In this book, the life of Buddha is outlined, followed by an extensive analysis of his teachings as they appear in the early Buddhist texts. There are chapters on "Pain and the Suppression of Pain" and "Interdependent Sources," as well as a detailed explanation of the application of Buddhist teachings known to Westerners as "The Middle Way" or "The Eightfold Path." The teachings on "Karma" and "Nirvana" are also examined, and the Appendix includes some significant excerpts from Buddhist texts and a brief exploration of Zen.