THE BUDDHA: A Short Biography

HEmploying both history and myth in a steady yet open style, Strong has very admirably achieved his goal of producing a "middle way" biography of the Buddha for interested generalists and students alike. His approach falls soundly "between seeing the Buddha as a god and seeing him as 'just a man.'" Strong deftly delineates the factual dimensions of Siddhartha's life, such as the geographic range of his teachings, and also offers more fantastic accounts not as well-known in the West. One such example is "the miracle of double appearances" at Sravasti,where the Buddha appeared with his body double, projecting flames and water from them both, all the while teaching to the masses at his feet. In six chapters (plus an introduction, ample supplemental material and a useful index), Strong embraces stories about the Buddha's previous lives; ancestry, birth and youth; quest and enlightenment; teachings and community; daily routines, miracles and distant journeys; and final days. Fascinating tables synthesize vast tableaux of his good and bad karmic deeds over "incalculable ages and aeons," beginning with his resolve for Buddhahood and culminating in his complete extinction, or last death. Strong's work is a splendid complement to Karen Armstrong's masterful Buddha, which created a man out of his times. These short biographies focus on different aspects of Buddha's life, though each is complete unto itself. (Nov. 30)

Forecast:Readers have already demonstrated a hunger for short, accessible biographies of the Buddha; Karen Armstrong's Buddha was a steady presence on PW's Religion Bestsellers list earlier this year. Whether there is room for another excellent little Buddha bio remains to be seen.