Buddhism and Language

Buddhism and Language PDF

Author: Jose Ignacio Cabezon

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 1994-07-01

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780791419007

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Taking language as its general theme, this book explores how the tradition of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist philosophical speculation exemplifies the character of scholasticism. Scholasticism, as an abstract and general category, is developed as a valuable theoretical tool for understanding a variety of intellectual movements in the history of philosophy of religion. The book investigates the Buddhist Scholastic theory and use of scripture, the nature of doctrine and its transcendence in experience, Mahayana Buddhist hermeneutics, the theory and practice of exegesis, and questions concerning the authority of sacred texts. It also deals with the Buddhist Scholastic theory of conceptual thought as the mirror of language, the Scholastic defense of logic and rationality as a method, as well as the role of language in the idealist and nominalist ontologies of the Mahayana. Finally, the author treats the question of ineffability and the silence of the Buddha from a new perspective.

Buddhism and Linguistics

Buddhism and Linguistics PDF

Author: Manel Herat

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-11-11

Total Pages: 191

ISBN-13: 3319674137

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This edited collection brings linguistics into contact with a millennia of works by Buddhist scholars. Examining the Buddhist contemplative tradition and its extensive writings from an interdisciplinary perspective, the authors bridge the gap between such customs and human language. To do so, they provide chapters on linguistics, history, religious studies, philosophy and semiotics. Uniting scholars from three different continents and from many disciplines and institutions, this innovative and unique book is sure to appeal to anyone interested in Buddhist traditions and linguistics.

Linguistic Strategies in Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism

Linguistic Strategies in Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism PDF

Author: Youru Wang

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2003-12-08

Total Pages: 302

ISBN-13: 1134429762

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As the first systematic attempt to probe the linguistic strategies of Daoist Zhuangzi and Chan Buddhism, this book investigates three areas: deconstructive strategy, liminology of language, and indirect communication. It bases these investigations on the critical examination of original texts, placing them strictly within soteriological contexts. Whilst focusing on language use, the study also reveals some important truths about these two traditions and challenges many conventional understandings of them. Responding to recent critiques of Daoist and Chan Buddhist thought, it brings these two traditions into a constructive dialogue with contemporary philosophical reflection. It discovers Zhuangzian and Chan perspectives and sheds light on issues such as the relationship between philosophy and non-philosophy, de-reification of words, relativising the limit of language, structure of indirect communication, and use of paradox, tautology and poetic language.

Pāli, the Language

Pāli, the Language PDF

Author: Bryan G. Levman

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2020-02-13

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 1527547000

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What language did the Buddha speak? Scholars think it was Pāli, or something very close to it. This book argues that the medium in which the Buddha spoke is just as important as the message. It answers the question, “how does the sonic content of Pāli carry the Buddha’s message, complement and enhance it?” Pāli is based on an oral, vernacular language of the people, full of natural idioms and colloquial expressions. It is the opposite of Sanskrit, the formal, abstract, liturgical language of Brahmanism. In its conversational directness, harmony and musicality, oral immediacy and visceral emotivity, Pāli speaks to the here and now, to the urgency of man’s suffering and to the practicality of a philosophy which promises to end it. Anyone interested in Theravādin Buddhism, what the Buddha taught and the special nature of the language in which he taught will find this book engaging. Buddhist practitioners will find it especially beneficial for their meditation and recitation practice. Academics in any area of Buddhism and Historical Linguistics who do not know Pāli will find it a useful introduction to the language and its evolution, while Pāli scholars will find here a unique perspective on the special role the language played in the communication of the Buddha’s teachings.

A Dose of Emptiness

A Dose of Emptiness PDF

Author: Mkhas-grub Dge-legs-dpal-bza?-po

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 1992-01-01

Total Pages: 614

ISBN-13: 9780791407295

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This book is an annotated translation of one of the great Tibetan classics of Mahayana Buddhist thought, mKhas grub rje's sTong thun chen mo. The text is a detailed critical exposition of the theory and practice of emptiness as expounded in the three major schools of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy: the Yogacara, Svatantrika, and Prasangika. Used as a supplement to the scholastic debating manuals in some of the greatest monasteries of Tibet, the sTong thun chen mo is a veritable encyclopedia of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy, dealing with such topics as hermeneutics, the theory of non-duality, the linguistic interpretation of emptiness, the typology of ignorance, logic, the nature of time, and the perception of matter across world spheres. This book is an indispensable source for understanding the Tibetan dGe lugs pa school's synthesis of the Middle Way (Madhyamaka) and Epistemological (Pramanika) traditions of Indian Buddhism. In addition, it is an unprecedented source for the philosophical polemics of fifteenth century Tibet.

