Buddhism: Primitive and Present in Magadha and in Ceylon

Buddhism: Primitive and Present in Magadha and in Ceylon is a historical and doctrinal study of early Buddhism and its development in Ceylon. The book focuses on the form of Buddhism associated with the Southern School, especially as preserved in Pāli sources and Ceylonese tradition. It begins by defining the scope of Buddhism in Magadha, the original region of the Buddha’s teaching, then presents the life of Gotama, the moral and philosophical system of early Buddhism, the Eightfold Path, detachment, virtues, precepts, monastic discipline, the role of the laity, and the Buddhist community. The work also gives major attention to the era of King Aśoka, the collection of Buddhist literature, the mission of Mahinda to Ceylon, the role of Buddhaghosa and the commentaries, and the later history of Buddhism in Ceylon up to modern monastic and lay practices. Overall, it is a detailed early twentieth-century study of Theravāda-oriented Buddhism, combining textual analysis, historical narrative, and observation of Buddhist life in Ceylon.