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An introduction to Buddhism of Value both to the scholar and the reader with no prior knowledge of the subject, this book begins with a comprehensive survey of fundamentals and goes on to include topics previously untouched in introductory texts. Buddha's life, basic Buddhist doctrines and practices, the Hinayana and Mahayana sects, Buddhist literature, schools of thought, and meditation are thoroughly discussed. For example, each basket of the Tripitaka or Buddhist canon is discussed individually, and several of the most important Mahayana sutras are considered in detail.

Much of this book is devoted to Indian Buddhism, but discussions of Buddhism in China and Japan are also prominent. In addition, this book considers Ceylon and Tibet as well as Southeast Asia and Korea- areas rarely treated in introductory texts. The unique feature of the articles on Buddhism outside India is the attention focused on Buddhism in the modern world. The discussion of Buddhism in the West includes a useful appendix giving the locations of Buddhist groups in the United States.

The book concludes with an extensive glossary of key words used in the text and a thorough and valuable bibliography.