The volume examines different aspects of Buddhism in India, describing the sects of Buddhism such as Vajrayana and Tantric Buddhism and the use of Sanskrit by Buddhist scholars to present their texts in India. It views the nature of the contribution of scholars and philosophers to Buddhism in the past, including Nagarjuna of the Madhyamika school, Ashvaghosa and the Buddhist social order, and works of Asanga. It delves into some basic concepts of Buddhism for detailed scrutiny, like those of avatara and naishkramya. It scrutinises the viewpoint of the Buddhists especially regarding the Vedic tradition, such as of yajna, and with reference to the validity of the Vedic scriptures. It also takes up different controversies that have surrounded the death of the Buddha.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karunesh Shukla
Karunesh Shukla (b. 1940) retired as a Professor of Sanskrit Dean, Faculty of Arts and Chairman, Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages, D.D.U. Gorakhpur University (1985-2001) after an active service of four decades; his doctoral Ph.D. dissertation on Comparative Studies in Sankara and Nagarjuna (1962) has been acknowledged by experts as a distinct contribution on the subject; he won U.P. Sanskrit Akademi award (1981) on his book (ed.) Atmani Atmanivedanam (1979); a Government of India Scholar in Humanities (1961-62), he was a Fellow of Indian Council of Philosophical Research (1982-84); his works include Gaudapada our Pracina Vedanta (1970, 1985), critical editions of Sravakabhumi of Asanga (based on the enlarged photo-prints of the microfilm of the Tibetan manuscript brought by Mahapandit Rahul Sankrityayana), Patna (1971, 1993); Kanada Sutranibandha, (1985), Pasupatam (1986), Hetutattopadesa (1987), Catuhstavasamasartha (1987), Tarkasopana (1987) and several Buddhist and Sanskrit texts awaiting for publication; as the Founder General Secretary, Nagarjuna Buddhist Foundation (1978), he actively supervises the research activities of this Research centre and edit Prajnaloka, Journal of Nagarjuna Buddhist Foundatin (1979); renowned scholar of Sanskrit, Indian Philosophy and Buddhist Studies he has visited Vienna (1989, 1990), Toronto (1990), Kathmando (1994), London (1999) and is a participant/invitee to many International Conferences in the field of Indology, Sanskrit and Buddhist Studies; he has collected more than 3000 original Sanskrit manuscript and conducts workshops for the preservation, editing and conservation of manuscripts since 1983; he is now a Senior Fellow of Indian Council of Philosophical Research. New Delhi (2001); his edition of Herukasadhanapanjika of Kambalpada is due to be published from K.P. Jayaswal Research Institute, Patna very shortly.
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