user553: I am an ordinary western man willing to start learning Buddhism, for now - just for curiousity. I have a B.Sc as for education (if the field DOES matter, that is either economics or computer science, because there are actually two of us, and we both are willing to learn). I do not have any previous knowledge of Buddhism besides pop culture references which are what Buddhism looks like to absolute most of people living.
I also do not want to learn about Buddhism based on online videos and random texts. I think there is some academic treatise on the topic. And there should be - science of religion should be interested in it. It is religion, learning about religion from random sources is potentially devastating. Any misconception that was just sounding appealing to a not so educated mind could ruin his worldview. I know these misconceptions could also arise from reading academic texts. But to a much lesser extent and only if you have exceptionally rich imagination - academic texts do not look to convert or convince you, just to educate you.
I would be so glad if someone, and preferably one who holds  a university degree from a science of religion course could share some of titles on topic and explain why they are so good.
I am also aware about this question: Introductory books to Buddhism
but the author seems to seek for books on Buddhism for a different purpose and never insists on "academicity" of text. I do. It would better be not so insightful about the meaning of life but rather about what Buddhism is taught like to students.
Thank you!

user486: If you want academia and Buddhism, here are some great resources. They all have done numerous introductory and advanced books on Tibetan Buddhism. 
Dr. Robert Thurman [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Thurman], "Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, holding the first endowed chair in this field of study in the United States. He also is the co-founder and president of the Tibet House New York". 
Jeffrey Hopinks [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Hopkins], "American Tibetologist. He is Emeritus of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia, where he taught for more than three decades since 1973.[1] He has authored more than twenty-five books about Tibetan Buddhism,", or
 His Holiness the Dalai Lama, my favorite teacher, on my favorite teaching "Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment" (http://lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&id=398), a "stepped path" (literally) of teachings that are designed to take one to enlightenment. (Also a great site for all levels of teachings.)
Enjoy! There are so many more online now in the many Buddhist traditions. Lucky us!

user120: I just read this, and it is pretty solid. It's from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, so it should meet the requirement that it be an academic text.
I recommend also reading the suttas (source texts), many of which are available here and simply reading them critically. A third option is to buy a text such as this which has suttas as well as commentary from a prominent Buddhist scholar, Bhikku Bodhi (Although he is Buddhist).
One reason why I would personally urge caution when reading anything without having the source texts is that they can be easily misrepresented. For example, one modern position that is not uncommon is that the teaching of rebirth was a metaphor or was simply a cultural belief. If one reads the source texts (the suttas) thoroughly however, it is very difficult to defend this view as the Buddha claims to have direct, personal knowledge of rebirth (e.g., in the Bhaya-bherava Sutta). 
I hope this helps. Best.

553: <p>I am an ordinary western man willing to start learning Buddhism, for now - just for curiousity. I have a B.Sc as for education (if the field DOES matter, that is either economics or computer science, because there are actually two of us, and we both are willing to learn). I do not have any previous knowledge of Buddhism besides pop culture references which are what Buddhism looks like to absolute most of people living.</p>

<p>I also do not want to learn about Buddhism based on online videos and random texts. I think there is some academic treatise on the topic. And there should be - science of religion should be interested in it. It is religion, learning about religion from random sources is potentially devastating. Any misconception that was just sounding appealing to a not so educated mind could ruin his worldview. I know these misconceptions could also arise from reading academic texts. But to a much lesser extent and only if you have exceptionally rich imagination - academic texts do not look to convert or convince you, just to educate you.</p>

<p>I would be so glad if someone, and preferably one who holds  a university degree from a science of religion course could share some of titles on topic and explain why they are so good.</p>

<p>I am also aware about this question: <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/60/introductory-books-to-buddhism">Introductory books to Buddhism</a>
but the author seems to seek for books on Buddhism for a different purpose and never insists on "academicity" of text. I do. It would better be not so insightful about the meaning of life but rather about what Buddhism is taught like to students.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>
 486: <p>If you want academia and Buddhism, here are some great resources. They all have done numerous introductory and advanced books on Tibetan Buddhism. 
<p>Dr. Robert Thurman [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Thurman]" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Thurman]</a>, "Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, holding the first endowed chair in this field of study in the United States. He also is the co-founder and president of the Tibet House New York". 
<p>Jeffrey Hopinks [<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Hopkins]" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Hopkins]</a>, "American Tibetologist. He is Emeritus of Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Virginia, where he taught for more than three decades since 1973.[1] He has authored more than twenty-five books about Tibetan Buddhism,", or
<P> His Holiness the Dalai Lama, my favorite teacher, on my favorite teaching "Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment" (<a href="http://lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;id=398" rel="nofollow">http://lamayeshe.com/index.php?sect=article&amp;id=398</a>), a "stepped path" (literally) of teachings that are designed to take one to enlightenment. (Also a great site for all levels of teachings.)
<p>Enjoy! There are so many more online now in the many Buddhist traditions. Lucky us!</p>
 120: <p>I just read <a href="http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/" rel="nofollow">this</a>, and it is pretty solid. It's from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, so it should meet the requirement that it be an academic text.</p>

<p>I recommend also reading the suttas (source texts), many of which are available <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/" rel="nofollow">here</a> and simply reading them critically. A third option is to buy a text such as <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0861714911" rel="nofollow">this</a> which has suttas as well as commentary from a prominent Buddhist scholar, Bhikku Bodhi (Although he is Buddhist).</p>

<p>One reason why I would personally urge caution when reading anything without having the source texts is that they can be easily misrepresented. For example, one modern position that is not uncommon is that the teaching of rebirth was a metaphor or was simply a cultural belief. If one reads the source texts (the suttas) thoroughly however, it is very difficult to defend this view as the Buddha claims to have direct, personal knowledge of rebirth (e.g., in the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.004.than.html" rel="nofollow">Bhaya-bherava Sutta</a>). </p>

<p>I hope this helps. Best.</p>
