A Manual of Buddhism In its modern development

From the JacketMrs Rhys Davids, A Manual of Buddhism delves deep into the Pali Pitakas and Sanskrit Sutras of Buddhism, removes the huge mass of arid theology accumulated during the passage of that religion through different periods, different tongues and different races of men, and presents, in its pristine purity, the original message of the Buddha, who so extended the concepts of "way" and "Dharma" in the Upanishads, as to suit all men who "eddy about here and there, striving blindly, achieving nothing." He showed a way, which steered clear of the two extremes of self-indulgence and severe austerities; which was not an adage of worldly wisdom and prudence, no better than Aristotle's "the middle character is in all cases to be praised", which gave equal emphasis to all the joys and opportunities of life; which involved "a long steep journey through sunk gorges, over mountain in snow"; which became clear as one progressed; which required Dhamma as its only guide, which was one of adva