The Pocket Idiot's Guide to Buddhism

Having recently been disappointed by Oxford University Press's "Buddhism: a Very Short Introduction," I wanted to find a short-but-worthwhile text on Buddhism. Not being a fan of "Idiot's Guides," I was hesitant to buy this book. I'm glad I did. The "Pocket Idiot's Guide" gives a brief history of Buddhism, reviews the major schools of Buddhism (Theravada, Mahayana, Tibetan, and Pure Land), and tries to place Buddhism in context in the modern world. It does a good job of each. One thing the book doesn't do, is explain what the heck Nirvana is. (The Oxford University Press book didn't either). Apparently nobody knows exactly what Nirvana is, but Buddhists are sure that we'll like it. The uncertainty about Nirvana would tend to make me reluctant to build up too much good Karma. If you don't have enough good Karma, you keep getting reborn, and at least you know what you're in for. If you get too much good Karma, you attain Nirvana, something almost totally unknown. If you don't know where you're going, you might not like it when you get there.

In my search for a deeper understanding of this religion, I picked up this book a few weeks ago, since I have very limited knowledge about it. Without intending to make of it my perennial reference book about the Buddha and his teachings, I find it (as most titles in the series) extremely useful. It walks you through the essentials in a logical manner that results easy to follow and to assimilate. Highly recommended for starters!

Despite its title and misleading cover blurbs (there are no "Zen-ful tips" as the cover says), this is actually a good overview of the many different schools of Buddhism. This is not a book of Buddhist teachings but a historical survey of Buddhism from its beginnings to the present day. It does go into some of the doctrinal differences between some of the Buddhist schools, but the primary value of this book is in providing a framework for understanding Buddhism in all its varied forms.