The Pali Canon is our oldest source for the original teachings of the historical Buddha.  Carefully preserved by generations of monks from the Buddha's time to the present, this collection of texts-the authorized scriptures of Theravada Buddhism-gives us a unique record of what the Buddha actually taught during his forty-five years' ministry.

Despite its immense value, however, to the novice student of Buddhism the Pali Canon appears daunting, a vast compilation perhaps ten times the size of the Bible.  To steer the student through this labyrinth, for decades the unsurpassed guide has been An Analysis of the Pali Canon.

This Buddhist Publication Society edition of the Analysis has been expanded and updated to make it more comprehensive than previous editions.  It contains textual examination of the Canon itself with emphasis on the Buddha's discourses; an index to the principal parts of the Canon; and a full bibliography of translations, anthologies, and scholarly studies of the Pali texts.