Encyclopedia of Buddhism
Publication and Editorial Framework
The Encyclopedia of Buddhism emerged from Macmillan Reference USA in 2004 under the editor-in-chief direction of Robert E. Buswell Jr., Distinguished Professor of Buddhist Studies at UCLA. The two-volume work resulted from a multi-year collaborative project involving approximately 250 scholars from institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia. Macmillan commissioned the encyclopedia to address a significant gap in English-language reference literature on Buddhism, providing both scholarly depth and accessibility for academic researchers, students, and informed general readers.
The editorial approach departed from traditional area-studies organization. Rather than structuring content by geographical regions (South Asian Buddhism, East Asian Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism), Buswell adopted a thematic and cross-cultural framework. Articles examine how concepts like karma, meditation practices, monastic institutions, and artistic traditions manifest across different Buddhist cultures and historical periods. This methodology reflects contemporary Buddhist studies scholarship’s emphasis on trans-regional connections and comparative analysis.
Content Organization and Scope
The encyclopedia contains approximately 500 signed articles ranging from brief 500-word entries on specific terms to substantial 5,000-word essays on major topics. Contributors include leading specialists in Buddhist philosophy, textual studies, art history, anthropology, and religious studies. Articles provide bibliographic references to primary sources in Asian languages and secondary scholarship, enabling readers to pursue deeper research.
Major thematic areas include: Buddhist philosophy and doctrinal development across Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana traditions; biographical entries on historical figures from Shakyamuni Buddha through modern reformers; textual traditions including sutras, commentaries, and vernacular literature; monastic institutions and practices; ritual and devotional practices; Buddhist art and architecture; regional Buddhist histories in South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Tibet, and Central Asia; Buddhism’s transmission to the West; and contemporary issues in Buddhist ethics and social engagement.
The encyclopedia notably incorporates contemporary topics often absent from earlier reference works: articles address abortion, homosexuality, gender issues, engaged Buddhism, Buddhist economics, environmentalism, and Buddhism’s relationship with science. This inclusion reflects the editors’ intention to document Buddhism as a living tradition confronting modern ethical and social questions.
Scholarly Methodology and Contribution
Contributors employ philological rigor in treating Buddhist technical terminology, providing Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, Tibetan, and Japanese terms with diacritical marks and explaining semantic ranges. Articles situate Buddhist concepts within their historical contexts, tracing doctrinal developments from early Buddhist texts through later scholastic elaborations. The encyclopedia benefits from advances in Buddhist studies during the late twentieth century, including improved access to Tibetan and Chinese textual materials, archaeological discoveries, and anthropological fieldwork documenting living Buddhist communities.
The work received positive scholarly reception. H-Net’s review by Jeffrey Samuels characterized it as “one of the most valuable reference sources for the study of the Buddhist tradition published to date,” praising its success in treating Buddhism as a dynamic tradition shaped by diverse cultural contexts. The encyclopedia’s cross-cultural approach influences subsequent Buddhist reference works, establishing methodological standards for comparative Buddhist studies.
Editor and Contributors
Robert E. Buswell Jr. (born 1953) brought distinctive qualifications to the editorial role. He trained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, Taiwan, and South Korea (spending five years at Songgwangsa monastery), providing firsthand knowledge of East Asian monastic traditions. After completing his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies at UC Berkeley, Buswell established himself as the preeminent Western scholar of Korean Buddhism. His publications include The Zen Monastic Experience (1992), translations of Korean Buddhist texts, and the Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (co-edited with Donald S. Lopez Jr., 2014). Buswell served as president of the Association for Asian Studies (2008-2009) and founding director of UCLA’s Centers for Buddhist Studies and Korean Studies.
The encyclopedia’s contributor roster includes established scholars like Peter Gregory, Luis Gomez, Paul Harrison, Jan Nattier, and Gregory Schopen alongside specialists in regional traditions and emerging scholars. This breadth ensured coverage spanning textual studies, ritual practices, material culture, and contemporary developments across Buddhist traditions.
Descriptions generated with assistance from Claude (Anthropic). Research compiled from scholarly sources including Archive.org metadata, H-Net Reviews, scholarly databases, and reference materials.