Notes for Contributors
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
										Recommended publications
									
								- 
												  Buddhist Militarism Beyond Texts: the Importance of Ritual During the Sri Lankan Civil WarBUDDHIST MILITARISM BEYOND TEXTS: THE IMPORTANCE OF RITUAL DURING THE SRI LANKAN CIVIL WAR Iselin Frydenlund MF Norwegian School of Theology1 Abstract: This article addresses Buddhist militarism by exploring monastic-military ritual interactions during the Sri Lankan civil war, lasting from 1983 to 2009. Much has been written on the importance of Buddhism to Sinhala nationalism, the redefinition of the Buddhist monastic role in response to colonialism and the modernization process, as well as the development of a Buddhist just-war ideol- ogy. While these perspectives in various ways emphasize the importance of the Buddhist monastic order in pushing forward a Sinhala Buddhist nationalist agenda, little attention has been paid to the performative aspects of Buddhist militarism. Based on ethnographic data gathered during the Norwegian-facilitated peace talks (2000–2008), this article shows how rituals became crucial in conveying support to the state’s military efforts without compromising religious authority. By looking at Buddhist monastic ritual interaction in military institutions, this paper argues that the acceptance of the use of warfare is less anchored in systematized just-war thinking than the term “Buddhist just-war ideology” seems to suggest. Rather, through an anthropological approach to Buddhism and violence, this article shows that the term “Buddhist implicit militarism” better captures the rationale behind the broad monastic engagement with military institutions beyond minority positions of radical Buddhist militancy during a given “exception” in history. The essay concludes that monastic-military ritual interaction is a social field in which this “implicit militarism” is most clearly articulated. Key Words: Buddhism, militarism, just-war, violence, Sri Lanka, rituals 1Iselin Frydenlund is also Senior Researcher at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).
- 
												  The Concept of Self-Liberation in Theravada Burmese BuddhismASIA-PACIFIC NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THE CONCEPT OF SELF-LIBERATION IN THERAVADA BURMESE BUDDHISM A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary In Partial Fulfilment of the Degree Master of Science in Theology BY CING SIAN THAWN TAYTAY, RIZAL NOVEMBER 2020 ASIA-PACIFIC NAZARENE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY WE HEREBY APPROVE THE THESIS SUBMITTED BY Cing Sian Thawn ENTITLED THE CONCEPT OF SELF-LIBERATION IN THERAVADA BURMESE BUDDHISTS AS PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THEOLOGY (SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY) Dr. Dick Eugenio _________ Dr. Phillip Davis __________ Thesis Adviser Date Program Director Date Dr. Eileen Ruger _________ Dr. Naw Yaw Yet ___________ Internal Reader Date External Reader Date Dr. Dick Eugenio _________ Dr. Larry Bollinger ___________ Academic Dean Date President Date ii ABSTRACT This thesis explores the self-liberation concept of Theravada Buddhism, with the hope that it can provide a foundation towards a dialogical exchange between Buddhists and Christians in Myanmar. To provide a better understanding of the context, the thesis offers a brief historical background of Buddhist-Christian relations in Myanmar. By mainly relying on the translation of the Pali Tipitaka, along with a number of secondary sources from prominent Buddhist scholars, the self-liberation concept of Theravada Buddhism is discussed, beginning with the personal experience of Gotama, the Buddha. The thesis is descriptive in nature. The research employs a basic qualitative method, integrated with the analytical and interpretive methods. Correlation and synthesis were done and are presented in the final chapter with an emphasis on implications for interfaith dialogue. The study produced some significant findings.
- 
												  4.35 B.A. /M.A. 5 Years Integrated Course in Pali A.Y. 2017-18Cover Page AC___________ Item No. ______ UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI Syllabus for Approval Sr. No. Heading Particulars Title of the B.A./M.A. Five Year Integrated Course In 1 Course Pali Eligibility for As per existing Ordinances & policy 2 Admission Passing As per University Credit Semester System 3 Marks 2017 Ordinances / 4 - Regulations ( if any) No. of Years / 5 5 Years Semesters P.G. / U.G./ Diploma / Certificate 6 Level ( Strike out which is not applicable) Yearly / Semester 7 Pattern ( Strike out which is not applicable) New / Revised 8 Status ( Strike out which is not applicable) To be implemented 9 From Academic Year 2017-2018 from Academic Year Date: Signature : Name of BOS Chairperson / Dean : ____________________________________ 1 Cover Page UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI Essentials Elements of the Syllabus B.A./M.A. Five Year Integrated Course In 1 Title of the Course Pali 2 Course Code - Preamble / Scope:- The traditional way of learning Pali starts at an early age and gradually develops into ethically strong basis of life. Now at the university though we cannot give the monastic kind of training to the students, the need of the time is -a very strong foundation of sound mind and body, facing the stress and challenges of the life. There is necessity of Pali learning for a long time from early age which few schools in Maharashtra are giving, but not near Mumbai. Mumbai University has only one college which satisfies the need of Pali learning at the undergraduate and graduate level those too only three papers in Pali. The interest in the study of Pali language and literature is on the rise.
