The most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Buddhism ever produced in EnglishWith more than 5,000 entries totaling over a million words, this is the most comprehensive and authoritative dictionary of Buddhism ever produced in English. It is also the first to cover terms from all of the canonical Buddhist languages and traditions: Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Unlike reference works that focus on a single Buddhist language or school, The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism bridges the major Buddhist traditions to provide encyclopedic coverage of the most important terms, concepts, texts, authors, deities, schools, monasteries, and geographical sites from across the history of Buddhism. The main entries offer both a brief definition and a substantial short essay on the broader meaning and significance of the term covered. Extensive cross-references allow readers to find related terms and concepts. An appendix of Buddhist lists (for example, the four noble truths and the thirty-two marks of the Buddha), a timeline, six maps, and two diagrams are also included.Written and edited by two of today's most eminent scholars of Buddhism, and more than a decade in the making, this landmark work is an essential reference for every student, scholar, or practitioner of Buddhism and for anyone else interested in Asian religion, history, or philosophy.

Preface viiAcknowledgments ix
Conventions xi
Transcription Systems xiii
Asian Historical Periods xv
Timeline of Buddhism xix

Maps
Cradle of Buddhism xxv
Ancient India xxvi
Ancient China xxvii
Japan and Korea xxviii
Tibet xxix
Routes of Chinese Pilgrims xxx
Mount Sumeru World System (overview) xxxi
Mount Sumeru World System (side view) xxxii

Entries A-Z 1-1063
List of Lists 1065

Cross-References by Language
Chinese Cross-References 1103
Japanese Cross-References 1135
Korean Cross-References 1177
Pali Cross-References 1219
Sanskrit Cross-References 1229
Tibetan Cross-References 1231
Tibetan Phonetic Cross-References 1259