DOCSLIB.ORG

Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157–1270

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157–1270 H-Buddhism New Book: Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157–1270 Discussion published by Alastair Gornall on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 Dear colleagues, I am pleased to announce the publication of the following book: Alastair Gornall, Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157–1270. London: UCL Press, 2020. As an Open Access publication, it is freely available to download from the following website: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/contact-103735/products/123314 Please do share the link with anyone who may be interested. Cover description: “Rewriting Buddhism is the first intellectual history of premodern Sri Lanka’s most culturally productive period. This era of reform (1157–1270) shaped the nature of Theravada Buddhism both in Sri Lanka and also Southeast Asia and even today continues to define monastic intellectual life in the region. Alastair Gornall argues that the long century’s literary productivity was not born of political stability, as is often thought, but rather of the social, economic and political chaos brought about by invasions and civil wars. Faced with unprecedented uncertainty, the monastic community sought greater political autonomy, styled itself as royal court, and undertook a series of reforms, most notably, a purification and unification in 1165 during the reign of Parakramabahu I. He describes how central to the process of reform was the production of new forms of Pali literature, which helped create a new conceptual and social coherence within the reformed community; one that served to preserve and protect their religious tradition while also expanding its reach among the more fragmented and localized elites of the period.” Table of contents: 1. Introduction: Themes and theories Part I: Chaos 2. Before 1165 and all that 3. The reform era and its Pali literature Part II: Order 4. Scholarly foundations: Moggallāna’s grammar 5. Buddhist scholasticism: Sumaṅgala’s commentaries 6. Eschatological encyclopedism: Siddhattha’s anthology Citation: Alastair Gornall. New Book: Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157–1270. H-Buddhism. 03-18-2020. https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/6023056/new-book-rewriting-buddhism-pali-literature-and-monastic-reform Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 1 H-Buddhism Part III: Emotion 7. Sense and sensibility: Saṅgharakkhita’s poetics 8. The politics of relics: Dhammakitti’s history 9. Devotional power: Buddharakkhita’s Buddha biography 10. Conclusion: Other lives and afterlives References Index Best wishes (and apologies for cross-posting), Alastair Gornall Singapore Citation: Alastair Gornall. New Book: Rewriting Buddhism: Pali Literature and Monastic Reform in Sri Lanka, 1157–1270. H-Buddhism. 03-18-2020. https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/6023056/new-book-rewriting-buddhism-pali-literature-and-monastic-reform Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 2.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • CONTENTS Chapter Preface Introduction 1
    CONTENTS Chapter Preface Introduction 1. Sri Lanka 2. Prehistoric Lanka; Ravana abducts Princess Sita from India.(15) 3 The Mahawamsa; The discovery of the Mahawamsa; Turnour's contribution................................ ( 17) 4 Indo-Aryan Migrations; The coming of Vijaya...........(22) 5. The First Two Sinhala Kings: Consecration of Vijaya; Panduvasudeva, Second king of Lanka; Princess Citta..........................(27) 6 Prince Pandukabhaya; His birth; His escape from soldiers sent to kill him; His training from Guru Pandula; Battle of Kalahanagara; Pandukabhaya at war with his uncles; Battle of Labu Gamaka; Anuradhapura - Ancient capital of Lanka.........................(30) 7 King Pandukabhaya; Introduction of Municipal administration and Public Works; Pandukabhaya’s contribution to irrigation; Basawakulama Tank; King Mutasiva................................(36) 8 King Devanampiyatissa; gifts to Emporer Asoka: Asoka’s great gift of the Buddhist Doctrine...................................................(39) 9 Buddhism established in Lanka; First Buddhist Ordination in Lanka around 247 BC; Mahinda visits the Palace; The first Religious presentation to the clergy and the Ordination of the first Sinhala Bhikkhus; The Thuparama Dagoba............................ ......(42) 10 Theri Sanghamitta arrives with Bo sapling; Sri Maha Bodhi; Issurumuniya; Tissa Weva in Anuradhapura.....................(46) 11 A Kingdom in Ruhuna: Mahanaga leaves the City; Tissaweva in Ruhuna. ...............................................................................(52)
