I was so excited to purchase this book, but I find it unfortunately obtuse. Buddhist thought is a complex topic, but the authors make it even less penetrable with their rambling writing style. It's too bad their editors did not help them make their language more crisp, and their presentation of ideas more organized and, generally, lucid. Sounds like others out there appreciate the text more than I; I find Rupert Gethins "The Foundations of Buddhism" much better in its treatment of every topic that I've looked up.The Foundations of Buddhism (OPUS)