The textbook “Early Buddhism: Religion and Philosophy” consists of a Preface, 13 chapters, a Glossary of basic terms, and is devoted to the main issues in the study of early Buddhism. Among them: religious and philosophical ideas in the era of the life of the Buddha (5-4 centuries BC), Buddha’s understanding of human nature and his fate in the universe, the role of consciousness in determining individual fate and causes that involve people in the cycle of rebirth, as well as the possibility of liberation from it. The evolution of the Buddha's teachings in later directions of Buddhism (Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana) is briefly examined. Each chapter examines in detail texts from the “Sutta Pitaka” (“Basket of Conversations”) of the second part of the “Tipitaka” - the Pali Buddhist canon of the Theravada school (many of them have been translated into Russian for the first time). At the end of each chapter there is a list of recommended literature and questions for self-test. For students and teachers of humanities (history of religion, history of philosophy, cultural studies) and for everyone interested in Buddhist culture.