Buddhism 101

Lesson 3: Important Buddhist Figures and Related Mythology

Bibliography and Exercises

Bibliography
      Conze, Edward. Buddhist Scriptures. Toronto: Penguin Books, 1959.

      Eliade, Mircea, ed.Encyclopedia of Religion. New York: Macmillan, 1987.

      Keown, Damien. Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.

      Oxtoby, Willard G., ed. World Religions: Eastern Traditions. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

      Powers, John. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications, 1995.

      Walters, Derek. Chinese Mythology. London: Aquarian Press, 1992.

      Willis, Roy, ed. Dictionary of World Myth. London: Duncan Baird Publishers, 1995.

Exercises
      (1) Most Buddhist figures (and indeed, religious figures in general) are surrounded in myths. Do these detract or add to the status of the individual in the religion? Should Buddhists work to eliminate legends, or celebrate them as metaphoric and uplifting tales?
      (2) Buddhism is often described as an atheistic religion because there is no reference to a creator deity and liberation is achieved through one’s own efforts. However, many bodhisattvas take on deity-like traits, such as the invocation of Amitabha for a better rebirth or the pleading to Avalokiteshvara for assistance. Are figures like these really “gods in disguise”, or are they something entirely different? Can Buddhism be called an atheist tradition?

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