This unique anthology of Buddhist scripture traces the development of Buddhism through the ages, with translations from the original Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese.

'The most comprehensive book on Buddhist philosophy.' Two Worlds

Designed to serve scholars and students, this classic text has become a valuable resource for Buddhists and all those who wish to explore for themselves the original sources of one of the world’s great religions.

Accessible and jargon-free, these translations from the original Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan and Japanese are presented in plain English by four leading experts on the language and literature of Buddhism, while a glossary of foreign terms completes a thoroughly comprehensive and timeless introduction to the subject.

'The most comprehensive book on Buddhist philosophy down the centuries and around the world one is likely to find... This source book is one to dip into again and again.'

'A welcome addition to our anthologies; gives wider coverage, perhaps, than any other.'

Edward Conze studied Indian and comparative philosophy at the universities of Bonn and Hamburg. He later lectured in psychology, philosophy, and comparative religion at Oxford, held a number of academic appointments, and served as Vice-President of the Buddhist Society.