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Power, Wealth and Women in Indian Mah1y1na Buddhism 9780415480734_1_pre.qxd 3/10/08 12:41 PM Page i Power, Wealth and Women in Indian Mah1y1na Buddhism This book examines the concepts of power, wealth and women in the import- ant Mahayana Buddhist scripture known as the GaLSavyEha-sEtra, and relates these to the text’s social context in ancient India during the Buddhist Middle Period (0–500 CE). Employing contemporary textual theory, worldview analysis and struc- tural narrative theory, the author puts forward a new approach to the study of Mahayana Buddhist sources, the ‘systems approach’, by which literature is viewed as embedded in a social system. Consequently, he analyzes the GaLSavyEha in the contexts of reality, society and the individual, and applies these notions to the key themes of power, wealth and women. The study reveals that the spiritual hierarchy represented within the GaLSavyEha replicates the political hierarchies in India during Buddhism’s Middle Period, that the role of wealth mirrors its significance as a sign of spiritual status in Indian Buddhist society, and that the substantial number of female spiritual guides in the narrative reflects the importance of royal women patrons of Indian Buddhism at the time. This book will appeal to higher-level undergraduates, postgraduates and scholars of religious studies, Buddhist studies, Asian studies, South Asian studies and Indology. Douglas Osto is Lecturer in the Religious Studies Programme at the School of History, Philosophy and Classics, Massey University, New Zealand. His research interests are Mahayana Buddhism, Asian philosophies, narrative theory and gender studies. 9780415480734_1_pre.qxd 3/10/08 12:41 PM Page ii Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism Edited by Stephen C. Berkwitz, Missouri State University, USA Founding Editors: Charles S. Prebish, Utah State University, USA and Damien Keown, Goldsmith’s College, London University, UK Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism is a comprehensive study of the Buddhist tradition. The series explores this complex and extensive tradition from a variety of perspectives, using a range of different methodologies. The series is diverse in its focus, including historical, philological, cultural and sociological investigations into the manifold features and expressions of Buddhism worldwide. It also presents works of constructive and reflective analysis, including the role of Buddhist thought and scholarship in a con- temporary, critical context and in the light of current social issues. The series is expansive and imaginative in scope, spanning more than two-and-a-half millennia of Buddhist history. It is receptive to all research works that are of significance and interest to the broader field of Buddhist Studies. Editorial Advisory Board: James A. Benn, McMaster University, Canada; Jinhua Chen, The University of British Columbia, Canada; Rupert Gethin, University of Bristol, UK; Peter Harvey, University of Sunderland, UK; Sallie King, James Madison University, USA; Anne Klein, Rice University, USA; Ulrich Pagel, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK; John Powers, Australian National University; Juliane Schober, Arizona State University, USA; Donald Swearer, Harvard University, USA; Vesna A. Wallace, University of California-Santa Barbara, USA; Paul Williams, University of Bristol, UK A SURVEY OF VINAYA LITERATURE BUDDHIST THEOLOGY Charles S. Prebish Critical reflections by contemporary Buddhist scholars THE REFLEXIVE NATURE OF AWARENESS Edited by Roger R. Jackson and A Tibetan Madhyamaka defence John J. Makransky Paul Williams THE GLORIOUS DEEDS OF PURNA ALTRUISM AND REALITY A translation and study of the Studies in the philosophy of the Bodhicaryavatara Purnavadana Paul Williams Joel Tatelman BUDDHISM AND HUMAN RIGHTS Edited by Damien Keown, Charles Prebish and EARLY BUDDHISM – A NEW Wayne Husted APPROACH The I of the beholder WOMEN IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE Sue Hamilton BUDDHA Struggle for liberation in the Therigatha CONTEMPORARY BUDDHIST ETHICS Kathryn R. Blackstone Edited by Damien Keown THE RESONANCE OF EMPTINESS INNOVATIVE BUDDHIST WOMEN A Buddhist inspiration for contemporary Swimming against the stream psychotherapy Edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo Gay Watson TEACHING BUDDHISM IN THE WEST AMERICAN BUDDHISM From the wheel to the web Methods and findings in recent scholarship Edited by V. S. Hori, R. P. Hayes and Edited by Duncan Ryuken Williams and Christopher J. M. Shields Queen EMPTY VISION IMAGING WISDOM Metaphor and visionary imagery in Mahayana Seeing and knowing in the art of Indian Buddhism Buddhism Jacob N. Kinnard David L. McMahan PAIN AND ITS ENDING SELF, REALITY AND REASON IN TIBETAN The four noble truths in the Theravada