Carus believed that the modern world required a new Religion of Science.

[1] The work was assembled from existing English translations of Buddhists texts, with significant amendments and reworkings.

[2] His selection of texts favoured Buddhism as a philosophy without any supernatural elements.

While criticized by contemporary scholars, this interpretation proved popular in the West, leading to a number of reprintings.

It also influenced the development of Modern Buddhism in the 18th century in East Asia, notably in a Japanese translation of the book by D. T.