This article explores a range of issues affecting the kind of Buddhist texts that do not get translated and the impact that the resulting availability has on the teaching of Buddhism. The focus is on Theravada Buddhism, although some reference is made to other forms, particularly Tibetan Buddhism, by way of contrast. Theravada Buddhism is often referred to both by scholars and by its own apologists as 'early Buddhism' and treated as more true to original Buddhism than other forms. Although this attitude is gradually changing, the author argues that the current availability and continued patterns of translation prevent us from making a clear re-evaluation of Theravada. In this article an attempt is made to give a general overview of the most influential factors, such as the range of languages involved and the difficulty of terminology. The author concludes with some examples of their impact.