As Watson notes in the introduction to his remarkable translation, " The Lotus Sutra is not so much an integral work as a collection of religious texts, an anthology of sermons, stories, and devotional manuals, some speaking with particular force to persons of one type or in one set of circumstances, some to those of another type or in other circumstances. This is no doubt why it has had such broad and lasting appeal over the ages and has permeated so deeply into the cultures that have been exposed to it."

One of the most popular Asian classics for roughly two thousand years, the Vimalakirti Sutra stands out among the sacred texts of Mahayana Buddhism for its conciseness, its vivid and humorous episodes, its dramatic narratives, and its eloquent exposition of the key doctrine of emptiness or nondualism. Unlike most sutras, its central figure is not a Buddha but a wealthy townsman, who, in his mastery of doctrine and religious practice, epitomizes the ideal lay believer. For this reason, the sutra has held particular significance for men and women of the laity in Buddhist countries of Asia, assuring them that they can reach levels of spiritual attainment fully comparable to those accessible to monks and nuns of the monastic order.

Esteemed translator Burton Watson has rendered a beautiful English translation from the popular Chinese version produced in 406 C.E. by the Central Asian scholar-monk Kumarajiva, which is widely acknowledged to be the most felicitous of the various Chinese translations of the sutra (the Sanskrit original of which was lost long ago) and is the form in which it has had the greatest influence in China, Japan, and other countries of East Asia. Watson's illuminating introduction discusses the background of the sutra, its place in the development of Buddhist thought, and the profundities of its principal doctrine: emptiness.

The basic writings of Chuang Tzu have been savored by Chinese readers for over two thousand years. And Burton Watson's lucid and beautiful translation has been loved by generations of readers.

Chuang Tzu (369?-286? B.C.) was a leading philosopher representing the Taoist strain in Chinese thought. Using parable and anecdote, allegory and paradox, he set forth, in the book that bears his name, the early ideas of what was to become the Taoist school. Central to these is the belief that only by understanding Tao (the Way of Nature) and dwelling in its unity can man achieve true happiness and freedom, in both life and death.

Chuang Tzu: Basic Writings includes the seven "inner chapters," which form the heart of the book, three of the "outer chapters," and one of the "miscellaneous chapters." Watson also provides an introduction, placing the philosopher in relation to Chinese history and thought.

Witty and imaginative, enriched by brilliant imagery, and making sportive use of both mythological and historical personages (including even Confucius), this timeless classic is sure to appeal to anyone interested in Chinese religion and culture.

Presenting the principle doctrines of Mo Tzu (470--391 B.C.) and his followers, early rivals of the Confucian school, this section includes writings on music, fatalism, Confucians, and "universal love" -- the cornerstone of Mo-ist philosophy

Hsün Tzu (born ca. 312 B.C.) provided the dominant philosophical system of his day. Although basically Confucian, he differed with Mencius by asserting that the original nature of man is evil, and also expounded on such subjects as good government, military affairs, Heaven, and music.

Representative of the Fachia, or Legalist, school of philosophy, the writings of Han Fei Tzu (280?--233 B.C.) confront the issues of preserving and strengthening the state through strict laws of punishment and reward. His lessons remain timely as scholars continue to examine the nature and use of power.

Important poets such as T´ao Yüan-ming, LiPo, Tu Fu, Su Tung-p´o, and Lu Yu are treated in separate sections with generous samplings from their works, while lesser poets are represented in chapters devoted to the particular era in which they lived. A general introduction discusses the major characteristics and forms of traditional Chinese poetry, while introductory essays to the individual chapters outline the history of poetic development in China over the centuries.

The Tso chuan has long been recognized as a classic of China's early prose tradition. Probably written in the third century B.C., the book is a vivid account of events during the crucial period from 722 to 468. The Tso chuan focuses on political, diplomatic, and military affairs, but also reveals a great deal about economic and cultural developments during the turbulent era when China's warring feudal states were gradually working toward unification.

Burton Watson presents here the most famous and influential narratives from the Tso chuan. His expert translations give the reader the principal ideas of the original text as well as a sense of its style.

This abridged edition of Burton Watson's acclaimed translation contains this sutra's essential chapters, derived from the most authoritative and felicitous version of the sutra, translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in 406 by the great Central Asian scholar-monk Kumarajiva. The Essential Lotus refines the focus from the sprawling magnitude of the original to the chapters that expound its core ideas and have been the most influential in the later development of Buddhist and East Asian thought. From the famous parable of the burning house to the firm assertion that women can attain the highest enlightenment, from a sermon preached in midair around a miraculously floating jewel-adorned tower to the principle that the Buddha is not to be delimited in time or space, The Essential Lotus presents the riches and profundities of one of the most beautiful treasures in any religious heritage.