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.

One shortcoming of this book is that it does not include textual references and relevant bibliography to indicate the source of the contents of any given entry. Presumably, the dictionary reflects the compilers’ own scholarly judgments regarding the various Buddhist traditions. The reader is not enabled to check the accuracy of the information supplied, to seek more comprehensive coverage of a chosen topic, or to explore further the explanations offered.

This Dictionary of Buddhism nevertheless deserves recognition as a highly useful and worthwhile contribution to the field. Its breadth of coverage and its clear and convenient style of presentation make it a valuable reference source for researchers, teachers, and students in Buddhist Studies, and for more general readers as well.