Now in its ninth edition, ''A Survey of Buddhism'' provides a study of the entire field of Buddhist thought and practice. Covering all major doctrines and traditions, both in relation to Buddhism as a whole and to the spiritual life of the individual Buddhist, the author places their development in historical and cultural context. This is an objective, but sympathetic, appraisal of Buddhism's many forms, that clearly demonstrates the underlying unity of all its schools. The first section concentrates on basic doctrines and methods common to all of Buddhism, while later sections discuss the teachings and practices of its specific schools. The book closes appropriately with the practical aspects of Mahayana Buddhism - which stresses the unity of compassion and wisdom - as exemplified by the Bodhisattva Ideal, ''the perfectly ripened fruit of the whole vast tree of Buddhism''.