He walked the earth 2,500 years ago, not a god, but a man. Yet we ask the question "Who is the Buddha?" as if he were eternal, timeless. How can this be? In Who is the Buddha? a leading Western Buddhist examines this question from several different angles. He introduces the historical Hindu warrior prince, Siddhartha Gautama, who went out in search of truth and struggled to understand the mysteries of life, suffering, and death. He also views the Buddha in the context of human evolution, in the context of karma and rebirth, in the context of time, and in the context of eternity.

Because he had the courage to make the journey into the heart of life and to describe the path he took, the Buddha made it possible for anyone to attain what he attained by following his example. Who is the Buddha? traces the Buddha's path, explains the significance of events and insights he experienced along the way, and offers guidance for those on their own quest toward enlightenment. It reveals the hidden teachings of the Buddha's early life, clarifies the meaning of the heroic ideal in Buddhism, and through the Buddha's words, and offers inspiration and hope. Who is the Buddha? The answer is a journey, and the journey starts within.