Vanessa R. Sasson is Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College, Research Fellow at the University of the Free State, and Research Member of Centre d'études et de recherches sur l'Inde, l'Asie du Sud et sa diaspora at Université du Québec à Montreal. She is the author or editor of numerous books, including Yasodhara and the Buddha (2021) and The Gathering: A Story of the First Buddhist Nuns (2023).Kristin Scheible is Professor of Religion and Humanities at Reed College. She is the author of Reading the Mahavamsa: The Literary Aims of a Theravada Buddhist History (2016).

Drawing on both visual and textual materials, these insightful essays will be a valuable resource for research scholars, but accessible and lively enough to be assigned to students in introductory classes on Buddhism as well. Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.

• About the Contributors Preface: Learning from John Strong--Multiple Ways of Reading the Many Life Stories of the BuddhaCharles Hallisey Introduction: The Never-Ending Story Vanessa R. Sasson and Kristin Scheible 1. The Vow That Starts the Story Andy Rotman 2. Creative Tensions in the Past Lives of the Buddha Naomi Appleton 3. The Final Birth Reiko Ohnuma 4. A Timeless Love Story Vanessa R. Sasson 5. A Great Departure Kristin Scheible 6. Around the Tree of Awakening Todd Lewis and Jinah Kim 7. The Buddha's Teachings and Miracles David Fiordalis 8. Sorrow and its Ending in the Buddha's Last Days Maria Heim 9. The Buddha's Story Continues: Afterlives of the Relics Stephen C. Berkwitz 10. Overstory: First There is a Buddha, Then There is No Buddha, Then There is John S. Strong Bibliography Index

Vanessa R. Sasson is Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College, Research Fellow at the University of the Free State, and Research Member of Centre d'études et de recherches sur l'Inde, l'Asie du Sud et sa diaspora at Université du Québec à Montreal. She is the author or editor of numerous books, including Yasodhara and the Buddha (2021) and The Gathering: A Story of the First Buddhist Nuns (2023).Kristin Scheible is Professor of Religion and Humanities at Reed College. She is the author of Reading the Mahavamsa: The Literary Aims of a Theravada Buddhist History (2016).

Drawing on both visual and textual materials, these insightful essays will be a valuable resource for research scholars, but accessible and lively enough to be assigned to students in introductory classes on Buddhism as well. Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.

• About the Contributors Preface: Learning from John Strong--Multiple Ways of Reading the Many Life Stories of the BuddhaCharles Hallisey Introduction: The Never-Ending Story Vanessa R. Sasson and Kristin Scheible 1. The Vow That Starts the Story Andy Rotman 2. Creative Tensions in the Past Lives of the Buddha Naomi Appleton 3. The Final Birth Reiko Ohnuma 4. A Timeless Love Story Vanessa R. Sasson 5. A Great Departure Kristin Scheible 6. Around the Tree of Awakening Todd Lewis and Jinah Kim 7. The Buddha's Teachings and Miracles David Fiordalis 8. Sorrow and its Ending in the Buddha's Last Days Maria Heim 9. The Buddha's Story Continues: Afterlives of the Relics Stephen C. Berkwitz 10. Overstory: First There is a Buddha, Then There is No Buddha, Then There is John S. Strong Bibliography Index

Vanessa R. Sasson is Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College, Research Fellow at the University of the Free State, and Research Member of Centre d'études et de recherches sur l'Inde, l'Asie du Sud et sa diaspora at Université du Québec à Montreal. She is the author or editor of numerous books, including Yasodhara and the Buddha (2021) and The Gathering: A Story of the First Buddhist Nuns (2023).Kristin Scheible is Professor of Religion and Humanities at Reed College. She is the author of Reading the Mahavamsa: The Literary Aims of a Theravada Buddhist History (2016).

Drawing on both visual and textual materials, these insightful essays will be a valuable resource for research scholars, but accessible and lively enough to be assigned to students in introductory classes on Buddhism as well. Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.

• About the Contributors Preface: Learning from John Strong--Multiple Ways of Reading the Many Life Stories of the BuddhaCharles Hallisey Introduction: The Never-Ending Story Vanessa R. Sasson and Kristin Scheible 1. The Vow That Starts the Story Andy Rotman 2. Creative Tensions in the Past Lives of the Buddha Naomi Appleton 3. The Final Birth Reiko Ohnuma 4. A Timeless Love Story Vanessa R. Sasson 5. A Great Departure Kristin Scheible 6. Around the Tree of Awakening Todd Lewis and Jinah Kim 7. The Buddha's Teachings and Miracles David Fiordalis 8. Sorrow and its Ending in the Buddha's Last Days Maria Heim 9. The Buddha's Story Continues: Afterlives of the Relics Stephen C. Berkwitz 10. Overstory: First There is a Buddha, Then There is No Buddha, Then There is John S. Strong Bibliography Index