• Remains one of the most accessible introductions to Buddhism
• Introduces the teachings of the Buddha and the integration of Buddhism into daily life
• Looks at the distinctive features of Buddhism and how it differs to other religions
• Examines how Buddhist thought has developed over the centuries, including the contemporary spread in to Asia
• Part of the best-selling Very Short Introductions series - over five million copies sold worldwide

New to this edition

• Incorporates recent new discoveries and new perspectives on Buddhist thought
• Includes up to date material about the spread of Buddhism and historical evolution of buddhism throughout Asia
• Looks at the material culture of Buddhism and its importance
• Incorporates new thinking on the ethics of war and peace, which have become part of a lively debate in recent years
• Updates to the interaction between Buddhism and the West, including topics such as ethnicity, class, and gender
• Updated further reading list including several recent publications

Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction introduces the reader to the teachings of the Buddha and to the workings of Buddhism in daily life. Damien Keown looks at the distinctive features of Buddhism, examining who the Buddha was and what his teachings were. By considering how Buddhist thought has developed over the centuries, Keown considers how contemporary dilemmas can be faced from a Buddhist perspective. In this new 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.