Buddhist Myths is an accessible, engaging, and highly informative
exploration of the fascinating mythology underlying one of the world's
oldest and most influential religions.
Practiced today by more than 500 million adherents, Buddhism emerged
from India between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. Based around the
original teachings of the Buddha, key texts emerged to promote a true
understanding of Buddhist ethics and spiritual practices. The Buddhist
traditions created a vast body of mythological literature, much of it
focused on the life of the Buddha. For example, the 550 Jataka tales
tell of Buddha's early life and renunciation, as well as his previous
human and animal incarnations. Buddhist Myths discusses these tales as
well as cosmology, the life of the Buddha, various teachings (such as
the Pali Canon), divine and extraordinary beings, and kings, heroes, and
saints.