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Lanka Journal of South Asian Studies Vol 3. No. 2 November 2017
    VOLUME 03 NUMBER 02 NOVEMBER 2017 The Faculty of Arts UNIVERSITY OF JAFFNA, SRI LANKA The Faculty of Arts The Sri Lanka Journal of South Asian Studies Vol.03, No. 02, November 2017 UNIVERSITY OF JAFFNA, SRI LANKA EDITOR’S NOTE The Sri Lanka Journal of South Asian Studies Volume 03 Number 02 November 2017 Volume 03 Number 02 2017 of the Sri Lanka Journal of South Asian Studies continues to deal with research problems related to the South Asian context. As per the vision of the pioneers of the Journal the present issue accommodates six articles. Since its inception in 1978 the Journal has been published with a break in the eighties due to the unrest that prevailed in the Northern and Eastern part of Sri Lanka and it has resumed its publication since 2015. We are unable to publish it on a regular basis due to various problems like lack of facilities, funds and printing due to dearth of professionals with English knowledge. The present volume consists of articles related to maritime intercourse and naval warfare, material culture in archaeology, logical methodology for “Refuting” in Vedanta philosophical tradition, mapping and evaluation of the changes in the land uses of selected river basins in the Northern Province, gender inequality, land rights and socio- economic transformation of women and landscape painting in BritishCeylon. We welcome more articles related to the South Asian context. We hope to continue with regular release of the Journal in future. Dr.K.Shriganeshan Editor. 30.11.2020. The Faculty of Arts The Sri Lanka Journal of South Asian Studies Vol.03, No.
    [Show full text]
  • 12 Manogaran.Pdf
    Ethnic Conflict and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka National Capilal District Boundarl3S * Province Boundaries Q 10 20 30 010;1)304050 Sri Lanka • Ethnic Conflict and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka CHELVADURAIMANOGARAN MW~1 UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII PRESS • HONOLULU - © 1987 University ofHawaii Press All Rights Reserved Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication-Data Manogaran, Chelvadurai, 1935- Ethnic conflict and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Bibliography: p. Includes index. 1. Sri Lanka-Politics and government. 2. Sri Lanka -Ethnic relations. 3. Tamils-Sri Lanka-Politics and government. I. Title. DS489.8.M36 1987 954.9'303 87-16247 ISBN 0-8248-1116-X • The prosperity ofa nation does not descend from the sky. Nor does it emerge from its own accord from the earth. It depends upon the conduct ofthe people that constitute the nation. We must recognize that the country does not mean just the lifeless soil around us. The country consists ofa conglomeration ofpeople and it is what they make ofit. To rectify the world and put it on proper path, we have to first rec­ tify ourselves and our conduct.... At the present time, when we see all over the country confusion, fear and anxiety, each one in every home must con­ ., tribute his share ofcool, calm love to suppress the anger and fury. No governmental authority can sup­ press it as effectively and as quickly as you can by love and brotherliness. SATHYA SAl BABA - • Contents List ofTables IX List ofFigures Xl Preface X111 Introduction 1 CHAPTER I Sinhalese-Tamil
    [Show full text]
  • The Temples of the Interfaces a Study of the Relation Between Buddhism and Hinduism at the Munnesvaram Temples, Sri Lanka
    The Temples of the Interfaces A Study of the Relation between Buddhism and Hinduism at the Munnesvaram Temples, Sri Lanka. by Rohan Neil Bastin A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of Ph.D. University College, The University of London. June 1991 ProQuest Number: 10609845 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10609845 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 ABSTRACT The two important temples at Munnesvaram, on the west coast of Sri Lanka, are Hindu and are run by Tamil priests. Their patronage is largely Sinhalese Buddhist. They are the context for an examination of the relations between Hinduism and Buddhism in modern Sri Lanka in a period of violent ethnic tension between Tamils and Sinhalese. The thesis falls in two parts. The first deals with the history of the temples in the colonial and post-colonial eras, the history of religious difference, and with a social analysis of the two groups of priests and of the worshippers. This establishes grounds for a consideration of current anthropological debates on hierarchy and on historicity.
