The written records of the Buddha's teachings - known as Buddhavacana or the Word of the Budda - constitute the largest body of sacred writings in the world and represent one of the most creative outpourings of spiritual energy known to human history.

Now with the publication of THE ETERNAL LEGACY, a clear and comprehensive introduction to the canonical literature of Buddhism as a whole is made available to the West. Covering all the major sacred texts - from the early Pali canon through to the unsurpassed spiritual vitality and vision of the Mahayana sutras - the author brilliantly and concisely summarizes their essential teachings and places them in both doctrinal and historical context.

Opening with a discussion on what constitutes Buddhism's authentic canonical literature and the oral tradition that preceded it, the book provides an invaluable guide to its vast extent and endless variety, and concludes by showing how Buddhavacana as the oral and written expression of the Enlightened Mind's creative drive is ever-growing and dynamic.

Written by one of the foremost scholars of Buddhism in the West, THE ETERNAL LEGACY is essential reading for all students of Buddhism as well as for those desiring an authoritative account of Buddhist canonical literature.