All too often books for the novice concentrate too much on the spread of the Dharma and the different forms it has taken in the countries where it has taken root without giving the reader that all-important first taste of the Dharma. However, Roger J. Corless does not do that. He mainly focuses on the idea of Buddhism through which the general public can gain knowledge. Corless structures and explains complex Buddhist ideas in an easy way. Definitely, one of the best introductions to Buddhism because, very early in the book, he points out common mistakes westerners make when approaching Buddhism. Since most people are influenced by mainstream Christianity, they analyze Buddhism with the wrong methodology. Therefore, he wrote the book to educate the western society who are more concerned with historical background and influenced by Christianity.
             Destined to become classic in its field, The Vision of Buddhism constitutes a dramatic departure from most Western treatments of Buddhism. Holding that the usual historical approach is not only irrelevant to Buddhism but also destructive of its distinctive world view. Corless takes a nonlinear approach, one more faithful to the Buddhist tradition itself.
             In this book, Author Roger Corless presents and explains Buddhist teachings and practices in light of events in the life of Buddha. He examines the mythologized version of Buddha's life and the differing descriptions of Buddha's life given by his followers. In the major section of the book, he considers the matter of greatest importance to modern readers - how the Buddha's life, in all its descriptions, may be repeated by each individual practitioner.
             Roger J. Corless, professor of Religion at Duke University, is one of the foremost scholars on Buddhism. He holds a Ph.D. in Buddhist studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has published numerous articles, including an entry on Buddhism in The Encyclopedia of Religion, ...