    [Show full text]
  • Nation Consciousness - III Acknowledged That They Originated from Tification of Religion (Buddha Sasana) As Tamils
    6 Friday 28th April, 2006 Gokarella drivers Who would take note of neglected Karaitivu! pay Rs. 1.7 million as fines in 2005 From our Gokarella Corr. Cases have been filed against “A special police team has Drivers in Gokarella paid Rs. the offenders at the Kurunegala been deployed for road inspec- 1,754,663 as fines in 2005 for traf- Magistrate’s court. tion. The main cause of the road fic offences, according to Driving without a licence, accidents is the careless driving. Gokarella Police. 11,093 drivers driving under the influence of Stern action will be taken had been apprehended for violat- liquor, driving exceeding the against the drivers who violate ing traffic rules during last year, speed limits and violating road traffic rules”. Inspector D. A. C. Police said. rules were the offences against R. Dharmasiri, O.I.C. of the traf- them. fic branch told “The Island”. Work for a new ‘Identify common programmes What remained of the Karaitivu school play ground and buildings after the tsunami still remains as it was 16 months ago when era, Mangala the tidal wave hit Karaitivu in the Eastern Province. Despite numerous relief efforts, as the picture depicts, little has come in the to benefit the working class’ form of relief to there areas, which, for some strange reason, have not been noticed by aid agencies, both local and foreign. (Pic tells Matara by Deraniyagala Corr.) councillors Nanuoya Corresspondent providing correct leadership to the workers without any ulteri- The Minister of Ports “May Day is the day of the or motives, false promises or and Aviation, Mangala workers.
    [Show full text]
  • Review Articles
    REVIEW ARTICLES BACKGROUND TO THE SRI VIJAYA STORY-PART IV, Senarat Paranavitana, Ceylon and Malaysia, (Lake House, 1966), and other sources of interlinear writing (see list in section 21) 16. VIJAYABAHU I, PARAKRAMABAHU I AND NISSAMKAMALLA This part, in fifty pages, deals with the history of Ceylon from the Accession of Vijayabahu the Great in 1073 to the coming of the Portuguese in 1505, a period of over four centuries. Nobody can accuse me of not bringing down the cost of 1i ving. But the aim is not to tell the history of Ceylon as such, but to give that history within the pattern of a history of Sri Vijaya. The story is based on the accepted sources with the addition of two Ceylonese inscriptions recently published; while Parana­ vitana's sources of interlinear writing will only be used sparingly as connecting links in the overall story. The two 'new inscriptions' are the Panusvasnuvara Pillar Inscription of the 9th century where the topo­ nym Yavaju-Kalingubimhi appears; and the Madirigiri Slab Inscription of the 11th century with the name Samara Vijayottunga. These inscriptions comprise two of four irrefutable pieces of evidence, three of which have already been mentioned in the third part of this paper, while the fourth will be submitted in Section 17 below. With all this new evidence. the story of this four hundred years' period produced by historians of Sri Lanka must be looked at again from an entirely new angle. Irrespective of whether the Kalinga in the story was in Orissa­ India, as the Simhalese historians have thought, or it was in Southeast Asia, as the evidence now shows, it seems curious that these historians have never asked themselves the reasons why the Kalinga princes who became kings of Ceylon, such as Nissamkamalla and Magba, ever inva­ ded the island in the first place.
