Review of 'The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism' By Robert E. Buswell Jr. and Donald S. Lopez Jr. pp. 1265. Princeton and Oxford, Princeton University Press, 2014

Abstract

This dictionary provides encyclopaedic coverage of the most important terms used across six canonical Buddhist languages and associated traditions: Sanskrit, Pāli, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Following the convention of the academic discipline of Buddhist Studies in Europe and North America, it uses Sanskrit in the main entry headings. The more than 5,000 entries are arranged according to the English alphabetic sequence. Also included in the book are cross references, an appendix showing Asian historical periods, a timeline of Buddhism, maps, and lists of Buddhist doctrinal categories. The majority of the dictionary entries fall into five broad subject areas: 1. the terminologies of Buddhist doctrine and practice; 2. the texts in which the principal teachings are recorded; 3. names of individuals, both human and divine; 4. names of places, such as sacred mountains and monasteries; and 5. the major schools and sects of the various Buddhist traditions. Each of the main entries offers both a brief definition and a short essay on the extended contents of the items covered.