In recent years, Asian philosophies have captured increasing attention in the West, setting off a profusion of new translations of classic Asian philosophical texts like the Analects and the Tao te Ching. Yet these texts are often inaccessible to Western readers because of subtleties of the concepts and other difficulties inherent in reading across cultures.

Classic Asian Philosophy is designed to give someone new to Asian philosophy a clear sense of its most foundational and widely available texts, ranging from the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita through Confucius to Zen. It presents philosophies that are at the roots of the cultures of India, China, Korea, and Japan, as well as other countries of south and east Asia. Each chapter brings a classic text to life, conveying the vitality and appeal of the work, while at the same time explaining its philosophical roots and the reasons for the positions it takes. The only book of its kind, Classic Asian Philosophy is an highly accessible guide to philosophy and culture, as well as a guide to further reading.