There is hardly any other figure of salvation throughout the history of mankind which has been drawn, painted, carved, chiseled or cast in bronze more and in the consistently same manner than the effigy of the Indian prince Gautama Buddha. The image of the meditating Buddha serves as a symbol for mankind at peace. But how can this formal and iconographic continuity over nearly 2,000 years be explained? The answer is provided by this carefully researched and richly illustrated catalogue with numerous essays, maps and pilgrim routes.