Who was Siddhartha Gautama? What is Buddhism? Today, countless book offer a new take on the Eastern religion that has spread far beyond the borders of India, where it was born 2,500 years ago. But this book offers something more - the original writings and fundamental teachings that form the basis of this great, and growing, tradition. Filled with essential documents and touching upon such topics as compassion, mental health, monastic life, and the nature of nirvana, this book will introduce you to - or deepen your understanding of - one of the world's greatest religions, devoted to the realisation of universal love.