Buddhism in East Asia

The book is organized into an Introduction and three main chapters. The Introduction presents the basic historical and doctrinal framework of Buddhism, including the life of Gautama Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the Saṅgha, Buddhist ethics, nirvāṇa, and the later development of Buddhist schools such as Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Tantric Buddhism. Chapter One, “Central Asia,” examines the transmission of Buddhism through the major overland routes linking India with Afghanistan, Khotan, Kashgar, Turfan, Tibet, and other Central Asian regions, with attention to archaeological discoveries, monasteries, manuscripts, art, and the role of trade networks. Chapter Two, “China,” studies the contacts between India and China, the development of Buddhist routes, the arrival of Buddhist monks and texts, translation activity, and the gradual interaction between Buddhism and Chinese cultural traditions. Chapter Three, “Korea and Japan,” follows the further eastward expansion of Buddhism, analyzing how Buddhist institutions, rituals, art, and thought were received and adapted in Korean and Japanese contexts.