Buddhist Books Database

Invitation to Theravada Buddhism in Southeast AsiaBuddhism in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Southeast Asia

Invitation to Southeast Asian Theravada Buddhism" - Recommended to learn about Southeast Asian Buddhism, which is different from that of Japan!

Rather than taking a detailed look at the Buddhist doctrines of each Southeast Asian country, this book takes the form of a look at what the lives and faith practices of Buddhists in those countries are like.

Of course, the first chapter of this book provides an easy-to-understand explanation of what Theravada Buddhism is in the first place, making it friendly to those with no specialized knowledge. This work is extremely valuable because it explains the differences from Mahayana Buddhism in an easy-to-understand manner. Moreover, since it is taught in a narrative style that even beginners can read with ease and familiarity, it is highly recommended for those who want to learn not only about Buddhism but also about culture itself.

This book was very exciting to learn about Theravada Buddhism and what it is and what it is like at the level of the lives of the people living there. It was very interesting to read it while thinking about the differences and similarities with Japanese Buddhism.
the path of civilizationIndian thought, culture and history

NHK Special: Paths of Civilization Silk Road by Sea and Land" - An exciting book to learn about the connection between ancient India and the Roman Empire!

This book is one of the best for learning about the Silk Road that connected ancient India with the Roman Empire. It is richly illustrated and photographed for easy visualization, and the explanations are carefully told in a way that even beginners can easily understand. Ancient India and the Roman Empire are two of my favorite worlds full of romance. I was very excited to read this book that connects these two worlds. I highly recommend this book. Why not pick up a copy?
History of Buddhism in New Asia 02Buddhism in India

New Asian Buddhist History 02 India II: The Formation and Development of Buddhism" - Will it change the image of Buddhism? A reference book that questions the history of Buddhist studies itself

The "Buddhist studies" that we took for granted and enjoyed were born completely unrelated to Japanese Buddhist thought and culture.

This book will give you a clear understanding of how "Buddhist studies" came into being and how it was brought to Japan and applied to Japan.

The most common criticism of Japanese Buddhism is that "compared to primitive Buddhism, Japanese Buddhism is corrupt," and we will consider the reasons for this criticism. We readers will also become aware of the problems with this criticism.

This book is a wonderful work that gives us a bird's eye view of the discipline of "Buddhist Studies" itself.
1.3 Billion ToiletsIndian thought, culture and history

Daisuke Sato, "Toilets for 1.3 Billion People" - India has no toilets! A book to learn about the harsh work of the cleaning caste and the pollution of the Ganges River!

This work is just shocking. I was shocked to learn that people of the cleaning caste work in such poor conditions. I couldn't believe my eyes when I read how they were immersed in untreated sewage without any equipment and had to unclog it with their bare hands.

I was also simply stunned by the deception of Modi's policy of installing toilets throughout India. Corruption, corruption, and bribery in India are horrendous. This toilet policy was also riddled with discovery, corruption, and injustice. It was truly a toilet policy riddled with corruption.

And the book's mention of the Ganges River, which will be of particular interest to those interested in India and Buddhism, is a nice touch. I highly recommend this work.
New Asian Buddhist History 01Buddhism in India

New Asian Buddhist History 01 India I: Background of the Emergence of Buddhism" - Recommended for learning about the relationship between Buddhism and the caste system and the historical background!

This book is a recommended work to learn about Indian society at the time the Buddhist Order was born.

It is clear that Buddhism, too, was not born out of the sudden birth of the great Gautama Buddha, but in the context of the Indian world that has continued since ancient times.

By looking at the social conditions of the time, we can see a picture of the Buddhist Order that cannot be seen through ideology and theory alone. This was stimulating. It made me realize once again that India is not a simple entity after all.

The New Asian Buddhist History series reflects the latest research as of 2010. This is another reason why we recommend this series.
Mahayana Buddhist ThoughtBuddhism in India

Gen Nakamura's Selected Works, Volume 21, "The Idea of Mahayana Buddhism" - A stimulating reference book for thinking about primitive Buddhism and early Mahayana.

