199p., Abb., Index, 23 cm. (First pub. in 1991, USA)
CONTENTS
CONTENTS:- 1. The Buddhist Doctrine of Anatta. 2. Pratityasamupada and the renunication of mystery. 3. Space emptiness and freedom. 4. The social relevance of the buddhist nibbana Ideal. 5. The Boddhisattva ideal. 6. The syncretism of chinese chan and pure land buddhism. 7. Integration of sutra and tantra. 8. The mahisasaka view of women. 9. The significance of Paritta and its application in the theravada tradition. 10. The paritta ceremony of Sri lanka. 11. Significance of the ritual concerning offerings to ancestors in thervada buddhasm.
DESCRIPTION
Buddhist Thought and Ritual will appeal to anyone interested in acquiring an authentic grasp of Buddhism as it lives and functions in today`s world. The wide spectrum of Buddhist practice is represented here by the men and women who contributed to this volume. The focus on thought and ritual captures the organic interrelationship of these religious components and moves away from the compartmentalization characteristic of much religious scholarship. The reader discovers the central tenets of Buddhism, Anatta, Pratityasamutpada, Sunyatta, Nirvana, and others, not as free-floating curiosities, but in terms of their contemporary relevance and active participation in the formation of society and culture. Likewise, commonly practiced rituals such as the Paritta Ceremony and Mantra Recitation are analyzed in terms of their role in living Buddhism.
