This book sets out to discuss and interpret the main themes of Buddhist thought in India. The emphasis throughout is on those aspects of the doctrine that appear to be indubitably true or significant. An attempt has been made at furthering the understanding, as distinct from the bare knowledge, thus instead of stringing together a lot of quotations, lucid explanations have been used to bring forth the doctrines of Buddhist faith. Thus, in presenting Buddhist philosophy as an intelligible, plausible and valid system, the author has not lost sight of its function as a spiritual method designed to win emancipation from the world. The author has also made an attempt to contribute to philosophical thought, by providing a framework upon which a philosophical system can be built which is as valid, cogent and coherent as those based on modern science.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Edward Conze
Dr. Conze, widely known as a leading Buddhist scholar through his many publications (among them Buddhism: Its Essence and Development, which has become a classic), has published during the thirty years of his working life a great number of important articles which are scattered over many periodicals difficult or almost impossible to obtain. To meet a growing demand for the most important of these articles to be re-published we are presenting this volume which contains both translations and original essays: the indispensable report on Recent Progress in Buddhist Studies; the survey of Mahayana Buddhism which is still the only account based on the actual sources; the comparisons of Buddhist and European philosophy; the essay on Buddhist Saviours. The remaining articles deal with the Prajnaparamita on which the author is the leading authority in the West. The translations included will be specially welcome because reliable English translations of Buddhist texts are still rare. Thus this volume will be invaluable and indispensable for all students of religion and philosophy.
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