Constituting communities : Theravāda Buddhism and the religious cultures of South and Southeast Asia / John Clifford Holt, Jacob N. Kinnard, Jonathan S. Walters, editors.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Holt, John, 1948-

Kinnard, Jacob N.

Walters, Jonathan S.

Series:

SUNY series in Buddhist studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Buddhism--Social aspects--Southeast Asia.

Buddhism.

Buddhism--Social aspects--South Asia.

Monastic and religious life (Buddhism).

Theravāda--Buddhism--History--20th century.

Theravāda.

Buddhism--Social aspects.

South Asia.

Southeast Asia.

Physical Description:

viii, 224 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, [2003]

Summary:

Constituting Communities explores how community functions within Theravada Buddhist culture. Although the dominant focus of Buddhist studies for the past century has been on doctrinal and philosophical issues, this volume concentrates on discourses that produced them, and why and how these discourses and practices shaped Theravada communities in South and Southeast Asia. From a variety of perspectives, including historical, literary, doctrinal and philosophical, and social and anthropological, the contributors explore the issues that have proven important and definitive for identifying what it has meant, individually and socially, to be Buddhist in this particular region. The book focuses on textual discourse, how communities are formed and maintained within pluralistic contexts, and the formation of community both within and between the monastic and lay settings.

Contents:

1 Communal Karma and Karmic Community in Theravada Buddhist History / Jonathan S. Walters 9

2 Toward a Theory of Buddhist Queenship: The Legend of Asandhimitta / John S. Strong 41

3 Beggars Can Be Choosers: Mahakassapa as a Selective Eater of Offerings / Liz Wilson 57

4 The Insight Guide to Hell: Mahamoggallana and Theravada Buddhist Cosmology / Julie Gifford 71

5 When the Buddha Sued Visnu / Jacob N. Kinnard 85

6 Minister of Defense? The Visnu Controversy in Contemporary Sri Lanka / John Clifford Holt 107

7 Localizing Lineage: Importing Higher Ordination in Theravadin South and Southeast Asia / Anne M. Blackburn 131

8 Preacher as a Poet: Poetic Preaching as a Monastic Strategy in Constituting Buddhist Communities in Modern Sri Lanka and Thailand / Mahinda Deegalle 151

9 "For Those Who Are Ignorant": A Study of the Bauddha Adahilla / Carol S. Anderson 171

10 Interpretive Strategies for Seeing the Body of the Buddha / James R. Egge 189.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0791456919

0791456927

OCLC:

50064874