    [Show full text]
  • Republican Constitutionalism and Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism in Sri Lanka: Towards an Ontological Account of the Sri Lankan State
    ! 10 Republican Constitutionalism and Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism in Sri Lanka: Towards an Ontological Account of the Sri Lankan State g Roshan De Silva Wijeyeratne ! ! “...history begins with a culture already there” – Marshall Sahlins, Culture and Practical Reason. “...human beings must create the social and political realities on which their existence depends” – Bruce Kapferer, The Feast of the Sorcerer. Introduction The defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009 by the Sri Lankan State and the subsequent unfolding of the Rajapaksas’ dynastic project has precipitated an extraordinary resurgence in Sinhalese (Buddhist) nationalism both within civil society and as an official State narrative in Sri Lanka.1 The Sri Lankan cum Sinhalese Buddhist State (hereafter ‘Sinhalese State’) that President Rajapaksa is fashioning draws on the symbolic capital proffered by the fetishised cultural forms of Sinhalese nationalism and has been highly successful in consolidating a monopoly on the means of force within the island, focusing on the military and existential encompassment of the Tamil people.2 There is thus little sign that the President or the government has any intention of pursuing a strategy of constitutional reform as signposted by liberal constitutionalists in Sri Lanka.3 The Parliamentary Select Committee proposed by the government (as a mechanism for proposing a formula for constitutional reform) will as with the previous All Party Representative Committee (APRC) initiated by President Rajapaksa end up in all likelihood being another diversion 1 While Mahinda Rajapaksa is the President, his brother Gotabhaya is the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, while another brother Basil is a Cabinet Minister and finally Chamal is the Speaker of Parliament.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Introduction 2 Sustainable Development SUSTAINABLE
    XIV SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ANCIENT WISDOM AND SRI LANKAN TECHNOLOGY M. P. Ranaweera Emeritus Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: +94-81-2393547-8 ; Fax: + 94-81-2393500 Abstract: The world is facing many problems due to the improper exploitation of its resources and lopsided developments with total disregard to the environment during the last few centuries. To overcome these problems sustainable development is advocated and many concepts have been introduced recently. However the examination of the history and religions of the world reveals that many of these concepts were embedded in the wisdom of ancients, and they practised sustainable development for thousands of years. In Sri Lanka, Buddhism had a strong influence on the lives of people and ancient Sri Lankans developed a hydraulic civilization, in harmony with the environment, and achieved significant progress in engineering and technology. This paper deals with ancient Sri Lankan technologies related to irrigation and water management, architectural and structural engineering and metallurgy. Keywo rds: Sustainable Development, Ancient Wisdom, Sri Lankan Technology 1 Introduction Tremendous advances in science and technology over the past hundred years or so have uplifted the quality of life for many people in the world. However these also have created many problems, such as pollution, global warming, nuclear weapons, etc. which are now threatening the very existence of the mankind. One of the main reasons for this sad state of affairs is the exploitation of natural resources with total disregard to the environment by various organizations. Wrong notions held early times that human beings are supreme in this world and that they can exploit the natural resources in anyway they want, have also contributed to this situation.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddha in the Crown This Page Intentionally Left Blank Buddha in the Crown Avalokitesvara in the Buddhist Traditions of Sri Lanka
    Buddha in the Crown This page intentionally left blank Buddha in the Crown Avalokitesvara in the Buddhist Traditions of Sri Lanka JOHN CLIFFORD HOLT New York Oxford OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 1991 Oxford University Press Oxford New York Toronto Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi Petaling Jaya Singapore Hong Kong Tokyo Nairobi Dar es Salaam Cape Town Melbourne Auckland and associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Copyright © 1991 by John Clifford Holt Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Holt, John, 1948- Buddha in the crown : Avalokitesvara in the Buddhist traditions of Sri Lanka / by John Clifford Holt. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ). ISBN 0-19-506418-6 1. Avalokitesvara (Buddhist deity)—Sri Lanka. I. Title. BQ4710.A84S724 1991 294.3 '4211 '095493 dc20 90-6835 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper In Memory of Winifred Wick Holt This page intentionally left blank PREFACE Buddha in the Crown has been written primarily for students of religion. The argument I have set forth about the nature of religious change in Sri Lanka is one that need not be regarded as culture-specific, but one that can be tested in a number of other religio-historical contexts.
