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The extremely rapid development of interest by both those from the curiosity forum and from the great number of practicers of Buddhism has stimulated the need for writings, which explain this religions in easily understood rhetoric of the system as it has grown in Eastern countries and in the West. This book is situated at an intersection of philosophy and practice in that the description of methods of Buddhist devotion are traceable to pedagogic discipline, to historical facts and descriptions of ethical and systematic practices.
The author asks himself the question, "What in Brief is Buddhism?" in a way to stimulate on-going interest for the reader. Not that the reader, from casual acquaintance seeker to the scholar, viewing an in-depth flow of the Buddha-Dharma, needs a catalyst to continue the volume from cover to cover, Guruge's display of his profound knowledge and of chronology events holds the interest of all.
From the beginning there is the reference to Buddhism as having the components of a "religion" but with the flexibility of supporting free-thinkers and without an oppressive dogma influenced by one superior being to whom all followers owe obeisance. The Buddha-Dharma is ... "tolerant enough to allow every form of spiritual and supernatural experience to survive under its benign protection." Through 25 centuries Buddhism has met the challenges of diverse religious systems, science and other forces of modernization.
According to the author. Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of the International Academy of Buddhism at Hsi Lai University, Rosemead, California, Buddhism's attracting thousands of devotees early in its rise as a religion is due to the Buddha himself teaching and preaching the message of suffering through his personal experience. He adopted the language of the people and not that of scholars and priests; he encouraged all to work for "deliverance", an objective achievable by each one alone; he
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preached doctrines which had a scientific basis, far ahead of their time; he placed himself in un-safe situations to exemplify a teaching conundrum; he founded a devoted sangha of monks and nuns with democratic rules to afford allegiance and living as a vehicle to carry on his teachings after his death and attainment of parinibbana.
The author follows the flow of development of Buddha Dharma from India through South and South-east Asia, Central and East Asia, Tibet, Korea and Japan. He stresses the importance in the thrust of Buddhist religion to its leadership role in creating an attitude of tolerance with all other religions. Within its own boundaries are centuries of seeking unity among its diverse traditions.
This book is appropriately in with the merging of the Buddhist religion with inter-faith, especially in the advent of Humanistic Buddhism. How else can such a brief scholarly text bring the crux of the Buddha's teachings to a vast audience? The author, in a well-organized simple presentation and lucid writing style, has done just that.