آنچه بوداییان باور دارند، ویرایش چهارم گسترش‌یافته

Summary of Buddhist Beliefs Title Page 1 What Buddhists Believe Expanded 4th Edition 3 Contents 5 page 1 5 page 2 6 page 3 7 page 4 8 page 5 9 page 6 10 Foreword 11 Preface 13 PART ONE 17 LIFE & MESSAGE OF THE BUDDHA 17 1 LIFE AND NATURE OF THE BUDDHA 18 Gautama, The Buddha 18 His Renunciation 24 Nature of the Buddha 27 Was Buddha an Incarnation of God? 32 The Buddha’s Service 35 Historical Evidences of the Buddha 38 Salvation Through Arahantahood 41 Who Is A Bodhisatva? 43 Attainment of Buddhahood 47 Trikaya — The Three Bodies of the Buddha 49 2 HIS MESSAGE 53 Message for All 53 Miraculous Power 57 The Buddha’s Silence 61 How to Answer Questions 63 The Buddha’s Attitude towards Worldly Knowledge 65 The Last Message of the Buddha 67 3 AFTER THE BUDDHA 70 Does the Buddha Exist after His Death? 70 A Successor to the Buddha 74 The Future Buddha 75 PART TWO 79 BUDDHISM: ESSENCE & COMPARATIVE APPROACHES 79 4 TIMELESS TRUTH OF THE BUDDHA 80 The Lion’s Roar 80 What is Buddhism? 83 Impact of Buddhism on Civilization 86 Buddhist Contribution to Humanity 88 The Ultimate Truth 90 Two Main Schools of Buddhism 93 5 BASIC DOCTRINES 98 Tri-Pitaka (or Tipitaka) 98 Sutra Pitaka 101 Abhidharma Pitaka 102 What is Abhidharma? 105 Mind and Matter (Nama-Rupa) 111 Four Noble Truths 113 The Danger of Selfish Desire 116 The Noble Eightfold Path — The Middle Way 118 Gradual Development 119 Righteous Life 120 Everything is Changeable 126 What is Karma? 129 Misconceptions Regarding Karma 131 Our own Experience 133 Other Factors which Support Karma 135 Can Karma be Changed? 136 Impartial Energy 138 Classification of Karma 140 Is Everything Due to Karma? 142 Why Some Wicked People Enjoy While Some Good People Suffer 143 Rebirth 145 How Does Rebirth Take Place? 149 Is Rebirth Simultaneous? 151 Dying Moment 152 Nirvana 153 Nirvana and Samsara 155 Law of Dependent Origination 157 Eternalism and Nihilism 164 Can the First Cause be Known? 166 Is there an Eternal Soul? 168 Soul-Theories 168 Anatta: The Teaching of No-Soul 171 6 BUDDHISM VIS-A-VIS OTHER APPROACHES 175 Is Buddhism Similar to Other Contemporary Teachings in India? 175 Is Buddhism a Theory or a Philosophy? 177 Is Buddhism Pessimistic? 181 Is Buddhism Atheistic? 184 PART THREE 187 LEADING A BUDDHIST LIFE 187 7 MORAL FOUNDATION FOR HUMANITY 188 What is the Purpose of Life? 188 Understanding the Nature of Human Beings 189 Understanding the Nature of Life 190 The Need for a Religion 191 Searching for a Purpose in Life 193 Realisation 194 Buddhism for Human Beings in Society 197 The Buddhist Way of Life for Householders 201 8 BUDDHIST MORALITY & PRACTICE 204 Buddhist Ethics 204 Buddhist Morals are Based on Intention or Volition 207 What is Vinaya? 208 Development of Sangha Community 211 Changing Society 213 Dharma and Vinaya 215 Characteristics of a Monk 216 Ten Meritorious and Ten Evil Actions 218 Ten Evil Deeds 221 Precepts 224 Five Precepts 226 Eight Precepts 227 Loving-Kindness 230 Real Charity 234 Buddhist Attitude towards Human Organ Donations 237 The Buddhist Attitude to Animal Life 239 The Need for Tolerance Today 243 Buddhist Funeral Rites 245 9 DHARMA & OURSELVES AS REFUGE 248 Why we take Refuge in the Buddha 248 No Self Surrender 253 No Sinners 254 Do It Yourself 257 Human Beings are Responsible for Everything 259 Human Beings are their own Jailors 260 You Protect Yourself 263 You Have to Save Yourself 266 10 PRAYER, MEDITATION & RELIGIOUS PRACTICES 274 Faith, Confidence and Devotion 274 The Meaning of Prayer 276 Meditation 278 Nature of Modern Life 281 The Significance of Paritta Chanting 285 Are Buddhists Idol Worshippers? 290 Religious Significance of Fasting 296 Vegetarianism 297 The Moon and Religious Observances 300 PART FOUR 305 HUMAN LIFE IN SOCIETY 305 11 LIFE & CULTURE 306 Traditions, Customs and Festivals 306 Rites and Rituals 307 Festivals 308 Status of Women in Buddhism 309 Buddhism and Politics 311 12 MARRIAGE, BIRTH CONTROL & DEATH 321 Buddhist Views on Marriage 321 Divorce 323 Birth Control, Abortion and Suicide 324 Committing Suicide 326 Why Does the World Population Increase? 327 Sex and Religion 329 PART FIVE 333 A RELIGION FOR HUMAN PROGRESS 333 13 NATURE, VALUE & CHOICE OF RELIGIOUS BELIEFS 334 Human Beings and Religion 334 Misconceptions on Religion 339 Which is the Proper Religion? 342 Moral and Spiritual Development 345 The God-Idea 347 The Development of the God-idea 347 The God-idea and Creation 349 Human Weakness and the Concept of God 350 Changing a Religious Label before Death 354 Short-cut to Paradise and End of the World 356 14 PROMOTER OF TRUE HUMAN CULTURE 358 Modern Religion 358 Religion in a Scientific Age 360 Buddhism and Science 361 Limitations of Science 363 Learned Ignorance 365 Beyond Science 366 Science Without Religion 367 Tribute to Buddhism 368 Religion of Freedom 369 Buddhist Missionaries 374 15 WAR AND PEACE 378 Why is there no Peace? 378 Can We Justify War? 381 The Buddhist Attitude 383 Can Buddhists Join the Army? 385 Mercy Killing 388 Killing for Self-Protection 389 The Buddhist Stand on the Death Sentence 390 PART SIX 395 THIS WORLD AND OTHER WORLDS 395 16 REALMS OF EXISTENCE 396 The Origin of the World 396 Other World Systems 400 The Buddhist Concept of Heaven and Hell 403 Belief in Deities (Devas) 406 Existence of Spirits 408 The Significance of Transference of Merits to the Departed 409 Highest Gift to the Departed 411 17 DIVINATION AND DREAMS 414 Astrology and Astronomy 414 Buddhist Attitude Towards Astrology 418 Fortune-Telling and Charms 422 Consulting Mediums 424 Dreams and Their Significance 425 Faith Healing 431 Superstitions and Dogmas 433 Title Index 435