What
Buddhists Believe
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda Maha Thera
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Author's
Note
With
so many books available on Buddhism, one may ask if there is need for yet
another text. Although books on Buddhism are available on the market, many
of them are written for those who have already acquired a basic
understanding of the Buddha Dhamma. Some are written in an archaic style,
based on a rigid translation of the original texts. Such a style is not
appealing to modern readers who might get the impression that Buddhism is
a dry subject. There are books by learned scholars who present the
teachings in a highly academic and abstruse manner. Except for a few very
well-informed readers, these books could create more confusion than
clarify, and may even lead the ordinary reader to conclude that Buddhism
is too sophisticated for his needs. Some books highlight differences
between schools of Buddhism, with the result that the uninitiated reader
may be engrossed in the so-called 'intersectarian rivalry', without
realizing that there are many more similarities than differences among
schools. There are also books written by non-Buddhists who, either
deliberately or through their ignorance, distort and misrepresent the true
teachings of the Buddha.
This book is written with
a specific aim in mind: to introduce the original teaching clearly and
without recourse to exaggeration, cultural implications or disparaging of
particular schools of Buddhism, so that the reader can understand the
Buddha Dhamma its modern context. There is a growing interest in Buddhism
the world over because many informed people have grown rather weary of
religious dogmatism and superstition, on one hand, and greed and
selfishness arising from materialism, on the other. Buddhism can teach
humanity to walk the Middle Path of moderation and have a better
understanding on how to lead a richer life of peace and happiness.
K. Sri
Dhammananda
18.03.1987
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Source: Buddhist
Study and Practice Group, http://www.sinc.sunysb.edu/Clubs/buddhism/
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Layout: Chan Duc - Nguyen Thao
Update : 01-11-2002