In these 13 essays, 11 specialist scholars explore the spread of Buddhism and the way it became, in varying patterns of practice and doctrine, a significant component of the life and culture of countries of the Far East, Central and South Asia and to a limited extent, in Iran and westwards. Different patterns of Buddhist teaching and practice are traced as they evolved, early documents discussed. Some contemporary problems and issues are also addressed. With bibliographies, and indexes of places, names and titles.