Mahayana, the Buddhism of Tibet and the Far East, is a complex and highly developed system. This small work presents a concise and compact view of Buddhist perspectives on existence, emphasizing enlightenment, liberation from delusion, and the pursuit of Buddhahood for all human beings.

It is written in a simple manner and does not require prior knowledge of Buddhism, while including teachings and excerpts from Japanese texts that cannot be found elsewhere. The work is one of the best presentations of Buddhist teachings and can be understood by all people interested in the subject.

Beatrice Lane Suzuki (1878-1939) was of American origin, worked as a professor of English at Otani Buddhist College in Kyoto, Japan, and was the wife of D.T. Suzuki, one of the greatest authorities on Zen Buddhism.