Ancient Indian Geography in Buddhist Literature

This book represents the result of an exceptionally thorough investigation into the varied materials for the study of the geography of ancient India. The learned author has studied the Buddhist sources with a special emphasis. The Buddhist monks traveled all over India and the lands beyond the borders of India. Their geographical knowledge was very great indeed. The specialty of the Buddhist geographical accounts and references consists in the fact that they are based on reality. The solid experience of the Buddhist traveler on dusty village roads, in snow-capped mountains, across great and small rivers and about towns, villages and marts was very different from that of the Brahmanical mythologists, whose geographical account were often figments of imagination. The author’s thorough study of the Buddhist accounts is highly commendable. She has excelled in the work of collation and verification of innumerable data, which are presented in seven chapters, each of which is characterized by admirable methodology and lucidity. The great merit of this book is that it creates a romantic feeling, a wonder all the while sustaining the accuracy and precision of sound historical research. The select bibliography would be useful to the researchers. I commend it to the discerning scholars.