In the Buddha's Words

In the Buddha's Words PDF

Author: Bodhi

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2005-07-28

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13: 0861714911

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"This landmark collection is the definitive introduction to the Buddha's teachings in his own words. The American scholar monk Bhikkhu Bodhi, whose voluminous translations have won widespread acclaim, here presents selected discourses of the Buddha from the Pali Canon, the earliest record of what the Buddha taught. Divided into ten thematic chapters, In the Buddha's Words reveals the full scope of the Buddha's discourses, from family life and marriage to renunciation and the path of insight. A concise informative introduction precedes each chapter, guiding the reader toward a deeper understanding of the texts that follow." "In the Buddha's Words allows even readers unacquainted with Buddhism to grasp the significance of the Buddha's contributions to our world heritage. Taken as a whole, these texts bear eloquent testimony to the breadth and intelligence of the Buddha's teachings, and point the way to an ancient yet ever vital path. Students and seekers alike will find this systematic presentation indispensable."--BOOK JACKET.

Buddhism For Dummies

Buddhism For Dummies PDF

Author: Jonathan Landaw

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2011-03-08

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 1118053753

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From the outside, Buddhism seems like a bundle of contradictions wrapped inside a paradox. It is a religion without a god, a belief system without rules, and a faith that encourages its adherents to question everything, including its own teachings. You could spend a lifetime studying Buddhist texts and following its observances and still feel like you’ve only just barely scratched the surface. Yet, over the past 2500 years, this lovely religion that preaches compassion, generosity, tolerance, selflessness and self-awareness has commanded the fervent devotion of hundreds of millions of people around the world who believe it to be the true path to enlightenment. If you’re curious about Buddhism but feel intimidated by all the exotic jargon and strange trappings, this book is for you. Written by two leading American Buddhist teachers and scholars, it offers you a uniquely friendly way to explore the fascinating history of Buddhism and discover: Who Buddha was and his significance in world history and spirituality How the practice of Buddhism can enrich your everyday life How Buddha’s teachings combine to create a path to enlightenment Daily observances and meditation practices How to fulfill your highest potential through Buddhism In plain English, experts Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian define the important terms, explain the key concepts and explore, in-depth a wide range of topics, including: Buddha’s life and teachings and the evolution of the major Buddhist traditions How Buddhism works as a religion, philosophy of life and a practical approach to dealing with life’s problems, all rolled into one The idea that the mind is the source of all happiness and suffering How the practices of wisdom and compassion can connect you with your inner spiritual resources Meditation and other core Buddhist practices and how they can affect your everyday life How to apply Buddhist teachings at each stage along the spiritual path Whether you’re a searcher of truth, a student of religions, or just curious about what’s got Richard Gere and all the rest of those celebrity Buddhists so excited, Buddhism For Dummies is your intro to Buddhism basics.

Pāli and Buddhism

Pāli and Buddhism PDF

Author: Bryan G. Levman

Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing

Published: 2021-11-02

Total Pages: 490

ISBN-13: 1527576876

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This book is a collection of essays on the history and evolution of the Pāli language, which preserves the earliest record of the Buddha’s teaching. Although only the Pāli record has survived, it argues that the Buddha also taught in several of the indigenous languages of northern India, including Dravidian, probably Munda and possibly others. Pāli was derived from a koiné or common language for inter-dialect communication between the different dialects spoken by the Indo-Aryan immigrants, but was also strongly influenced by the languages of the indigenous peoples, Dravidian and Munda. The language of the Buddha’s native clan, the Sakyas, was probably Dravidian, which had a Munda substrate. The Buddha was bi- or multilingual and taught in the Indo Aryan koiné of the immigrants, but also in the local language(s) of his people, whose impact may be found in extensive word and cultural borrowing from these languages into Indo-Aryan, and a significant phonological, morphological and syntactical imprint on Pāli and other Indo-Aryan languages. The book examines this influence and other factors of language change over time in the context of current theories of comparative philology.

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