The Life of Buddha

This is a biography of Buddha retold in a simple and engaging style. It strings together a coherent narrative arc from the several classic Buddhist texts, particularly the Buddhacharita of Asvaghosa (see SBE49), the Lalita-Vistara, and the Jataka. It is thankfully free of technical Buddhist terminology. This book dimensionalizes the story of Siddhartha, born into luxury, who seeks and find enlightenment, the sometimes painful growth of the Buddhist community, and his eventual departure for Nirvana. It is short and very readable, and can be recommended for young adults.