Copyrighted originally by George Allen and Unwin Ltd. in 1962 this paper edition makes Conze's review of Indian Buddhism available at a relatively low price. The book is divided into three parts: Archaic Buddhism which deals with facets common to all of Indian Buddhism, the Sthaviras which deals with the Hinayäna, and the Mahäyäna. Often a commentator will present a traditional view of Indian Buddhism through a translation of some Buddhist's compendium on Buddhism. This work, however, is the result of (...) the author's own long research into Buddhism, and thus at times it reflects his own reactions to aspects of Buddhism rather than those of a more Catholic Buddhist. Specifically his remarks on tantra and logic, though representative of some Buddhist opinion at some time, do not reflect the views of more Catholic Buddhist historians and scholars. However, in his introduction the author describes the scope of his work with the full realization that he cannot fulfill the rather awesome demands which a review of the whole of Indian Buddhism asks.--P. J. H. (shrink)

On the translator's second visit to Dolpo in western Tibet he came across these four autobiographies of Tibetan lamas, three from the fifteenth century and one from the seventeenth century. Though the biographies appear superficially to be repetitious, they provide good insights into the lives of Tibetan holy men. Perhaps the most interesting part of the book, however, is the translator's introduction where he relates the story of his own journey to Dolpo and provides background material for the biographies. The (...) translator's own hardships in finding these texts in such a remote area give a good picture of life in the isolated areas of Tibet. For the Tibetan scholar there are indices of divinities, texts and rituals, personal names, and place names. The general index is followed by forty-five pages of black and white photographs of the area, the lamas, the art-work, etc. Last are two fold-out maps, one of Dolpo and the other of western and central Tibet.--P. J. H. (shrink)