This book philosophically introduces the basic truths, doctrines, and principles of Buddhism. Its goal is to explain the teachings of the Buddha and of Buddhism clearly and consistently. Though the book treads beyond the Buddha’s life, including into the Abhidharma and Mahayana traditions, it remains throughout a philosophical discussion and elaboration of the Buddha’s thought. It is meant to be an accessible guide for those who have no background in Buddhism, and to be beneficial to the philosophical understanding of those who do.

Cyrus Panjvani's profile page

Cyrus Panjvani is Associate Professor of Philosophy at MacEwan University.

“Readers looking for a clear, concise, and accessible introduction to the basic tenets of Buddhism will find Panjvani’s book ideally suited to their needs. The book covers such quintessentially Buddhist notions as the Four Noble Truths, the No-Self view of personal identity, and the causal principle of Dependent Arising. One of the book’s main strengths is its systematic and meticulous use of examples drawn from both canonical and contemporary sources to illustrate the pragmatic aspects of Buddhist teachings. With just the right blend of doctrinal exposition and philosophical analysis, Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach offers general audiences a useful resource for engaging Buddhist ideas in a critical and effective way.” — Christian Coseru, College of Charleston

“Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach is an excellent introduction to Buddhist philosophy. It includes a very lucid presentation not only of basic Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, but also of such challenging concepts as emptiness and dependent origination. The work focuses on a general overview of fundamental issues, but also explores in some depth the complexities involved in crucial questions such as the nature of desire and the critique of self-identity. I highly recommend this work for introductory courses in Buddhist and Asian philosophy.” — John P. Clark, Loyola University New Orleans