The life of Siddhartha Buddha (which means 'Awakened One') is that of one who awakened from the sleep of ignorance and saw conditions as they really were. Through his example every one of us can do the same - awaken from the sleep of non-awareness and understand the experience or 'sufferings' of birth, sickness, ageing and death that ultimately lead to enlightenment.

The Essence of Buddhism provides a clear, straightforward approach to the rich traditions of the Buddhist faith and its ideological foundations. It explains the power of karma, the practice of Zen, and the notion of the life of the Buddha and his influence throughout the world.

Through its elucidation of the definitive Buddhist texts, this splendid introduction puts into perspective one of the world's most significant religions and reveals that it is as relevant now as at any time in its 3,000-year history.

Auteur
Jo Durden Smith was a reporter, researcher, then producer-director at Granada TV and an executive-producer at Alan King Associates in London. He then left for North America to take up a career as a freelance writer, contributing to well-established journals such as The Village Voice in the United States and Macleans in Canada. Jo has continued to write for magazines and newspapers in Canada, the United States, Britain and Russia. He is also the author of a number of books (Sex and the Brain with Diane de Simone, A Long-Shot Romance, The Essence of Buddhism, Mafia: The Complete History of a Criminal World) and a maker of documentaries for TV.