The Life of Buddha as Legend and History

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The Life of Buddha as Legend and History by Edward J. Thomas offers a comprehensive exploration of the life and teachings of Buddha, blending historical analysis with legendary narratives. Since the pioneering works of scholars like Rhys Davids, Kern, and Oldenberg, the understanding of Buddhist texts, particularly the Pali scriptures, has significantly expanded. Thomas's work synthesizes these advancements, presenting information previously inaccessible in Western forms. The book emphasizes the importance of integrating Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese sources to offer a nuanced view of Buddha's life and doctrines. Thomas critiques the over-reliance on Päli texts in earlier scholarship, advocating for a balanced approach that considers the doctrinal agreement across early Buddhist schools. He highlights the fundamental differences between early Pali traditions and later Mahāyāna doctrines. The book also reflects on the contemporary relevance and interpretation of Buddhism, stressing the need to understand historical documents accurately. With rigorous scholarship and insightful analysis, Thomas's work remains a vital resource for students and scholars of Buddhist studies.The Life of Buddha as Legend and History by Edward J. Thomas offers a comprehensive exploration of the life and teachings of Buddha, blending historical analysis with legendary narratives. Since the pioneering works of scholars like Rhys Davids, Kern, and Oldenberg, the understanding of Buddhist texts, particularly the Pali scriptures, has significantly expanded. Thomas's work synthesizes these advancements, presenting information previously inaccessible in Western forms. The book emphasizes the importance of integrating Pali, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese sources to offer a nuanced view of Buddha's life and doctrines. Thomas critiques the over-reliance on Päli texts in earlier scholarship, advocating for a balanced approach that considers the doctrinal agreement across early Buddhist schools. He highlights the fundamental differences between early Pali traditions and later Mahāyāna doctrines. The book also reflects on the contemporary relevance and interpretation of Buddhism, stressing the need to understand historical documents accurately. With rigorous scholarship and insightful analysis, Thomas's work remains a vital resource for students and scholars of Buddhist studies.

SINCE the appearance of the epoch-making works of Rhys Davids, Kern, and Oldenberg, the sources for the history of Buddha and Buddhism have been greatly increased. The accessions to our knowledge of the Pali texts are indeed chiefly due to Rhys Davids, but these new data have never been incorporated with previous results, nor has an estimate been made of the extent to which they modify earlier conclusions.

Asia is the grave as A well as the cradle of: religions. They have disappeared not merely with the crumbling of ancient civilisations, but have been swept away before the victorious progress of new forms of belief. One of the most widely spread of these spiritual conquerors has been Buddhism, extending from India over great portions of southern and central Asia and permeating the ancient religions of China and Japan.