The book presents an authoritative study of Buddhism: its history, culture, philosophy, art and architecture with reference to Orissa. It explores spread of Buddhism, relations between Kalinga and Sri Lanka, tantrayana in Orissa, Taranatha’s account of Buddhism in the region in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, Buddhist monasteries and other architectural remains in Orissa, and Buddhist goddesses in the art tradition of the region. It views the socio-cultural impact of Buddhism in Orissa. In an interesting article, which quotes the views of eminent scholars on the subject, Lord Jagannatha is viewed as a Buddhist deity.