Gotama Buddha, Vol. 1

Gotama Buddha, Vol. 1
A Biography Based on the Most Reliable Texts

by Hajime Nakamura

In Gotama Buddha, Professor Hajime Nakamura embarks on a search for the details of the historical Buddha's life. He conducts an exhaustive analysis of both the oldest, most reliable texts and later biographies of the Buddha that contain mythological material. Carefully sifting these texts to separate facts from embellishments, he constructs a biography that begins with the Indian historical context at the time of the Buddha's birth and takes the reader through all the stages of his life.

Professor Nakamura also compares the oldest Buddhist texts with the earliest Jain and Hindu writings and finds surprising similarities that elucidate the significance of the historical Buddha. Archeological discoveries and factual elements from Buddhist art support Professor Nakamura's fascinating story. This is the first of two volumes. The second volume will be published at a later date.

HAJIME NAKAMURA (1912-99), a world-renowned authority on Indian philosophy, was president of the Eastern Institute, Tokyo, and a professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo. He was engaged for many years in extensive research on Asian thought and religion.

528 pp. 15.1 x 22.7 cm. Index. (softcover)

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