Description
Book SynopsisThe words and example of Gautama (often known by the title, ''Buddha'') have affected billions of people. But what do we really know about him? While there is much we cannot say for certain about the historical Gautama, this persuasive new biography provides the fullest and most plausible account yet.
Weaving ancient sources and modern understanding into an engaging narrative, Vishvapani Blomfield examines Gautama''s words and impact to shed fresh light on his culture, his spiritual search and the experiences and teachings that led his followers, to call him ''The Awakened One''. This book draws on the myths and legends that surround him to illuminate the significance of his life. It traces Gautama''s investigations of consciousness, his strikingly original view of life and his development of new forms of religious community and practice.
Blomfield''s insightful and thought-provoking biography will appeal to anyone interested in history and religion, and in the Bud
Trade Review
'Master of clarity and simplicity, Vishvapani presents through the life of Buddha an understanding of Buddhism of immense relevance to the way we live now' Dorothy Rowe, author of Beyond Fear and Depression: The Way Out of Your Prison. * Dorothy Rowe *
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements. Introduction: Gautama and the Buddha. A World in Ferment. The Search for Wisdom. Nirvana. The Awakening Moment. Dialogue. The Homeless Community. A Holy Man in the World. Crisis. The Final Journey. Gautama's Legacy. Appendix: An Outline of Buddhist History. Select Bibliography. Glossary of Terms, Names and Places. Notes. Index.
