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Books Related to Introduction to Buddhism Peter Harvey - ISBN: 8175961880
A balanced perspective - Rated
Most books available on Buddhism on bookshelves at the popular level leave a great deal to be desired. Either they are written by people who have had no contact with Buddhism, culturally or by practice (or at best very little practice of the wrong sort) thus taking a literalist approach to translated Buddhist scripts or they are too specialist, providing a view of Buddhism based on only one school or a narrow emphasis, often hawking for influence.
Professor Harvey has both contacted Buddhism culturally and continues to make an honest attempt to put Buddhism into practice. An introduction to Buddhism is one of the best overall introductions to this vast subject now available, superseding equivalent good books which are by now up to 50 years too old. Harvey combines scholarship including a knowledge of Pali and Sanskrit along with sensitivity to the contexts in which the various scriptures can be seen.
In the forest of competing books out now, this one can be recommended without reservation.
A definitive academic introduction - Rated
The author is probably the UK's leading academic in Buddhist Studies based at Sunderland University. Accordingly this is an academic style of book, but easy enough to read for all that, and quite useful for browsing. For those just curious about Buddhism I would recommend 'Principles of Buddhism' by Kulananda, rather than this book. For a hagiography Schumann's 'The Historical Buddha' is a classic. However, for a very good foundation in Buddhism as a world religion in all its flavours this book is hard to beat.
Comprehensive, authoritative, excellent! - Rated
Peter Harvey delivers an introduction to all of the major concepts and developments of Buddhism in one volume. It has an academic, technical tone pitched at a level perfect for the undergraduate or A-level student (it was written for his own students I think). If your interested in a book on Buddhism without all of the aethereal clap-trap this is the one to go for as there is no speculation only opinion and fact. A brillant buy!
