A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? Throughout time, people have been religious by nature, and billions today adhere to unique faiths across the world. In Charles River Editors’ Religions of the World, readers can get caught up to speed on today’s religions and yesterday’s religions in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

In the West, Buddhism is a religion that everyone has heard of but one that few truly understand aside from Buddhists themselves. For almost 2,500 years, Buddhism has been dominant on the Indian subcontinent, based on the traditions, beliefs, and practices that came about from the teachings of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), the Sansrkit word for “the awakened one.” Today, three distinct branches of Buddhism have mostly fanned out across Asia, and it’s believed that upwards of half a billion people practice Buddhism today, and some of the traditional practices and principles of the religion, including the concepts of karma, reincarnation and the practice of yoga are all commonplace ideas across the world.

Who was the Buddha, how did Buddhism become one of the world’s major religions, and what are the main concepts and teachings of the religion? Religions of the World: The History of Buddhism examines the history and main tenets of Buddhism, explaining the way the religion has evolved over time, the similarities it shares with other religions and the differences that make it unique. Along with pictures of important figures and places, you will learn about Buddhism like you never have before, in no time at all.