Treatise on the basic tenets of Buddhism, written in the form of dialog between Menander (Milinda), Indo-Greek king of the 2nd cent. B.C., and Nāgasena, Buddhist monk of the 4th cent.

Treatise on the basic tenets of Buddhism, written in the form of dialog between Menander (Milinda), Indo-Greek king of the 2nd cent. B.C., and Nāgasena, Buddhist monk of the 4th cent.

Carter unfolds the cumulative traditions of Theravāda Buddhism by showing how one "looks at the world through Buddhist eyes." Presenting evidence from the Buddhist heritage in Sri Lanka, he develops a disciplined, inclusive approach to understanding notions of ethical living and "faith," or how individuals live life religiously. The author examines Buddhism as a worldview, reviewing the process of its origins and the development of its important concepts such as the pursuit of dhamma by Buddhists; the "Four Noble Truths;" the notion of refuge and the process of transcending; the role of the Buddhist monk (bhikkhu); and the role of music in ritual chant and song.

Joseph Walser provides the first examination of Nagarjuna's life and writings in the context of the religious and monastic debates of the second century CE. Walser explores how Nagarjuna secured the canonical authority of Mahayana teachings and considers his use of rhetoric to ensure the transmission of his writings by Buddhist monks. Drawing on close textual analysis of Nagarjuna's writings and other Buddhist and non-Buddhist sources, Walser offers an original contribution to the understanding of Nagarjuna and the early history of Buddhism.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1875.