Shared Characters in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu Narrative
Shared Characters in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu Narrative

Author: Naomi Appleton

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-11-25

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 1317055748

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Taking a comparative approach which considers characters that are shared across the narrative traditions of early Indian religions (Brahmanical Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism) Shared Characters in Jain, Buddhist and Hindu Narrative explores key religious and social ideals, as well as points of contact, dialogue and contention between different worldviews. The book focuses on three types of character - gods, heroes and kings - that are of particular importance to early South Asian narrative traditions because of their relevance to the concerns of the day, such as the role of deities, the qualities of a true hero or good ruler and the tension between worldly responsibilities and the pursuit of liberation. Characters (incuding character roles and lineages of characters) that are shared between traditions reveal both a common narrative heritage and important differences in worldview and ideology that are developed in interaction with other worldviews and ideologies of the day. As such, this study sheds light on an important period of Indian religious history, and will be essential reading for scholars and postgraduate students working on early South Asian religious or narrative traditions (Jain, Buddhist and Hindu) as well as being of interest more widely in the fields of Religious Studies, Classical Indology, Asian Studies and Literary Studies.

The Notion of Solitude in Pali Buddhist Literature
The Notion of Solitude in Pali Buddhist Literature

Author: Indaka Nishan Weerasekera

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2024-05-30

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 1350426075

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Exploring how notions of solitude in Pali literature are encompassed in various literary forms, such as stock formulae, poetry, narrative, and imagery, this book includes close analysis of some of the most famous Buddhist verses about solitary practice. Indaka Nishan Weerasekera considers how solitude is valued as one significant aspect of the Buddhist path, including how the imagery of landscape, especially the forest, serves to both inspire solitary practice as well as functions as a metaphor for meditation. The author employs a cross-section of primary sources to explore the practical and psychological aspects of solitude in relation to Buddhist meditation, as well as relational/attitudinal concepts such as renunciation or desirelessness, independence, and self-reliance. This 'lonely' aspect of the Buddhist path sits alongside the 'communal' aspect of the Buddhist teachings. Together, they serve to maintain monastic harmony, while the 'social' aspect preserves monastic relations with wider society.

In Dialogue with Classical Indian Traditions
In Dialogue with Classical Indian Traditions

Author: Brian Black

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-03-04

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 1351011111

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Dialogue is a recurring and significant component of Indian religious and philosophical literature. Whether it be as a narrative account of a conversation between characters within a text, as an implied response or provocation towards an interlocutor outside the text, or as a hermeneutical lens through which commentators and modern audiences can engage with an ancient text, dialogue features prominently in many of the most foundational sources from classical India. Despite its ubiquity, there are very few studies that explore this important facet of Indian texts. This book redresses this imbalance by undertaking a close textual analysis of a range of religious and philosophical literature to highlight the many uses and functions of dialogue in the sources themselves and in subsequent interpretations. Using the themes of encounter, transformation and interpretation – all of which emerged from face-to-face discussions between the contributors of this volume – each chapter explores dialogue in its own context, thereby demonstrating the variety and pervasiveness of dialogue in different genres of the textual tradition. This is a rich and detailed study that offers a fresh and timely perspective on many of the most well-known and influential sources from classical India. As such, it will be of great use to scholars of religious studies, Asian studies, comparative literature and literary theory.

The Upanisads
The Upanisads

Author: Signe Cohen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-09-27

Total Pages: 445

ISBN-13: 1317636961

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The Upaniṣads are among the most sacred foundational scriptures in the Hindu religion. Composed from 800 BCE onwards and making up part of the larger Vedic corpus, they offer the reader "knowledge lessons" on life, death, and immortality. While they are essential to understanding Hinduism and Asian religions more generally, their complexities make them almost impenetrable to anyone but serious scholars of Sanskrit and ancient Indian culture. This book is divided into five parts: Composition, authorship, and transmission of the Upaniṣads; The historical, cultural, and religious background of the Upaniṣads; Religion and philosophy in the Upaniṣads; The classical Upaniṣads; The later Upaniṣads. The chapters cover critical issues such as the origins of the Upaniṣads, authorship, and redaction, as well as exploring the broad religious and philosophical themes within the texts. The guide analyzes each of the Upaniṣads separately, unpacking their contextual relevance and explaining difficult terms and concepts. The Upaniṣads: A Complete Guide is a unique and valuable reference source for undergraduate religious studies, history, and philosophy students and researchers who want to learn more about these foundational sacred texts and the religious lessons in the Hindu tradition.

The Snake and the Mongoose
The Snake and the Mongoose

Author: Nathan McGovern

Publisher: Paperbackshop UK Import

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 329

ISBN-13: 0190640790

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In The Snake and The Mongoose, Nathan McGovern turns the commonly-accepted model of the origins of early Indian religions on its head. Instead of assuming a fundamental dichotomy between Brahmanical and non-Brahmanical in ancient India, McGovern shows that there were many different groups who all saw themselves as Brahmanical, and out of whose contestation with one another the distinction between Brahmanical and non-Brahmanical emerged.

