Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 5 days ago
My thoughts on the third book from the Very Short Introduction series. Visit youtube.com/@83Chrisaaron and chrislovesjapan.com for more content. Support my work by sharing with others, or tossing a tip to my Ko-Fi page ko-fi.com/chrisaaron83176 or Amazon wishlist amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1S7UA10KD87AB/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1
Hi everyone. Out of the dozen or so books I've read across the Very Short Introduction series thus far, Buddhism, 2nd Edition by Damien Keown might be the best one.
While vaguely familiar with Buddhism since childhood, besides reading some articles and being exposed to some programs, I never went out of my way to read an entire book devoted to the subject. I learned a ton across the 147 pages and may even be inclined to read it again.
Besides the history of Siddhartha Gautama, his followers and the development of the religion all across Asia and eventually the world, there's a ton of interesting reading. Chapter 8, dealing with ethics and the role of violence was fascinating. Chapter 3, which explains Karma and Rebirth, the three spheres of existence and the wheel of life is a trip to read, whether you choose to believe those things or not. I've dabbled in meditation but never seriously committed to it, but may do so once again as pages 107 and 108 make a seriously compelling case for the practice.
Definitely check out this book if you're curious about Buddhism. If you'd like, stick around for my 5 most interesting notes I took from it.
My thoughts on the third book from the Very Short Introduction series. Visit youtube.com/@83Chrisaaron and chrislovesjapan.com for more content. Support my work by sharing with others, or tossing a tip to my Ko-Fi page ko-fi.com/chrisaaron83176 or Amazon wishlist amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1S7UA10KD87AB/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1
Hi everyone. Out of the dozen or so books I've read across the Very Short Introduction series thus far, Buddhism, 2nd Edition by Damien Keown might be the best one.
While vaguely familiar with Buddhism since childhood, besides reading some articles and being exposed to some programs, I never went out of my way to read an entire book devoted to the subject. I learned a ton across the 147 pages and may even be inclined to read it again.
Besides the history of Siddhartha Gautama, his followers and the development of the religion all across Asia and eventually the world, there's a ton of interesting reading. Chapter 8, dealing with ethics and the role of violence was fascinating. Chapter 3, which explains Karma and Rebirth, the three spheres of existence and the wheel of life is a trip to read, whether you choose to believe those things or not. I've dabbled in meditation but never seriously committed to it, but may do so once again as pages 107 and 108 make a seriously compelling case for the practice.
Definitely check out this book if you're curious about Buddhism. If you'd like, stick around for my 5 most interesting notes I took from it.
