Author: Paul Williams
Translator: Ji Yun 紀贇
Series: Hualin Translation Series On Buddhist Studies VII
ISBN:978-981-17281-1-2
Publication Date: 2022
Publisher: World Scholastic Publishers
Paul Williams is Emeritus Professor of Indian and Tibetan Philosophy and Co-director of the Centre for Buddhist Studies at the University of Bristol. As author of six books and an editor of a further eight, Williams made significant contributions to this field. Additionally, he formerly served as President of the UK Association for Buddhist Studies.
Originating in India, Mahāyāna Buddhism spread across Asia and eventually became the prevalent form of Buddhism in Tibet and East Asia. In the last twenty-five years, there has been a notable increase of Western interest in Mahayana reflected both in the growing quantity of scholarly works and in the attraction of Westerners towards Tibetan Buddhism and Zen.
Paul Williams’ Mahāyāna Buddhism is widely regarded as the definitive introduction to the field, used internationally for teaching and research, and has been translated into multiple European and Asian languages. This new edition has undergone comprehensive revisions in the light of the wealth of new studies, particularly focusing on diversity and richness of the religion. It includes substantial material on China and Japan, with appropriate reference to Nepal. For students who wish to carry their study further, this edition features a much-expanded bibliography, and extensive footnotes and cross-referencing. Those engaged in the study of this important tradition will find Williams’ book the ideal companion to their studies. This volume represents a Chinese translation of the original work.