In their systematic presentations of religious philosophy, the indian buddhists consistently defended the position that belief in an eternal creator god who superintends his creation and looks after the concerns of his creatures is a distraction from the central. In this honest and serious book of selfexamination and critical scrutiny, stephen batchelor adds the universe of buddhism to the many fields in which received truth and blind faith are now giving way to ethical and scientific humanism, in which lies our only real hope. Writer allan badiner made this bald pronouncement in the midst of a conversation that spanned the wee hours of a cloudless burning man night. Confession of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor middle. Principled atheism in the buddhist scholastic tradition richard p. Read confession of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor available from rakuten kobo. He is probably best known for buddhism without beliefs, in which he describes himself as an agnostic. Mar 10, 2010 a book setting out the principles of a pareddown buddhism has won praise from archatheist christopher hitchens wed 10 mar 2010 09. A moving and thoughtful book that does not fear to challenge. This is a list of the books ive read that i would place on my recommended list of books. The tibetan book of living and dying by sogyal rinpoche manual of zen buddhism by d. Buddhism is not about either believing or not believing in god or gods. Secular buddhism sometimes also referred to as agnostic buddhism, buddhist agnosticism, ignostic buddhism, atheistic buddhism, pragmatic buddhism, buddhist atheism, or buddhist secularismis a broad term for an emerging form of buddhism and secular spirituality that is based on humanist, skeptical, andor agnostic values, as well as.
Atheist interested in buddhism, what should i read. The one theology book all atheists really should read. The one theology book all atheists really should read what if most modern arguments against religious belief have been attacking the wrong god all along. Buy confession of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor isbn. Thus this is an interesting and quite readable book, but it is not very coherent. Confession of a buddhist atheist and millions of other books are available for. A collection of handselected books on atheism, chosen on the basis of apparent usefulness and quality. This is a question with an interesting answer i think. Both controversial and deeply personal, confession of a buddhist atheist is a fascinating exploration of a religion that continues to engage the west.
According to batchelor, what buddhists practice in various parts of the world is a mix of what the buddha taught and beliefs held by the local culture before buddhism arrived. However, it is a question whether buddhism is truly atheistic. Books by richard dawkins, the british scientist and atheist, are among our most recommended on five books. All are available for purchase on click book images for details. We do not believe that this world is created and ruled by a god. If theres no god in buddhism, are buddhists atheists. This is a question with an interesting answer i think we can all learn from. Preface confession of a buddhist atheist tells the story of a thirtysevenyearjourneythroughthebuddhisttradition. The new publication is confession of a buddhist atheist. Buddhists believe in an afterlife, in various spiritual things, but not in god.
Confessions of a buddhist atheist is really the biography of two men. Confession of a buddhist atheist audiobook by stephen. Religionfacts does not necessarily endorse the contents of these books. At times, batchelor confessions of a buddhist atheist comes off as condescending toward popular approaches to buddhism or religion in general, and he admittedly coopts buddhisms historical. Yet mahayana buddhism is a later version of buddhism and the theravada school still follows the teachings of buddha in its essence 6.
It seemed an interesting goal and i bought this book and batchelors other book. Buddhism is an indian religion founded on the teachings of a mendicant and spiritual teacher called the buddha the awakened one, c. I would need time to do it, but there are passages from the tripitaka that strongly indicate that the buddha denied the existence of a creator. Batchelors buddhism without beliefs 1997 described a secular approach to the eastern philosophy stripped of doctrines such as karma and rebirth. Confession of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor. In all of the following, i refers to the author of this book, fabian m. As a buddhist atheist, the author sees buddha s teachings as a valuable path to better living and social change, but not as a means to personal spiritual transformation or any transcendent awakening. In the end, his disillusionment and cynicism show through quite clearly. I decided to read this autobiography first so i had a better idea of the man behind the book. In his book buddhism12 he writes as between the theist and atheist positions.
Jul 01, 2010 following his years of study and practice of zen buddhism in japan, antinoff introduces this ruminative exploration as a kind of natural or existential koan, an impossible dilemma which we must solve. In buddhist legends, the gods of india play a great role. Im an atheistchristian and interested in learning more about buddhism i really would just like a book list. However, disbelief in a creator god does not necessarily mean that buddhism is atheistic. Confessions of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor. As batchelor buddhism without beliefs, a former buddhist monk, points out in his new memoir, central to the beliefs of buddhists are doctrines of rebirth and of dharma universal law of recompense for ones acts. Jun 11, 2018 for example, sam harris, a selfidentified atheist who has expressed admiration for buddhism, has said buddhism should be taken away from buddhists. Confession of a buddhist atheist quotes showing of 51 to embrace suffering culminates in greater empathy, the capacity to feel what it is like for the other to suffer, which is the ground for unsentimental compassion and love. Confession of a buddhist atheist quotes by stephen batchelor.
