Visions of the Buddha offers a groundbreaking new approach to the nature of the early discourses of the Buddha, the most foundational scriptures of Buddhist religion. While the early discourses are commonly considered to be attempts to preserve the Buddha's teachings, Shulman demonstrates that these texts are full of creativity, driven by inspired storytelling. Much of this storytelling is effected through techniques specific to oral literature, in whichoral formulas can be combined in an infinite variety of ways, in order to produce yet more beautified visions of Buddhist truth.