A concise, accessible, and engaging biography of one of the world's greatest thinkers and most important spiritual teachers Why is the Buddha a giant? Because he founded Buddhism. Because Buddhism is one of the five great religions of the world, with over 350 million practitioners in every country on the planet and a history stretching back over 2500 years. Because Buddhism is one of the world's great thought-systems, full of profound philosophical and psychological as well as 'spiritual' insights which influence people to this day, whether they call themselves Buddhists or not. Because Buddhism is relevant to everyone. At its core it is about how to live a wise, compassionate and fulfilled life. How to make the world a more harmonious place. How to become enlightened. In short, how to be happy. SELLING POINTS: . There are over 350 million Buddhists around the world which makes Buddhism one of the 'Big Five' religions. . The 'life' of the Buddha is a teaching in itself, an exemplar. It is very clearly structured in terms of six stages, each of which is highly significant. This is the heart of the book. . Buddhism offers clear insights into the problems of the world today plus a set of brilliant analytical tools.