Buddhism is a major spiritual and ethical force in the world today, and it is one of the fastest-growing religions in Europe and North America. Its compelling insights into human existence offer an ancient and radical alternative to the materialism of the modern age. More and more people are turning to Buddhism as a way of rediscovering the human and spiritual values apparently lacking in today's moral climate.
With profound but highly accessible scholarship, this book provides a brilliantly clear and superbly illustrated encyclopedia of this living faith. Each chapter is written by an acknowledged authority in the field.
The book describes the origins and historical development of Buddhism as well as its current trends; it also explores the central, unifying principles of a religious and philosophical system that finds expression in an extraordinary diversity of forms, from the elaborate and esoteric rituals of Tantric Buddhism to the rarefied, minimalist refinement of Zen.
A major section is devoted to an analysis of the religion's most important sacred writings. Throughout the book there are magnificent illustrations of the sacred art and architecture inspired by the Buddha and his teachings.
