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The Prologue surveys the theoretical framework of the book and outlines the story of the chapters to follow. It emphasises that Buddhism was only recognised as a religion in the West from the first half of the nineteenth century. Thus, for this reason, until that time, the story of the Buddha moved from East to West as a series of glimpses and hints, errors and confusions, with occasional insights into the Buddhist path, along with many false trails. It has come to us in textual fragments; or, perhaps, like bits and pieces of a jigsaw that don’t necessarily fit together.

Alongside Jesus and Muhammad, the Buddha is the most significant figure in the history of religion. Philip Almond's engaging new book is the first to combine a history of early traditions about Siddhartha Gautama's life with an authoritative account of how he and the tantalizing philosophy inspired by him came to the attention of the West. It takes the reader on a remarkable journey encompassing (among other topics) Alexander the Great, the courts of the Mongol Khans, Jesuit missions to China and Japan, and intrepid European travellers and scholars from the modern era. Melding Pali and Sanskrit sources with vivid reception, Almond presents the Buddha's story as multi-layered: one of transition from a world of angels and demons, water and tree spirits, to an altogether different context where Buddhism mixed with the cultural preoccupations of those who tentatively – sometimes following false trails – tried to make sense of its fascinating complexity.

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Prologue

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The Buddha

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Prologue

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The Buddha