Acknowledgements
My understanding of the Buddhist tradition owes much to many.
Some of what is owed and to whom is apparent from the notes
and bibliography of the present volume, but some deserve spe-
cial mention. To Lance Cousins, who first introduced me to
Buddhism, I owe a special debt. A number of people have read
drafts of parts of this book during the course of its writing;
to Lance Cousins, Hugh Gethin, Michael Houser, Rita Langer,
Ken Robinson, Alexander von Rospatt, Ornan Rotem, Gregory
Schopen, and Paul Williams I am especially grateful for their com-
ments, criticisms, and encouragement. I am also grateful to my
students and all those others whose questions and puzzled faces
have prompted me to try to express what I understand of Bud-
dhism more clearly. Finally a word of thanks to my editor at OUP,
George Miller, for his patience and help.
siddhir astu
subham astu