Before the publication of this work, a comprehensive Anthology of Buddhist Texts had never been attempted. All the texts in this book have been newly translated from their original languages. The book has been designed to give a sufficiently authentic account of the development of Buddhist thought. Considerable attention has been given to the problem of ensuring uniformity in the rendering of technical terms. A Glossary provides a list of the main terms, with their Sanskrit equivalents. In a number of cases, the editors have decided not to translate the terms at all, as words such as Buddha, Dharma, Nirvana and others which have, in due course, been absorbed into the English language. The book is divided into four parts – the first section ‘The Teaching of the Elders’ deals with the tradition of the Hinayana and has been taken from the Pali Canon. The second section discusses ‘The Mahayana’; third section about ‘The Tantras’ and the final fourth part contains a selection from the Chinese and Japanese sources. While the present book is indispensable for the students, researchers and teachers of Buddhism, History and Philosophy, it is equally useful for the general readers interested in understanding the development of Buddhism and its texts.