This book is a dizzying attempt to understand the ancient heritage of Buddhism from the point of view of a modern person of Western culture: what Buddhism can give to ordinary people, how to implement Buddhist principles in your life, what the real Buddha taught. Stephen Batchelor has undergone a 37-year journey of understanding Buddhism - from a monk who studied the theory and practice of Buddhism from the best Tibetan teachers, to a lay writer and teacher leading meditation groups. The Russian edition of this famous book is illustrated with drawings by the famous Buddhist artist Richard Beer. Translation: Konstantin Purygin