Blurb:

The Introduction will present an initial exploration of the theme of the volume, namely the importance of imagery in both visual and verbal narratives of Indian Buddhism. It will briefly outline the state of the field, and suggest key benefits to be gained from taking a new approach to the relationship between textual narratives and visual narratives in early Buddhism. It will also provide an overview of the volume as a whole, and link to the next chapter, which offers a complementary introduction to the role of narrative in early India.