A vivid picture of the Buddha and of the vast and profound nature of the Buddhist tradition
While Buddhism has no central text comparable to the Bible or Koran, there is a powerful body of scripture from across Asia that encompasses the dharma, or the teachings of the Buddha. In this rich anthology, eminent scholar Donald S. Lopez, Jr. brings together works from a broad historical and geographical range, and from such languages as Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese. There are tales of the Buddha's past lives, a discussion of qualities and qualifications for a monk, and an exploration of the many meanings of enlightenment.
This edition contains many texts presented in English for the first time, as well as translations of some well-known works, and also includes an informative introduction and prefaces to each chapter, with suggestions for further reading and a glossary.
