With 356 million followers, after Christianity and Islam, Buddhism is the world's third biggest religion. Long established throughout the whole of Southeast Asia, beginning in the second half of the nineteenth century it progressively spread to the West, securing its place as not just as a religious but also as a philosophical and ethical alternative to Christianity. The essays in this volume retrace the key moments in this compelling story: from the presentation of the historic-religious context in India in which the path to liberation experienced by the Buddha arose and became established, to the spread of his message to China, Japan and Southeast Asia, culminating in an illuminating chapter on Buddhism in the West that will help readers to comprehend the deep-rooted reasons for its current popularity.