Chapter 6 concerns the many varieties of Buddhism. It begins with an account of the life of the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. The chapter includes sections on the teachings of the Buddha and the ways in which major Buddhist schools in South, Southeast and East Asia have interpreted them. Among those considered are Theravada and Mahayana schools including Pure Land, Zen, Tendai, and Nichiren. The final sections of the chapter concern Buddhism in Tibet and recent developments since World War II in Buddhist thought and practice.
After reading this chapter you should:
- Be familiar with Buddhist accounts of the life and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.
- Be familiar with major Buddhist festivals and holy days including the new year, the celebration of the birth of the Buddha, the Chinese and Japanese Buddhist festival of souls, and the robe offering.
- Recognize the major Buddhist schools and understand their differences and similarities.
- Know important names and terms including: Buddha, Rahula, tanha, Sangha, Dharma, Nirvana, anatman, Bodhisattva, dhyani, Amitabha, koan, satori, tantras and Dalai Lama.
- Understand Buddhism's connection with Asian nationalism and political change, as well as the development of American Buddhism.
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