In this work, you can learn about the thought of Mahayana Buddhism, which is directly related to Japanese Buddhism, and the process of its establishment and development. Gen Nakamura's characteristic is that he not only discusses the thought but also intertwines it with the historical background of the time. In this book, too, he looks at Buddhism from a wide range of perspectives, including the historical background of the time, the local climate, and ethnicity.

From the very beginning of this book, a point is suddenly made that is very exciting. As the title of the article says, this is a great book full of very interesting points to consider about what Buddhism is.
Caste and Tolerance in Contemporary IndiaIndian thought, culture and history

Shinya Suzuki, "Caste and Tentacledons in Contemporary India" - What is the reality of discrimination as seen from the cleaning caste in Delhi?

The book is a work that looks at the reality of caste discrimination in India, using the cleaning caste of Delhi as a starting point.

We have previously introduced the reality of caste discrimination in India in this blog in "India's Cruelest People" by Aya Ikegame and "Caste in History: Self-Portrait of Modern India" by Tsuyoshi Fujii.

Although these books have also discussed the reality of caste discrimination in India in detail, this work is unique in that it looks specifically at the Delhi cleaning caste based on fieldwork and data from the area.

This book is a valuable source of information about India, mainly based on data and fieldwork. We highly recommend this work together with "1.3 Billion Toilets: India, an Economic Powerhouse Seen from Below" by Daisuke Sato, which will be introduced in the next article.
PauderBuddhism in India

Gen Nakamura, Mitsunori Saegusa, "Bauddha [Buddhism]" - Recommended reference for learning what the Agong Sutra is and the process of formation and propagation of the Mahayana sutras.

This book is a reference to learn about the Agong Sutra, which is not very familiar in Japan, and the process of establishment and propagation of Mahayana Buddhism.

I am also interested in what the Agong Sutra is and how and when it came to Japan and how it was read, so I really appreciated this book. The detailed yet easy-to-understand explanations make this book an excellent read for those who want to learn more about Buddhism.

The process of establishment and propagation of Mahayana Buddhism will also be explained in an easy-to-understand manner. This book clarifies the nature of the Buddhism that was introduced to Japan and the differences between the Buddhism practiced in Japan and the primitive Buddhism of India.

It is definitely an excellent reference book on what Buddhism is all about.
From Primitive Buddhism to Mahayana BuddhismBuddhism in India

Gen Nakamura Selected Works, Volume 20: "From Primitive Buddhism to Mahayana Buddhism" - A Turning Point in Buddhist History! A masterpiece full of important suggestions for thinking about Japanese Buddhism.

In this work, you will learn about the richness of Buddhist thought of this period and its connection to the historical background of the time.

The book also takes a closer look at the budding birth of Mahayana Buddhism. It is often said that Mahayana Buddhism was born out of opposition to the existing cult that ignored the people, but in reality, it is not that simple. Of course, there may have been such an aspect, but you will also learn in this book that there were various social factors involved.

It is a great work that is a tremendous read for those who want to learn more about Buddhism in more detail, although it is quite demanding as an introductory book. I highly recommend that you pick up a copy.
Social Thought in Primitive BuddhismBuddhism in India

Gen Nakamura Selected Works, Volume 18, "The Social Thought of Primitive Buddhism" - Recommended for understanding the relationship between primitive Buddhism, the state, and the market economy.

In the previous article, "The Ethics of Life in Primitive Buddhism," Volume 17 of Gen Nakamura's Selected Works, we looked mainly at the life of lay believers in primitive Buddhist orders. In this article, we looked at the unique lifestyle and thought of zenke believers, which is different from the lifestyle and thought of ordained believers.

In this work, "Gen Nakamura Selected Works [Definitive Edition], Vol. 18: Social Thought of Primitive Buddhism," we will look at the relationship of these lay believers to society as a whole, the state and the market economy, rather than to their individual problems.

This is a great book that will give you a different perspective on primitive Buddhism. Why not pick up a copy?