The History and Literature of Buddhism

The book is organized into six lectures. “Religious Theories in India before Buddhism” surveys the intellectual background from which Buddhism emerged, including early ideas of souls and spirits, Vedic religion, Brahmanical ritualism, Upaniṣadic speculation, Vedānta, Sāṅkhya, materialist tendencies, and the wide range of theories preserved in early Buddhist critiques such as the Brahmajāla Sutta. “The Authorities on which Our Knowledge of Buddhism is Based” explains the textual foundations for studying Buddhism, especially the Pāli Buddhist literature and the historical value of early canonical sources. “The Life of the Buddha” presents Gotama Buddha’s life in relation to the literary sources available to the historian. “The Secret of Buddhism” and its continuation analyze the distinctive doctrinal character of Buddhism, especially its anti-speculative method, its critique of soul-theory and theism, and its practical orientation toward liberation. “Some Notes on the History of Buddhism” outlines major historical developments after the Buddha, including the preservation and transmission of Buddhist teaching. The volume also contains an appendix to Lecture 2 and an index.