Buddhism, Joan Duncan Oliver
Buddhism, Joan Duncan Oliver
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Buddhism
An Introduction to the Buddha's Life, Teachings, and Practices (The Essential Wisdom Library)

Author: Joan Duncan Oliver

Narrator: Joan Duncan Oliver, Juanita Rockwell

Unabridged: 4 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/30/2019


Synopsis

This program includes an introduction read by the author.

A modern guide to the teachings of Buddhism.

Buddhism: An Introduction to the Buddha’s Life, Teachings, and Practices is an indispensable guide to a 2,600-year-old wisdom tradition that has transformed the lives of millions across centuries and around the world. Readers will learn how Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha, one of the most influential spiritual leaders of all time, and discover how they too can follow his revolutionary methods to attain happiness and inner freedom. Along with accessible overviews of central teachings—the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, karma, core virtues like kindness and compassion, and more—Buddhism covers such basics as:

- the three main Buddhist traditions—Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana—historically and their relevance today
- the role of meditation and mindfulness in Buddhist practice
- step-by-step instruction in key Buddhist practices

Writing in an engaging, approachable style, author Joan Duncan Oliver outlines the fundamentals of Buddhism for every listener, revealing its timeless truths and their relevance for finding peace in uncertain times. A practitioner of Buddhist meditation for forty years, Oliver has written extensively on Buddhist wisdom and its application to daily life. Her practical approach makes Buddhism an essential modern guidebook to an ancient tradition.

About Joan Duncan Oliver

JOAN DUNCAN OLIVER is a contributing editor at Tricycle: The Buddhist Review and an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, O: the Oprah Magazine, Health, Shambhala Sun, and The Best Buddhist Writing 2005. Her books include Happiness, Good Karma, Coffee with the Buddha, The Meaning of Nice, and Commit to Sit, an anthology of articles from Tricycle. A Buddhist practitioner for 40 years, she has studied with teachers from the Zen, Vipassana, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, and from Bön, the indigenous religion of Tibet.


Reviews

Goodreads review by B. on September 08, 2019

I’ve been studying Buddhism in earnest now for about 3 years. I’m raised and baptized Catholic, but having begun practicing Zen and self studying various texts, I think of myself as Buddhist, but am certainly not attached to labels anymore-thank you Buddhism! Anyway, this is a great book so far beca......more

Goodreads review by Mijo on January 09, 2025

Hmm. Fascinating. A very brief intro to an ancient human practice. I am intrigued!......more

Goodreads review by Matthew on September 17, 2020

As an introduction to Buddhism, I'd say that for the most part this is a great book. I learned a great deal and definitely used up a pen with underlining. The only thing I didn't like, however, would be its constant explanations of the origins of certain practices and lines of thought. Yes, I believ......more

Goodreads review by Mica on May 04, 2020

I stumbled by chance with this book while browsing for other books associated with a Buddhism and Modern Psychology course that I'm currently taking and I'm so glad I did. This book is basically what the title says 'an Introduction to the Buddha's Life, Teachings, and Practices'. The author is able......more

Goodreads review by Phil on January 09, 2022

"Buddhism: An Introduction to the Buddha's Life, Teachings, and Practices..." is a comprehensive guide for the study and practice of Buddhism. The author is able to outline the key tenets of Buddhism in an engaging and provocative style. The author outlines the various forms of Buddhism for anyone w......more