As the title suggests, Part I provides background information about both the society and culture, and philosophical and religious context in and from which the life and teachings of Siddhattha Gotama emerged. In this light, it considers how his experiences and teachings are both a product of and reaction to the “philosophies” and “religions” of his times.

While recognizing that our knowledge of the man who became known as “the Buddha” is based on limited historical evidence, the chapters of Part I try to piece together the basic strands of his biography and show how his life experiences shaped his philosophical views. They also propose a “philosophical reading” of the facts of the life of Siddhattha Gotama as an initial way to approach and understand the teachings of the historical Buddha. These chapters encourage the reader to consider why the fundamental beliefs and practices of this particular man were able to take root in India and flourish throughout Asia. They will also challenge the reader to consider why and how the cultural environments of India and Asia influenced and changed the teachings of the Buddha.

After initially considering “The life of Siddhattha” in Chapter 1 and “The contexts for the emergence of Buddhism” in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 presents the ideas, concepts, and terminology of “The basic teachings of the Buddha” as they are found in the earliest sources of the Pali texts and the Theravada tradition.