachings of the "historical" Buddha.

On the West Coast (US), it's not hard to find many new and used books about Buddhism, but this one stood out as being particularly accessible, lighthearted, and earnest. After reading half of it while browsing some weeks ago, I found it in another bookstore and bought it. The author spent a little time in particular on the role of women, which I appreciated. *Highly* recommended for anyone interested in a crash course on Buddhism and its many schools.

This book is concise, accurate and funny. It's distinguished from other books on Buddhism by not bogging down in terminology or taking itself too seriously. I found the summaries of the various schools to be right on and well balanced.