Explains the origins, development and basic principles of the religion followed by nearly one-quarter of the people on earth.

The first book on Buddhism I read, long ago, describing the Buddha’s life, general precepts of Buddhism, and three of its branches – Hinayana, Tibetan, and Zen. It’s illustrated and I found it to be a great introduction then, and a great refresher now.

Quotes:
On death, quoting Evans-Wentz:
“To die in a hospital, probably while under the mind-benumbing influence of some opiate, or else under the stimulation of some drug injected into the body to enable the dying to cling to life as long as possible, cannot but be productive of a very undesirable death, as undesirable as that of a shell-shocked soldier on a battlefield.”

On enlightenment, and the symbol of the yab-yum (actually quoting Fosco Maraini):
“What fantastic imagination, what metaphysical daring, to represent the most abstract possible concept, a concept definable only by negatives, like mathematical infinity, by the most concrete, the most carnal picture that it is possible to imagine; to symbolize that which is without beginning and without end by that which is par excellence ephemeral and fugitive; to identify extreme serenity with extreme passion, the crystal light of the stars with the fire of love, the invisible and the intangible with the intoxication of the senses; and to recall the oneness of the universe, to awareness of which the mind only rarely attains, as a result of supreme effort, in a flash of illumination, by a representation of the moment in which all thought is lost in the most complete annihilation.”

On nature:
“..in the annals of Chinese Zen, the anecdote of the Ch’an Master Huen Sha, who was about to begin a talk to his pupils when a bird on a nearby bough burst into song. After listening raptly to the bird until it flew away, Huen Sha dutifully ascended his dais, only to descend again with the dry remark that the sermon for the day had already been given.”

On opinions:
“Emptiness is a positive rather than a negative concept. The early stages of Zen training stress ‘Empty the Mind.’ Sometimes the aspirant is advised to ‘Take as thought the thought of No-thought.’ Or it may be suggested that he not seek so hard after the ‘truth,’ but simply begin by ‘ceasing to cherish opinions.’” Damn, such profound words, and so hard to practice. ( )

Introduces the first and the greatest of the world religions.

This is a fantastic book on Buddhism. My copy is full of paperclips, which I used to mark really great stuff I'd want to be able to reference again quickly. ( )