Malleable Mara
Malleable Mara

Author: Michael D. Nichols

Publisher: SUNY Press

Published: 2019-02-14

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 1438473214

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Analyzes the breadth of representations of the mythic figure of M?ra in Buddhism to reveal how closely tied such narratives are to the social and historical concerns of Buddhist communities. This is the first book to examine the development of the figure of M?ra, who appears across Buddhist traditions as a personification of death and desire. Portrayed as a combination of god and demon, M?ra serves as a key antagonist to the Buddha, his followers, and Buddhist teaching in general. From ancient India to later Buddhist thought in East Asia to more recent representations in Western culture and media, M?ra has been used to satirize Hindu divinities, taken the form of wrathful Tibetan gods, communicated psychoanalytic tropes, and appeared as a villain in episodes of Doctor Who. Michael D. Nichols details and surveys the historical transformations of the M?ra figure and demonstrates how different Buddhist communities at different times have used this symbol to react to changing social and historical circumstances. Employing literary and cultural theory, Nichols argues that the representation of M?ra closely parallels and reflects the social concerns and anxieties of the particular Buddhist community producing it. “This book is an original and engaging exploration of the various forms myths about M?ra have taken across Buddhist history.” — Maria Heim, author of Voice of the Buddha: Buddhaghosa on the Immeasurable Words

Of Ancestors and Ghosts
Of Ancestors and Ghosts

Author: Adeana McNicholl

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2024

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 0197748902

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"In Part I of this book, I argued that preta narratives participated in a larger world-building process that negotiated the contours of the Buddhist cosmos and, with it, the place of the departed. Through stories about encounters between humans and pretas, Buddhist authors explored the place of the departed in a karmic cosmological system, worked out how to best assist them, and advocated for the importance of the sangha in facilitating these offerings. These tales do not merely reflect the process through which the preta as a specific entity and rebirth category became distinguished from the ancestral departed, but also participated in this process. This illustrates the importance of viewing narratives, in Rob Campany's terms, as argumentative. Stories are not merely the distillation of more abstract doctrine but are sites for the construction of religious worldviews. This illustrates that religious cosmologies are not laid down fully formed in doctrinal treatises. They are cumulatively built over time, and "popular culture" can do important work in the aggregative construction of cosmologies"--

The Buddha: a Storied Life
The Buddha: a Storied Life

Author: Vanessa R. Sasson

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2023

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 0197649467

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Retellings of the Buddha's life story have animated and sustained Buddhist thought and practice through some 2,500 years of history. To this day, Buddhist holidays and rituals are pinned to the arc of his biography, celebrating his birth, awakening, teaching, and final nirvana. His story is the model that exemplary Buddhists follow. Often, there is a moment of insight akin to the Buddha's experience with the Four Sights, followed by a great departure from home, and a period of searching that it is hoped will lead to final awakening. The Buddha's story is not just the Buddha's story; it is the story of Buddhism. In this book, twelve leading scholars of South Asian texts and traditions articulate the Buddha-life blueprint--the underlying and foundational pattern that holds the life story of a buddha together. They retell the episodes of Buddha Gautama's extended life story, while keeping in mind the cosmic, paradigmatic arc of his narrative. The contributors have dedicated their careers to exploring hagiographical materials, each applying their own methodological and theoretical interests to shed new light on the enduring story of Buddhism. Using multiple perspectives, voices, and sources, this volume underscores the multivalent centrality of this story. The book will be an invaluable resource to practicing Buddhists and students of Buddhist Studies to help them engage in the most foundational story of the tradition.

Amaravati
Amaravati

Author: Jas Elsner

Publisher: Reaktion Books

Published: 2024-07-06

Total Pages: 718

ISBN-13: 1789149088

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A visual exploration of the Buddhist stupa or reliquary mounds at one of ancient India’s most remarkable monuments at Amarāvatī. In this book, Jaś Elsner presents a fresh perspective on the rich visual culture of ancient South Asia, connecting the stupa’s artistic innovations with advancements in Buddhist philosophy and practice. He offers new insights into early Buddhist art in South India, as well as a new understanding of the relationship between early Buddhism and its material culture. The photographs collected here, particularly those featuring objects from the British Museum in London, reveal in detail how the stupa communicated Buddhist teachings and practices to its followers, making this book an invaluable resource for students and scholars alike.

The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research in the Asian Context
The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research in the Asian Context

Author: Safary Wa-Mbaleka

Publisher: SAGE

Published: 2022-05-05

Total Pages: 958

ISBN-13: 1529785693

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Qualitative research is growing in Asia and globally. In an Asian context, this requires an awareness of a completely different set of norms, practices, and expectations than those covered by books from a western perspective. This handbook truly celebrates these differences. Spanning the full research process, from philosophy and ethics to design and methods and through data collection, management, analysis, and dissemination, it focuses specifically on the practicalities needed to conduct effective and culturally responsive research in the Asian context. This handbook extends beyond researchers actually in Asia and also speaks to researchers working with Asian participants, researching in Asian immigrant neighbourhoods, and studying the larger global topics like socioeconomic challenges, climate change, or technological advancement. This is the first book to focus specifically on qualitative research in the Asian context and includes diverse contributors from Asia such as the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, India, Oman, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, and from other continents such as North America, South America, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. Section 1: Foundations of Qualitative Research in Asia Section 2: Qualitative Research Designs Section 3: Best Practices in Dealing with Qualitative Research Data Section 4: Other Qualitative Research Topics