One of the world's great Eastern religions, Buddhism has become an increasing potent influence in the West. This book is a vivid, richly illustrated guide to the history and legends of Buddhism, and to the main themes and beliefs in the Buddhist spiritual tradition, both today and in the past.

The Buddha's teaching and the influential concepts of Buddhist philosophy are described in depth, and the book also traces the development of Buddhism as it spread from its Indian homeland to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, China, Japan and Tibet. Each country or region has a chapter devoted to it, allowing the distinctive features in the Buddhism of that country to be thoroughly explored. The often complex doctrines are clearly explained in a lucid, authoritative text.

The final chapter chronicles the growth of Buddhism in the West and shows how, with its mixture of ethical and spiritual teachings and its offering of a complete way of life, the religion has such powerful appeal to Westerners in their quest for an understanding of the human predicament.

A documentary reference section at the back of the book includes a guide to major Buddhist sites, a section o present-day Buddhist masters, a comprehensive glossary and a list of Buddhist organizations for those who wish to explore the subject further.