Buddhist Philosophy In India And Ceylon

Buddhism can be viewed as a vehicle for transporting its adherents, who are anxious for release from rebirths but least inclined to follow either the path of rigorous asceticism or that of tantalizing speculation on the nature of the self, from this word of misery to Nirvana where all pain ceases. Its message was so simple and direct that all, from prince to plebeian alike, succumbed to its appeal and swelled its ranks. It became the religion of an empire which held sway over the Indian sub-continent; in the process the message of the master was lost. A number of schools, each claiming to echo the authentic voice of the founder, sprang up. The melee that ensued ultimately split Buddhism into two camps-the Hinayana (lesser vehicle) and the Mahayana (greater vehicle). A.B. Keith, in this book, Buddhist Philosophy in India and Ceylon, gives an account of its historical development by thoroughly discussing Buddhism in the Pali Canon, the development in the Hinayana, the philosophy of the Mahayana and Buddhist logic, and lays to rest all misconceptions surrounding it. The fact that this book holds an unique position among books on this subject is attested by its undiminishing popularity ever since its first publication in 1923.