The Life of Buddha: As Legend and History

Compiled from rare sources, including Buddhist scriptures written in Sanskrit and Päli, this book takes a scholarly look at the centuries of lore surrounding the religious philosopher and teacher known as Buddha. Including much information previously unavailable to the readers, these fascinating tales chronicle the ancestry, birth, and youth of Buddha; his enlightenment, initial preaching, and the spread of the doctrine; legends of his 20 years' wandering; the establishment of rival schools of philosophy; and Buddha's final days. It presents thought-provoking discussions of Buddhism as a religion and as a philosophy, as well as its relation to myth, history, and Christianity. Highly readable and authoritative, this well-documented account features informative appendixes detailing source material from canonical texts. "We would recommend this important work to all interested in Eastern philosophy. "―Spectator.