The Buddhists: Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, Volume 4 (Na–S)

Volume 4 continues the alphabetical structure of the series while combining biographical, doctrinal, institutional and historical entries. The treatment of Nālandā is particularly extensive and presents the institution not simply as a monastery but as a major centre of Buddhist education, scholarship and international intellectual exchange. The Tibetan Buddhist material is also substantial. Entries on Nechung, Ngöndro, Padmasambhava and the Nyingma tradition provide an overview of ritual, lineage, preliminary practices and Vajrayāna institutional development. The philosophical and disciplinary sections—particularly those concerning Nirvāṇa, Paṭicca-samuppāda and Pātimokkha—make the volume valuable for comparative Buddhist philosophy and Vinaya studies.