This text was written from material prepared by the author for his lectures at the University of California, Los Angeles (U.C.L.A.) in the Extension Course: “Buddhism in the Modern World”, winter quarter, 1997.

There are no diacritical marks in this edition because of the limitations of the publisher’s software. Diacritical marks will be included for the Pali and Sanskrit in future editions.

In nearly all cases in the main sections of the book, all Buddhist terms, and terms relevant to the subject, are rendered in Pali. The exceptions for expressions in Sanskrit are so noted.