This Very Short Introduction offers readers a superb overview of the teachings of the Buddha, as well as a succinct guide to the integration of Buddhism into daily life. What are the distinctive features of Buddhism? Who was the Buddha, and what are his teachings? Words such as "karma" and "nirvana" have entered our vocabulary, but what do they mean? Damien Keown provides a lively, informative response to these frequently asked questions about Buddhism. As he sheds light into how Buddhist thought developed over the centuries, Keown also highlights how contemporary dilemmas can be faced from a Buddhist perspective.

In the second edition Keown provides new perspectives on Buddhist thought, including up-to-date material about the evolution of Buddhism throughout Asia, the material culture of Buddhism and its importance, new teachings on the ethics of war and peace, and changes to ethnicity, class, and gender.

作者

關大眠（Damien Keown）　佛教倫理學傢，生物倫理學傢。目前任教於倫敦大學曆史係。1977年畢業於蘭卡斯特大學，獲文學士學位；1986年畢業於牛津大學東方學係，獲哲學博士學位。著有《佛教倫理的本質》（1992）、《佛教與生物倫理學》（1995）、《佛學概論》（1996）、《當代佛教倫理》（2000）等。

序言作者

賴永海　哲學博士，南京大學教授、中華文化研究院院長、旭日佛學研究中心主任，國務院學位委員會哲學學科評議組成員、全國博士後管委會專傢組成員、江蘇宏德文化齣版基金會理事長。研究專長：宗教學、佛學、中國哲學。《中國佛教通史》主編，先後齣版瞭《中國佛性論》、《佛學與儒學》、《中國佛教文化論》、《宗教學概論》等學術著作十餘部。