ABSTRACT
In these lectures I am more concerned with formulating problems and raising questions than with providing answers. I want to make it clear at the outset that what I am going to say is about work in progress and that many of my conclusions are tentative – though some are more tentative than others. The more I study, the more vividly I become aware of my literally infinite ignorance,1
and indeed the more I dislike appearing in a role in which I am supposed, at least according to some, to impress by my learning. I only draw consolation from the epistemology of Karl Popper: that knowledge is inevitably provisional, and that progress is most likely to be made by exposing one’s ideas to criticism. I hope that these lectures will provoke criticism, preferably of a constructive kind. I shall be happy if I can learn from the discussions in the four seminars which are to be held over the next two days; and particularly happy if my formulations inspire others to undertake research along the lines I propose – for early Buddhism is sorely in need of intelligent research.2
