Magliola's JAAR review (Vol.77,No.1) of J.Y. Park's Buddhism and Postmodernity (original) (raw)
Religious Studies Review, 2008
2 volumes (continuously paginated). Pp. 680. ¥ 3,100. This book is a very thorough study of an exceedingly small piece of a monumental Buddhist treatise. From the vast compendium of Buddhist doctrine known as the Yogā cā rabhū mi, Deleanu focuses on Book XIII, the Ś rā vakabhū mi, which presents mainstream Buddhist [i.e., non-bodhisattva] practices. His project is to edit, translate, and comment on the first chapter of the Ś rā vakabhū mi's fourth section, which sets forth the so-called "mundane path," comprising the practices allegedly mastered by Buddha during his early studies: the four absorptions (dhyā na), the four immaterial attainments (ā rū pyasamā patti), and the five supernatural faculties (abhijñā). The volumes contain both a diplomatic and a critical edition of the Sanskrit, an edition of the Tibetan by Jinamitra and Ye-shes-sde and of the Chinese by Xuanzang, an English translation, and a substantial introductory study. This latter covers the context of the chapter within the larger corpus, the provenance of its various versions, the textual formation of the Yogā cā rabhū mi corpus, and its legacy in later Buddhist literature and thought. A Hamburg doctoral dissertation that (after the European fashion) was sent straight to press, the book exhibits many shortcomings of that genre-in particular, a tendency to obsessively document every single claim or concept (featuring, e.g., nearly 125 pages of annotations to merely twenty pages of translation). Yet, in the final analysis, it is an unmistakably rich-if rather unwieldy-contribution to the study of this fascinating literature.
Jr. Donald S. Lopez - Critical Terms for the Study of Buddhism (2009)
University Of Chicago Press, 2009
Over the past century, Buddhism has come to be seen as a world religion, exceeding Christianity in longevity and, according to many, philosophical wisdom. Buddhism has also increasingly been described as strongly ethical, devoted to nonviolence, and dedicated to bringing an end to human suffering. And because it places such a strong emphasis on rational analysis, Buddhism is considered more compatible with science than the other great religions. As such, Buddhism has been embraced in the West, both as an alternative religion and as an alternative to religion. This volume provides a unique introduction to Buddhism by examining categories essential for a nuanced understanding of its traditions. Each of the fifteen essays here shows students how a fundamental term—from art to word—illuminates the practice of Buddhism, both in traditional Buddhist societies and in the realms of modernity. Apart from Buddha, the list of terms in this collection deliberately includes none that are intrinsic to the religion. Instead, the contributors explore terms that are important for many fields and that invite interdisciplinary reflection. Through incisive discussions of topics ranging from practice, power, and pedagogy to ritual, history, sex, and death, the authors offer new directions for the understanding of Buddhism, taking constructive and sometimes polemical positions in an effort both to demonstrate the shortcomings of assumptions about the religion and the potential power of revisionary approaches. Following the tradition of Critical Terms for Religious Studies, this volume is not only an invaluable resource for the classroom but one that belongs on the short list of essential books for anyone seriously interested in Buddhism and Asian religions.
Ven. P. Seewalee Thero, Bimalendra Kumar, Ujjwal Kumar (Eds.), Buddhism and Globalisation, Mahabodhi Society of India, Buddhagaya, 2019 (pp. 43-56), 2019
Buddhism and Post-modernity Vis-a-vis Ambedkaite Buddhism Pradeep P. Gokhale Professor of Philosophy (Rtd.) Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune In the last two centuries the growth of science has posed a challenge before all religions. The encounter between religion and science has given rise to reformist thinking in different religions, which has tended to reconcile the two. This has happened in Buddhism without much conflict between the two. Some Buddhist thinkers claimed that the rationalist and scientific temper has been present in Buddhism from its inception. However, on the advent of Post-modern thought in the west in the twentieth century, some scholars of Buddhism tend to identify post-modern approach in Buddhism. Even Ambedkarite Buddhism is claimed to be post-modern in its approach. In this paper I will attempt to examine whether such a claim would be tenable. The paper argues that the Buddhist no-soul doctrine does not necessarily deny the essence of a human being. In contemporary context post-modern thought incorporates non-essentialism. Hence, since every form of Buddhism is not non-essentialist, it cannot be called consistent with post-modern thought. The paper shows that though Nietzsche has been an inspiring figure insofar as post-modern thought is concerned, Ambedkar has found him symbolising Manu rather than Buddha. The paper shows how Ambedkar’s emphasis on scientific rationality and universal morality indicates that he was the advocate of modernity rather than post-modernity.