New Buddhism

by David Brazier, Brian Daizen Victoria (Preface by)

Overview

This is a manifesto for a more active, compassionate, and socially engaged Buddhism—one grounded in the Buddha's original intention. The New Buddhism asserts that Buddha was a radical critic of society, and that his vision of a new social order transcended racial and economic divisions. Brazier takes a new look at many aspects of Buddhism and reinterprets them in light of the Buddha's social aims. Western and Eastern visions of enlightenment are juxtaposed, and the author draws a line between 'extinction Buddhism' and 'liberation Buddhism'—the former seeks to release the individual from the world, while the latter seeks to perfect the world by freeing it from the forces of greed, hatred, and delusion. The New Buddhism states clearly and boldly that Buddhism should be—and originally was—about engagement with the world. This illuminating guide brings Buddhism to the West and into contemporary life in an accessible and thought-provoking way. It shows that for genuine renewal, Buddhism must be about more than contemplation and personal growth but also about the practice of truth, and having compassion for all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780312295189
Publisher:	St. Martin's Press
Publication date:	05/17/2002
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

David Brazier is the author of The Feeling Buddha and Zen Therapy. A registered psychotherapist who lives in London, Brazier is spiritual teacher to the Order of Amida Buddha, a religious community dedicated to socially engaged Buddhism.

Table of Contents

Autobiographical Note
• 1. Buddha's River
• 2. Creating a Buddha Field
• 3. A Critical History of Early Buddhism
• 4. Schism in the Buddhist Revolution
• 5. Liberating Buddhism
• 6. Varieties of Enlightenment
• 7. Chinese Enlightenments
• 8. Utopian Studies
• 9. Critical Buddhism: Part One
• 10. Critical Buddhism: Part Two
• 11. The Corruption of Lineage
• 12. The Teacher-Disciple Relationship
• 13. Vision and Reality
• 14. Declaring the Republic of Sukhavati
• 15. Going Forth
• 16. Resurgence
• Notes and References
• Index

Editorial Reviews

“This book says important things and says them well.” —Editor, Dharma Life Magazine

“Here is a new way of looking at the Dharma, a way that is specifically relevant to the 21st century.” —Journal of Pure Land Buddhism

“insightful and witty” —Will Sweetman, Times Literary Supplement

“. . .a manifesto for a socially engaged Buddhism...noteworthy” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

A London-based psychotherapist and teacher in the Order of Amida Buddha, Brazier continues an argument he presented earlier in The Feeling Buddha. In this well-written, accessible, and frequently compelling treatise, Brazier draws upon the literature of the so-called Critical Buddhists (a recent movement in Buddhist scholarship criticizing traditional approaches) to challenge whether core doctrines (e.g., the nature of enlightenment, the doctrine of co-arising) of Buddhist traditions such as Zen and Mahayana have remained true to the Buddha's original message. Brazier rejects the idea of Buddhism as a path focused on individual salvation, instead arguing that the Buddha viewed enlightenment as awakening to the harsh realities of this world with a commitment to work for a "Pure Land," or heaven, on Earth. Written in the tradition of Liberation Theology, this is a powerful call to emphasize the social rather than escapist dimensions of Buddhism. Recommended for most public and academic libraries to accompany the Dalai Lama's more personal Ethics for the New Millennium. [This book should not be confused with James William Coleman's recent The New Buddhism, LJ 101. Ed.] James R. Kuhlman, Univ. of North Carolina Lib., Asheville Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

A London-based psychotherapist and teacher in the Order of Amida Buddha, Brazier continues an argument he presented earlier in The Feeling Buddha. In this well-written, accessible, and frequently compelling treatise, Brazier draws upon the literature of the so-called Critical Buddhists (a recent movement in Buddhist scholarship criticizing traditional approaches) to challenge whether core doctrines (e.g., the nature of enlightenment, the doctrine of co-arising) of Buddhist traditions such as Zen and Mahayana have remained true to the Buddha's original message. Brazier rejects the idea of Buddhism as a path focused on individual salvation, instead arguing that the Buddha viewed enlightenment as awakening to the harsh realities of this world with a commitment to work for a "Pure Land," or heaven, on Earth. Written in the tradition of Liberation Theology, this is a powerful call to emphasize the social rather than escapist dimensions of Buddhism. Recommended for most public and academic libraries to accompany the Dalai Lama's more personal Ethics for the New Millennium. [This book should not be confused with James William Coleman's recent The New Buddhism, LJ 101. Ed.] James R. Kuhlman, Univ. of North Carolina Lib., Asheville Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal