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| Introduction | 1 | |
| Date | 2 | |
| Nativity and Peregrination | 17 | |
| Appellations | 20 | |
| Conversion | 24 | |
| Lists of Patriarchs | 32 | |
| As an Artist | 34 | |
| Works in Chinese Translations | 36 | |
| Chinese Translations of the "Discourse on the Awakening of Faith" | 38 | |
| Outlines of the "Discourse on the Awakening of Faith" | 41 | |
| Adoration | 46 | |
| Discourse | 48 | |
| I. | Introductory | 49 |
| II. | General Statement | 52 |
| III. | The Explanation | 55 |
| IV. | Practice of Faith | 127 |
| V. | Benefits | 146 |
| Glossary | 151 | |
| Index | 155 |
While the text 'The Awakening of Faith' by Asvaghosa, is a seminal Mahayana Buddhist text, this treatment is Not one that I could ever recommend to anyone. The 'Publishers Preface' by Paul Carus fundamentally misrepresents core concepts in Buddhist epistemology (like 'suchness'), and improperly associates Buddhist concepts with Greek terms which are in no way equivalent. In the translation and commentary by Teitaro Suzuki, the Chinese 'hsin' is translated as 'soul' and then defined as "the formative principle which gave and still gives shape to the world," which definition does accurately represent 'soul' (Gr. psyche). 'Hsin' (which means 'heart', 'essence', 'kernel', etc.) would be better translated by the term 'Nous', if one had to do so. Similar technical inaccuracies and poorly conceived and improperly executed comparisons to various Western philosophies (notably those of Plato and Kant) render the text functionally useless. Readers not very familiar with Buddhist thought (or Platonic or Kantian thought for that matter) should definitely think twice before reading this translation so that they do not seed their minds with inaccuracies before they have experience of sound teaching.<BR/><BR/>I am sure Paul Carus and Teitaro Suzuki meant well (and all praise for well-meaning work) but approach with caution and take with more than a grain of salt.
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Overview
This guide to a complex system of Buddhism is so authoritative that it has been employed in the instruction of Buddhist priests. Translated by a distinguished scholar, the text discusses the essentials of Mahayana Buddhism, including how humans can transcend their finite state, practices and techniques to assist in the awakening and growth of faith.