PHILOSOPHY Buddhist canon Tsongkhapa’s quest for the Middle Way Carol S. Anderson Thupten Jinpa EMPTINESS APPRAISED IN DEFENSE OF DHARMA A critical study of Nagarjuna’s philosophy Just-war ideology in Buddhist Sri Lanka David F. Burton Tessa J. Bartholomeusz THE SOUND OF LIBERATING TRUTH BUDDHIST PHENOMENOLOGY Buddhist–Christian dialogues in honor A philosophical investigation of Yogacara of Frederick J. Streng Buddhism and the Ch’eng Wei-shih Lun Edited by Sallie B. King and Paul O. Ingram Dan Lusthaus 9780415480734_1_pre.qxd 3/10/08 12:41 PM Page iii RELIGIOUS MOTIVATION AND THE BUDDHISM IN CANADA ORIGINS OF BUDDHISM Edited by Bruce Matthews A social-psychological exploration of the origins DISCOURSE AND IDEOLOGY IN of a world religion MEDIEVAL JAPANESE BUDDHISM Torkel Brekke Edited by Richard K. Payne and Taigen Dan DEVELOPMENTS IN AUSTRALIAN Leighton BUDDHISM THERAVfDA BUDDHISM AND THE Facets of the diamond BRITISH ENCOUNTER Michelle Spuler Religious, missionary and colonial experience in ZEN WAR STORIES nineteenth-century Sri Lanka Brian Victoria Elizabeth Harris THE BUDDHIST UNCONSCIOUS BEYOND ENLIGHTENMENT The Alaya-vijñana in the context of Indian Buddhism, religion, modernity Buddhist thought Richard Cohen William S. Waldron BUDDHISM IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE INDIAN BUDDHIST THEORIES OF Reorienting global interdependence PERSONS Peter D. Hershock Vasubandhu’s refutation of the theory BRITISH BUDDHISM of a self Teachings, practice and development James Duerlinger Robert Bluck ACTION DHARMA BUDDHIST NUNS IN TAIWAN AND New studies in engaged Buddhism SRI LANKA Edited by Christopher Queen, Charles Prebish and A critique of the feminist perspective Damien Keown Wei-Yi Cheng TIBETAN AND ZEN BUDDHISM IN NEW BUDDHIST MOVEMENTS IN BRITAIN THAILAND Transplantation, development and adaptation Towards an understanding of Wat Phra David N. Kay Dhammakaya and Santi Asoke THE CONCEPT OF THE BUDDHA Rory Mackenzie Its evolution from early Buddhism to the Trikaya BUDDHISM, POWER AND POLITICAL theory ORDER Guang Xing Edited by Ian Harris THE PHILOSOPHY OF DESIRE IN THE BUDDHIST RITUALS OF DEATH AND BUDDHIST PALI CANON REBIRTH David Webster Contemporary Sri Lankan practice and THE NOTION OF DITTHI IN THERAVADA its origins BUDDHISM Rita Langer The point of view ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS IN BUDDHISM Paul Fuller A virtues approach THE BUDDHIST THEORY OF SELF- Pragati Sahni COGNITION THE CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MODERN Zhihua Yao CHINESE BUDDHISM BUDDHIST STUDIES FROM INDIA TO Attuning the Dharma AMERICA Francesca Tarocco Essays in honor of Charles S. Prebish MINDFULNESS IN EARLY BUDDHISM Edited by Damien Keown New approaches through psychology and MORAL THEORY IN SANTIDEVA’S textual analysis of Pali, Chinese and Sanskrit SIKSASAMUCCAYA sources Cultivating the fruits of virtue Tse-fu Kuan Barbra R. Clayton RELIGION, MEDICINE AND THE HUMAN BUDDHIST THOUGHT AND APPLIED EMBRYO IN TIBET PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH Frances Garrett Transcending the boundaries POWER, WEALTH AND WOMEN IN INDIAN Edited by D. K. Nauriyal, Michael S. Drummond MAHfYfNA BUDDHISM and Y. B. Lal The Galsavyeha-setra BUDDHISM, CONFLICT AND VIOLENCE IN Douglas Osto MODERN SRI LANKA Edited by Mahinda Deegalle 9780415480734_1_pre.qxd 3/10/08 12:41 PM Page iv The following titles are published in association with the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies a project of The Society for the Wider Understanding of the Buddhist Tradition The Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies conducts and promotes rigorous teaching and research into all forms of the Buddhist tradition. EARLY BUDDHIST METAPHYSICS The making of a philosophical tradition Noa Ronkin MIPHAM’S DIALECTICS AND THE DEBATES ON EMPTINESS To be, not to be or neither Karma Phuntsho HOW BUDDHISM BEGAN The conditioned genesis of the early teachings Richard F. Gombrich BUDDHIST MEDITATION An anthology of texts from the Pali Canon Sarah Shaw REMAKING BUDDHISM FOR MEDIEVAL NEPAL The fifteenth-century reformation of Newar Buddhism Will Tuladhar-Douglas METAPHOR AND LITERALISM IN BUDDHISM The doctrinal history of Nirvana Soonil Hwang THE BIOGRAPHIES OF RECHUNGPA The evolution of a Tibetan hagiography Peter Alan Roberts THE ORIGIN OF BUDDHIST MEDITATION Alexander Wynne 9780415480734_1_pre.qxd 3/10/08 12:41 PM Page v Power, Wealth and Women in Indian Mah1y1na Buddhism The Galsavyeha-setra Douglas Osto 9780415480734_1_pre.qxd 3/10/08 12:41 PM Page vi First published 2009 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2009 Douglas Osto Typeset in 10/12pt Times NR MT by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJI Digital, Padstow, Cornwall All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
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