Confession of a buddhist atheist tells the story of a. Ive been asked on multiple occasions to recommend my favorite books on buddhism or mindfulness. A book setting out the principles of a pareddown buddhism has won praise from archatheist christopher hitchens. Please put any books that turned you on to buddhism in the. Buddhism as though they possessed an intrinsic value. Jan 27, 2015 i was most intrigued, though, by badiners description of the buddha as an atheist. This is because the way that the buddha approached and taught about reality is not prim. Does one need to believe in god or gods to follow his system. Brahma and indra encourage the buddha to share the truth of his enlightenment with all people. I read in a book by the pope that buddhism is atheistic and lifedenying. The atheist bible describes an atheist view on life, the universe, and everything. Its author, stephen batchelor, is at the vanguard of attempts to forge an authentically western buddhism.
Can an atheist or agnostic follow the buddhas teachings without believing in reincarnatio. Secular buddhismsometimes also referred to as agnostic buddhism, buddhist agnosticism, ignostic buddhism, atheistic buddhism, pragmatic buddhism, buddhist atheism, or buddhist. His book buddhism without beliefs caused a firestorm for suggesting that the doctrines of rebirth and karma, present in all historical expressions of buddhism across asia, are not essential to the religion. If atheism is the absence of belief in a god or gods, then many buddhists are, indeed, atheists. Principled atheism in the buddhist scholastic traditionpdftex. The new buddhist atheism mark vernon opinion the guardian. Written with the same brilliance and boldness that made buddhism without beliefs a classic in its field, confession of a buddhist atheist is stephen batchelors account of his journey through buddhism, which culminates in a groundbreaking new portrait of the historical buddha. It is the argument of this book that the koan burning within the west, in western culture as a whole and in its individuals, has been given.
On the dharma trail in india and korea, and later as a lay resident at the nonsectarian sharpham community in england, batchelor was beset by doubts about traditional buddhist teachings. In his books buddhism without beliefs and confession of a buddhist atheist he articulates his approach to the buddhas teaching. I am a big fan of sam harris and after reading his book waking up i began meditating and practicing mindfulness. Hardcore zen by brad warner the way of zen by alan watts buddhism. With 500 pages, it is one of the largest works on atheism. Best books for buddhism for an atheist book i am a big fan of sam harris and after reading his book waking up i began meditating and practicing mindfulness and began to be interested in eastern philosophy which led me to buddhism. Batchelors insightful, deeply knowledgeable, and persuasive account will be an essential book for anyone interested in buddhism. Theism, atheism and nontheism in buddhism metanexus.
Buddhism is an atheist religion vexen crabtrees websites. Confession of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor stephen batchelor is a scottish born writer and lecturer who calls himself an atheist buddhist. Confession of a buddhist atheist is a personal account of the authors thirtyeight year engagement with buddhism. Secular buddhismsometimes also referred to as agnostic buddhism, buddhist agnosticism, ignostic buddhism, atheistic buddhism, pragmatic buddhism, buddhist atheism, or buddhist secularismis a broad term for an emerging form of buddhism and secular spirituality that is based on humanist, skeptical, andor agnostic values, as well as. In my reading of batchelors other books i have also found them lacking in coherence. Buddhism dont believe theres god, but therere gods.
Can an atheist or agnostic follow the buddhas teachings without believing in. Can an atheist or agnostic follow the buddhas teachings without believing in reincarnation or organized religion. Dec 30, 2015 english subtitles buddhist master chin kung. In confession of a buddhist atheist, he expands on this new viewpoint. Some scholars have used the term nontheistic to define buddhism as atheism could mean a wider range of vices and theism is too focused on god and especially the concept of a personal god. Many buddhists, however, do believe in a god or gods. Confession of a buddhist atheist ebook by stephen batchelor. The truth is that the buddhism which is practiced predominantly the world over is a hinduised and corrupted version of buddhism, and is not the rationalist, atheist, egalitarian and humanist buddhist path as originally taught by the buddha. Suzuki the heart of the buddhas teachings by thich nhat hanh way of meditation by chogyam trungpa rinpoche. The first part of the book monk follows the authors journey from his departure from england at the age of 18, his first meeting with the dalai lama in 1972, his six years training as a tibetan buddhist monk, his disillusion with the tibetan tradition and departure for a.
The practice of buddhism does not require or dismiss entirely the belief in a deity, personal or otherwise. Rather, the historical buddha taught that believing in gods was not useful for those seeking to realize enlightenment. One challenge for atheists is finding meaning in life. Confession of a buddhist atheist by stephen batchelor goodreads. Read book confession of a buddhist atheist stephen batchelor. An essential collection of stephen batchelors most probing and important work on secular buddhism as the practice of mindfulness permeates mainstream western culture, more and more people are engaging in a traditional form of buddhist meditation. Early texts have the buddhas family name as gautama pali.
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