Offering an introduction to Buddhism for Westerners who want to learn more about the religion as a path of spiritual growth, this revised and restructured edition explains the essential teachings and practices on which all mainstream Buddhists can agree.

Essentially a lively, accessible, and informative introduction to Buddhism, Introducing Buddhism simply presents the life story of the Buddha and the essential teachings of Buddhism, then encourages us to examine them for ourselves. Chris Pauling explores the three traditional strands of the Buddhist path--ethics, meditation, and wisdom--as well as the various approaches to Buddhist practice that the main traditions have developed through the ages--devotion, study, work, and reflection. He also includes a brief history of Buddhism and takes a refreshing look at common questions about such matters as karma and rebirth and whether Buddhists believe in God.