The Lalita-Vistara : Memoirs of the Early Life of Sakya Sinha

Contents: 1. Introductory discourse. 2. The exhortation. 3. The dynasty. 4. Initiatory lights of religion. 5. Preparation for descent. 6. The descent. 7. The birth. 8. Visit to the temple. 9. Ornamentation. 10. Education. 11. Visit to an agricultural village. 12. Display of accomplishments. 13. The imploration. 14. The dream. 15. The renunciation. Index.

"It is one of the nine Mahayana texts. The Lalitavistara is a biography of Buddha. It has twenty-seven chapters in which an account of the Buddha legend upto the Sermon of Varanasi. It originally contained the biography of Buddha according to the Sarvastivada school of Hinayana. From the view point of history of religion and literature, it is of immense value. The present book contains English translation of chapter 1 to XV." (jacket)