Donald Sewell Lopez Jr. is a leading scholar in Buddhist and Tibetan studies, whose work delves into the depths of these traditions. He explores their complex philosophies, historical contexts, and cultural expressions with scholarly rigor, yet maintains an accessible style. Lopez's research illuminates the essence of Buddhist thought and its evolution across various settings. His writing offers readers an insightful journey into these fascinating spiritual and intellectual paths.
The book chronicles the remarkable evolution of Buddhism over 2,500 years, detailing its spread across the globe. It highlights the transformative impact of cultural exchanges and historical events on the faith, showcasing how Buddhism adapted and thrived in diverse societies. Through the lens of a leading scholar, readers gain insights into the religion's core teachings and its relevance in contemporary times, emphasizing its enduring legacy and the dynamic nature of spiritual traditions.
An essential companion to a timeless spiritual classicThe Lotus Sūtra is among the most venerated scriptures of Buddhism. Composed in India some two millennia ago, it asserts the potential for all beings to attain supreme enlightenment. Donald Lopez and Jacqueline Stone provide an essential reading companion to this inspiring yet enigmatic masterpiece, explaining how it was understood by its compilers in India and, centuries later in medieval Japan, by one of its most influential proponents.In this illuminating chapter-by-chapter guide, Lopez and Stone show how the sūtra's anonymous authors skillfully reframed the mainstream Buddhist tradition in light of a new vision of the path and the person of the Buddha himself, and examine how the sūtra's metaphors, parables, and other literary devices worked to legitimate that vision. They go on to explore how the Lotus was interpreted by the Japanese Buddhist master Nichiren (1222–1282), whose inspired reading of the book helped to redefine modern Buddhism. In doing so, Lopez and Stone demonstrate how readers of sacred works continually reinterpret them in light of their own unique circumstances.An invaluable guide to an incomparable spiritual classic, this book unlocks the teachings of the Lotus for modern readers while providing insights into the central importance of commentary as the vehicle by which ancient writings are given contemporary meaning.
Rare paintings set aside life stories of each of the eighty-four wild Buddhist saints of ancient India.This exquisite full-color presentation of the lives of the eighty-four mahāsiddhas, or “great accomplished ones,” offers a fresh glimpse into the world of the famous tantric yogis of medieval India. The stories of these tantric saints have captured the imagination of Buddhists across Asia for nearly a millennium. Unlike monks and nuns who renounce the world, these saints sought the sacred in the midst of samsara. Some were simple peasants who meditated while doing manual labor. Others were kings and queens who traded the comfort and riches of the palace for the danger and transgression of the charnel ground. Still others were sinners—pimps, drunkards, gamblers, and hunters—who transformed their sins into sanctity.This book includes striking depictions of each of the mahāsiddhas by a master Tibetan painter, whose work has been preserved in pristine condition. Published here for the first time in its entirety, this collection includes details of the painting elements along with the life stories of the tantric saints, making this one of the most comprehensive works available on the eighty-four mahāsiddhas.
"The most comprehensive work available on the life and writings of Tibet's most famous modern cultural hero. Poet, prolific writer, Buddhist philosopher, adventurer, madman, and saint can all be used to describe Gendun Chopel (1903-1951). The life and writings of this cultural prophet of the Himalayas represent a key turning point in Tibetan religious and cultural history, when twentieth-century modernity came crashing into Tibet as a result of the Great Game and the invasion of Communist China. Gendun Chopel was a recognized reincarnation (tulku), a Gelukpa monk, and a nonsectarian Buddhist practitioner. He eventually became Tibet's first modern artist and writer, largely due to his extensive time abroad and exposure to Western culture in British India. Gendun Chopel was little appreciated in his lifetime, though he was known by the Tibetan elite for his scholarship and progressivist ideas, which eventually landed him in a Lhasa prison. While he did not accrue many followers in his lifetime, his love of the Dharma and extensive contributions to Tibetan Buddhist philsophy count him among the greatest Buddhist masters to have come from Tibet. No contemporary scholar knows Gendun Chopel better than Donald S. Lopez, Jr., who has written six books on the figure so far. Lopez intimately and eloquently carries the reader through the life of Gendun Chopel, setting the stage for his selected writings, which present the range and depth of Chopel's thought"-- Provided by publisher
"This book is an introduction to Buddhism told as the story of the Korean pilgrim Hyecho, who traveled through the Buddhist world during its eighth-century golden age. Lopez tells the story of Hyecho's journey, along the way introducing key elements of Buddhism--its basic doctrines, monastic institutions, relationship to Islam, and importance of pilgrimage.
The Lotus Sutra is arguably the most famous of all Buddhist scriptures. Composed in India in the first centuries of the Common Era, it is renowned for its inspiring message that all beings are destined for supreme enlightenment. Here, Donald Lopez provides an engaging and accessible biography of this enduring classic
The fascinating account of how the story of the Buddha was transformed into the legend of a Christian saint.
Gendun Chopel (1903-1951) is widely regarded as one of the most important Tibetan figures of the 20th century, famous for his skills as a poet and infamous for his controversial views. This volume brings together many insights into this multifaceted figure. Gendun Chopel was also a talented artist, developing a style previously unknown in the long and illustrious history of Tibetan painting. Presented here for the first time are Gendun Chopel's remarkable watercolors and pencil sketches, works that attest to his distinction as Tibet's first modern artist.
Both practitioners and admirers of Buddhism have proclaimed its compatibility with science. This book explores how and why these two seemingly disparate modes of understanding the inner and outer universe have been so persistently linked.
