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Synopsis With a history spanning more than two-and-a-half millennia, and a geographic scatter that now encompasses the entire planet, Buddhism is one of humankind's most interesting religions, and often perceived to be one of its most mysterious. The A to Z of Buddhism provides a marvelous framework for an appreciation and understanding of the religion, including: The historical evolution of Buddhism, Religious institutions, doctrines and missionary movement, Important Buddhist scriptures in the Indian, Tibetan and Chinese traditions, Sacred and historic Buddhist sites, Festivals, rites and rituals that configure Buddhist religious practice, The manifestation of Buddhism in biography, art and mythology. A chronology and a map help the reader gain both geographic and historical perspective. The book also includes a carefully designed pronunciation guide to Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese terms.