In the new edition of this lively and accessible Very Short Introduction to Buddhism, Damien Keown looks at all the distinctive features of the major world faith; examining the development of Buddhist thought over the centuries, its impact on daily life in contemporary society, and the spread of Buddhism throughout the world.

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 distinc...

With over 520 million followers, Buddhism is now the world's fourth largest religion. Over the last seventy years or so there has been a growing interest in Buddhism, and it continues to capture the imagination of many in the West, who see it as either an alternative or a supplement to their own religious beliefs. For complex cultural and historical reasons, ethics has not received as much attention in traditional Buddhist thought as it has in the West.

In this Very Short Introduction, Damien...