The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia (SUNY Series in Religious Studies) - Softcover

Swearer, Donald K

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0791424596 ISBN 13: 9780791424599

Publisher: State University of New York Press, 1995

Synopsis

This is a synthesis and interpretation of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. No other book matches its depth and breadth or its balance of scholarly interpretation and readable personal portrayal.

This book is a remarkable synthesis and empathetic interpretation of Buddhism in Southeast Asia. No other single book matches its depth and breadth, or its balance between scholarly interpretation and sensitive first person portrayal. The author focuses his analysis on Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia as a dynamic, complex system of thought and practice imbedded in the respective cultures, societies, and histories of Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. The book discusses three distinct but interrelated aspects of this system: the popular tradition in terms of paradigms of ideal action, rituals, festivals, and rites of passage; Buddhism as civic religion in terms of King Asoka as the paradigmatic Buddhist monarch, cosmology and kingship, and Buddhism and the modern nation state; and modern transformations of the tradition in terms of the changing roles of the monk and the laity, modern reform movements, and Buddhism in the West.

About this title

From the Back Cover

An unparalleled portrait, Donald K. Swearer's The Buddhist World of Southeast Asia has been a key source for all those interested in the Theravada homelands since the work's publication in 1995. Expanded and updated, the second edition offers this wide-ranging account for readers at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

Swearer shows Theravada Buddhism in Southeast Asia to be a dynamic, complex system of thought and practice embedded in the cultures, societies, and histories of Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. The work focuses on three distinct yet interrelated aspects of this milieu. The first is the popular tradition of life models personified in myths and legends, rites of passage, festival celebrations, and ritual occasions. The second deals with Buddhism and the state, illustrating how King Asoka serves as the paradigmatic Buddhist monarch, discussing the relationship of cosmology and kingship, and detailing the rise of charismatic Buddhist political leaders in the postcolonial period. The third is the modern transformation of Buddhism: the changing roles of monks and laity, modern reform movements, the role of women, and Buddhism in the West.

Praise for the First Edition

"This book surveys many themes. Although rooted in cultural and religious matters, it is also a good historical review of the Theravada tradition. Buddhism in Southeast Asia is spiritually and culturally very dynamic, but it also has a political importance that makes it a timely theme for those interested in this part of the world--those not necessarily informed about the history and power of religion in Southeast Asia.

"There are many books by notable authorities on the Buddhist world of Southeast Asia. However, these are almost always focused on just one country or culture, while the Swearer book embraces the whole region. I know of no other text in the English language that sets down such a good descriptive analysis of contemporary Theravada practices." -- Bruce Matthews, Professor Emeritus of Comparative Religion, Acadia University

About the Author

Donald K. Swearer is Professor of Religion at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

About this edition

• Publisher: State University of New York Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0791424596
• ISBN 13: 9780791424599
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272