Since the appearance of the epoch making works of Rhys-Davids, Kern, and Oldenberg, the sources for the history of Buddha and Buddhism, have been greatly increased. The present work attempts to set forth what is known from the records, and to utilize information that has never yet been presented in a Western forum.
It is undeniable that in the story of Buddha there has been a growth, and even in the oldest documents we can trace records of varying antiquity. In these pages an attempt has been made to distinguish the earliest accounts, but this does not touch the fundamental question: Is there a historical basis at all? The matter stands just as in the case of any historical person, viz. Socrates, Muhammad, or Bonaparte. We have many records, many related facts, dates and arch'ological remains, as well as the actually existing Buddhists, with their systems.

Life of Buddha, Edward J. Thomas, Motilal Banarsidass, Hardcover, 297 pages, $20.00

Edward J.Thomas was born in Thornhill, West Yorkshire. He was the son of a gardener at Thornhill Rectory.[1] Thomas left school and worked as a gardener for twelve years. In 1896, he enrolled and under the supervision of John Burnet obtained a master's degree in classics from the University of St Andrews in 1900-1901.[2][3] He studied linguistics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1905. He was the curator of the university's library for many years and was appointed Dean of the Oriental Languages Department.[3] His works, mainly concerned with Theravada Buddhism and reflecting Western scholarship, nonetheless remain widely cited for their clarity and accuracy.[4] The Life of Buddha as Legend and History is inevitably cited in Buddhist research.[5] Thomas's ability as a Pali scholar and translator was noted in his time.[6] Thomas has been described as "one of England�s most brilliant Buddhist scholars".[1]