Buddhism Transformed: Religious Change in Sri Lanka

Richard Gombrich; Gananath Obeyesekere

Published by Princeton University Press 1989

Buddhism Transformed

Religious Change in Sri Lanka

Richard Gombrich and Gananath Obeyesekere

https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691226859

Overview
Contents

About this book

In this study a social and cultural anthropologist and a specialist in the study of religion pool their talents to examine recent changes in popular religion in Sri Lanka. As the Sinhalas themselves perceive it, Buddhism proper has always shared the religious arena with a spirit religion. While Buddhism concerns salvation, the spirit religion focuses on worldly welfare. Buddhism Transformed describes and analyzes the changes that have profoundly altered the character of Sinhala religion in both areas.

Reviews

"This is beyond doubt one of the most important books on contemporary Buddhism to have appeared during this decade."—Per Kvaerne, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (Copenhagen) / University of Oslo

"A collection of brilliant ethnographic studies of religious innovation and change among Sinhala Buddhists."---Martin Southwold, The [London] Times Literary Supplement

"A highly readable and immensely important book. . . . One of the most interesting marriages of analyses of religion and society (and, at times, history and politics) to emerge in South Asian studies (and, I suspect, beyond) for many years."—James Manor, University of Sussex

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
PREFACE Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
A NOTE ON TERMINOLOGY Publicly Available Download PDF	xv
PART ONE A New Religious Orientation
CHAPTER 1 The Subject Defined Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
PART TWO Changes in the Spirit Religion
CHAPTER 2 Re-creating Community: Cult Groups of the Spirit Religion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	65
CHAPTER 3 Social Change and the Deities Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	96
CHAPTER 4 Kali, the Punitive Mother Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	133
CHAPTER 5 Kataragama, a Center of Hindu-Buddhist Syncretism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	163
PART THREE Buddhist Developments
CHAPTER 6 Protestant Buddhism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	201
CHAPTER 7 The Creation of Tradition Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	241
CHAPTER 8 The Contemporary Resurgence of Nuns Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	274
CHAPTER 9 The Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya: Theosophy and Astrology Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	299
CHAPTER 10 Three Buddhist Leaders Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	314
PART FOUR Toward a New Synthesis?
CHAPTER 11 The Bōdhi Pūjā Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	383
CHAPTER 12 Sinhala Firewalkers and the Buddhist Appropriation of Kataragama Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	411
CHAPTER 13 Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	445
BIBLIOGRAPHY Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	465
INDEX Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	475