Books in the Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism series

These essays chart the emergence of a new chapter in an ancient faith - the rise of social service and political activism in Buddhist Asia and the West. Engaged Buddhists have sought new ways to comfort society's oppressed communities.

This book is the first comprehensive overview of Buddhist architecture in North America and provides an analysis of Buddhist architecture and communities. It will be of interest to religion, architecture, US history, Asian Studies and Buddhist Studies and libraries of Buddhist communities across the United States and the world.

This book examines the relationship between Buddhist philosophy and scientific psychology by focusing on the doctrine of No-self. A novel contribution to the study of Buddhist Philosophy, the book will also be of interest to scholars of Buddhist Studies and Asian Religions.

This book analyzes what Buddhism has to offer in envisioning the possibilities of "living well" here and now for individuals, society as a whole, all sentient beings and the planet itself.

Demonstrates how the four noble truths are used thorughout the Pali canon as a symbol of Buddha's enlightenment and as a doctrine within a larger network of Buddha's teachings.

Based on the author's doctoral dissertation (University of Bristol, 2010).

Offers essays and dialogues by well-known Buddhist and Christian scholars on topics that were of primary interest to Frederick J. Streng, in whose honour the volume was created.

This book examines the adaptation of Buddhism to the Australian socio-cultural context, within the broader context of Buddhism's development in Westernized countries.

This work focuses on the Buddhist visual practices surrounding the visual representation of a single, central concept, "prajna" - or wisdom - in medieval north India.

Though Nagarjuna advocates the Middle Way, his philosophy of emptiness nevertheless entails nihilism, and his critiques of the Nyaya theory of knowledge are shown to be unconvincing.

Analyzes the moral theory of the seventh century Indian Mahayana master, Santideva, author of the well-known religious poem, the "Bodhicaryavatara" ("Entering the Path of Enlightenment") as well as the significant, but relatively overlooked, "Siksasamuccaya" ("Compendium of Teachings").

In this paper, Williams seeks to engage in a critical way with some central issues of Buddhist thought relating to the coherence of a reductionist model of the person. He argues for an irreducible subject-involvement of pain-statements.

Explores the notion of desire as found in the Buddhist Pali Canon. Addressing the idea of a 'paradox of desire', whereby we must desire to end desire, this title examines the varieties of desire that are articulated in the Pali texts. It presents a range of views of desire, as found in Western thought, as well as Hindu and Jain approaches.

A study that provides an overall interpretation of the Buddhist monument Borobudur in Indonesia. It helps to understand the significance of the Borobudur for the field of Buddhist and Religious Studies.

This work traces Mi pham's position in his commentary on the Bodhicaryavatara, the attack of one of his opponents, and his response. It also indicates ways in which the controversy over the nature of awareness may be important within the context of rDzogs chen thought and practice.

This is the first book to examine war and violence in Sri Lanka through the lens of cross-cultural studies on just-war tradition and theory. An important contribution to the understanding of the power of religion to create both peace and war.

A detailed exploration of the quest for liberation on the part of the early bhikkunis. Only text in the Buddhist tradition of known female authorship.