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Stephen Batchelor has a new book entitled Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist - part autobiography, part biography of the Buddha and part survey of what has happened to Buddhism over the last 40 years in terms of the spread of Tibetan Buddhism to the West and its engagement (or lack of it) with western thinking.

It will be of interest to those asking radical questions about the relationship between a pragmatic approach to the potential benefits of religion and the dilemma about beliefs that are intellectually indefensible (in Western terms, at least).  He touches on existentialism, and the theology of Paul Tillich and Don Cupitt - with references to many Western thinkers, from Buber to Dawkins.

It is an interesting follow-up to Buddhism Without Beliefs, which is a valuable work for anyone struggling with the issue of beliefs and intellectual integrity.

 

Here's what Christopher Hitchens says on the back cover:

"The human thirst for the transcendent, the numinous - even the ecstatic - is too universal and too important to be entrusted to the cultish and the archaic and the superstitious. In this honest and serious book of self-examination and critical scrutiny, Stephen Batchelor adds the universe of Buddhism to the many fields in which received truth and blind faith are now giving way to ethical and scientific humanism, in which lies our only real hope."

 

 

To find out more about Stephen Batchelor, see www.stephenbatchelor.org

 

 

My own books on Buddhism:

Buddhism - an illustrated introduction to Buddhist beliefs and practices, aiming to give children a sensitive view of Buddhism both as a religion and as a view of life.

The Wisdom of Buddhism - an anthology of Buddhist texts, assembled for Oneworld Publications; small format and suitable as a gift book, for inspirational dipping.

 

 

There are also three books for school use:

Seeking Religion: Buddhism - for key stage 3

This book offers a factual, balanced and culturally sensitive approach to Buddhism, along with opportunities

for students to explore and reflect on their own beliefs and values, in the light of Buddhist teaching.

Buddhism: a new approach - for GCSE
This book combines a factual outline of the lifestyle, beliefs and practices of the Buddhist community, with questions and activities to stimulate imaginative empathy and to encourage personal reflection. This original edition - now out of print - was written jointly with Steve Clarke, who has now written a new edition.

Teach Yourself 101 Key Ideas: Buddhism

Each book in the '101 key ideas' series contains short accounts of

101 key ideas arranged in alphabetical order. Each account gives an interesting

and informative summary of the term, which will be useful whether you are at

college or university, or reading for general interest. You need not read the books

cover to cover; just dip in when you come across a term you don't know.

With its blending of wisdom and compassion, Buddhism is a religion and

a philosophy that has transformed the lives of millions of individuals over

the last two and a half thousand years.

Whether your interest is in learning something about meditation, examining

Buddhism's radical look at how we can find happiness in a world where

everything is changing, exploring its teachings about the interconnectedness

of all life or considering its ethic of compassion towards all living things, you will

find these short articles on key terms an accessible introduction to this great wisdom tradition.

 

This title is now out of print - but used copies may be available through Amazon.

From Abhidharma to Zen
Key Ideas are set out on each page, with cross references.

 

Hodder& Stoughton
2000

0 340 78028 2

£4.99