    [Show full text]
  • The Decline Oe Polomarwa and the Rise Oe Dambadeniya
    ___________________THE DECLINE OE POLOMARWAC-- :--------------------------------- AND THE RISE OE DAMBADENIYAi___ (circa 1180 - 1270 A.D.) Amaradasa Liyanagamage Thesis submitted for the Degree of .'{ Doctor of Philosophy •University of London ProQuest Number: 10804780 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10804780 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 a Abstract In this study an attempt is made to examine the developments in the history of Ceylon from the death of Parakramabahu I to the end of the reign of Parakramabahu II covering a period of roughly a century (c.1180 to 1270 A.D.)* The unity and general prosperity which the country enjoyed under Parakramabahu I gave way to dissension and disintegration soon after his death. The forces of disintegration moved on until about four decades after Parakramabahu1s death Dambadeniya emerged as a new centre of activity and of resistance to foreign invaders with the founda­ tion of a royal residence there. The difficult problems concerning the disintegration of the Poionnaruva Kingdom so soon after reaching its cul­ mination under Parakramabahu I, and the subsequent rise of Dambadeniya to importance under parakramabahu II form the subject of this study.
    [Show full text]
  • King Vijaya (B.C
    King Vijaya (B.C. 543-504) and his successors (Source: A SHORT HISTORY OF LANKA by Humphry William Codrington) The traditional first king of Lanka is Vijaya. His grandmother, Suppadevi, according to the legend was the daughter of the king of Vanga (Bengal) by a princess of Kalinga (Orissa). She ran away from home and in the country of Lala or Lada, the modern Gujarat, mated with a lion (sinha); hence the names of her children and ultimately that of Sinhala, the designation of Lanka and of the Sinhala. At the age of sixteen her son Sinhabahu carried off his mother and his twin sister to the haunts of men; the lion in his search for his family ravaged the country, and for the sake of the reward offered by the king of Vanga was slain by his own son. The king dying at the time, Sinhabahu was elected as his successor, but abandoned Vanga and built the city of Sinhapura in his native country Lada. His son Prince Vijaya and his boon companions committed such outrages in his father's capital that the king was compelled by popular clamour to drive them forth. They set sail and, touching at Supparaka, a famous port on the west coast of India (Sopara, north of Bombay), ultimately arrived at Tambapanni. Vijaya is made to land at Tambapanni on the very day of Buddha's death. Here they found the country inhabited by Yakkhas or demons, and one of them Kuveni, entrapped Vijaya's followers, but was compelled by the prince to release them.
    [Show full text]
  • 1.Buddha in the Crown Avalokitesi^Vara in the Buddhist
    Buddha in the Crown This page intentionally left blank Buddha in the Crown Avalokitesvara in the Buddhist Traditions of Sri Lanka JOHN CLIFFORD HOLT New York Oxford OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 1991 Oxford University Press Oxford New York Toronto Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi Petaling Jaya Singapore Hong Kong Tokyo Nairobi Dar es Salaam Cape Town Melbourne Auckland and associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Copyright © 1991 by John Clifford Holt Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Holt, John, 1948- Buddha in the crown : Avalokitesvara in the Buddhist traditions of Sri Lanka / by John Clifford Holt. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ). ISBN 0-19-506418-6 1. Avalokitesvara (Buddhist deity)—Sri Lanka. I. Title. BQ4710.A84S724 1991 294.3 '4211 '095493 dc20 90-6835 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper In Memory of Winifred Wick Holt This page intentionally left blank PREFACE Buddha in the Crown has been written primarily for students of religion. The argument I have set forth about the nature of religious change in Sri Lanka is one that need not be regarded as culture-specific, but one that can be tested in a number of other religio-historical contexts.
    [Show full text]