- 
												  Buddhism and Responses to Disability, Mental Disorders and Deafness in AsiaBuddhism and Responses to Disability, Mental Disorders and Deafness in Asia. A bibliography of historical and modern texts with introduction and partial annotation, and some echoes in Western countries. [This annotated bibliography of 220 items suggests the range and major themes of how Buddhism and people influenced by Buddhism have responded to disability in Asia through two millennia, with cultural background. Titles of the materials may be skimmed through in an hour, or the titles and annotations read in a day. The works listed might take half a year to find and read.] M. Miles (compiler and annotator) West Midlands, UK. November 2013 Available at: http://www.independentliving.org/miles2014a and http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/bibliography/buddhism/index.php Some terms used in this bibliography Buddhist terms and people. Buddhism, Bouddhisme, Buddhismus, suffering, compassion, caring response, loving kindness, dharma, dukkha, evil, heaven, hell, ignorance, impermanence, kamma, karma, karuna, metta, noble truths, eightfold path, rebirth, reincarnation, soul, spirit, spirituality, transcendent, self, attachment, clinging, delusion, grasping, buddha, bodhisatta, nirvana; bhikkhu, bhikksu, bhikkhuni, samgha, sangha, monastery, refuge, sutra, sutta, bonze, friar, biwa hoshi, priest, monk, nun, alms, begging; healing, therapy, mindfulness, meditation, Gautama, Gotama, Maitreya, Shakyamuni, Siddhartha, Tathagata, Amida, Amita, Amitabha, Atisha, Avalokiteshvara, Guanyin, Kannon, Kuan-yin, Kukai, Samantabhadra, Santideva, Asoka, Bhaddiya, Khujjuttara,
- 
												  Navigating the New MillenniumNavigating the New Millennium by Bhikkhu Bodhi BPS Newsletter Cover Essay No. 44 (1st Mailing 2000) © 2000 Bhikkhu Bodhi Buddhist Publication Society Kandy, Sri Lanka Access to Insight Edition 2005 www.accesstoinsight.org LTHOUGH our calculation of time’s passage in years and centuries carries no more weight against the vastness of the cosmic process than a feather Abefore a storm, still, being human, it is natural for us to nurture hope on reaching the threshold of a new millennium. Adherents of different religions also turn their thoughts toward the new millennium, and as Buddhists we might briefly ponder the question what the Dhamma can offer the world in the years ahead. From one angle it could be said that what Buddhism can offer humankind today is exactly what it has been holding out for the past twenty-five centuries: an acute diagnosis of the human condition and a clear path to final liberation from suffering. But while this statement is correct as far as it goes, it is not yet sufficient; for it does not take account of the fact that in any age the aspects of the Dhamma to be emphasized, and the way they are to be expressed, must address the particular problems faced by the people living in that age. The Buddha’s teaching acquires its incisive relevance, not merely by the cogency of its broad generalities, but by attuning its formulations to the precise problems that loom so large in the consciousness of the particular period in which it has taken root. Thus for the Dhamma to preserve its vitality and strength, it is not enough merely to repeat hallowed formulas inherited from the past, however true they might be in their own right.
- 
												  Canonical Exegesis in the Theravāda VinayaJournal of Buddhist Ethics ISSN 1076-9005 http://blogs.dickinson.edu/buddhistethics/ Volume 24, 2017 Canonical Exegesis in the Theravāda Vinaya Bhikkhu Brahmāli Bodhinyana Monastery Bhikkhu Anālayo University of Hamburg Copyright Notice: Digital copies of this work may be made and distributed provided no change is made and no alteration is made to the content. Reproduction in any other format, with the exception of a single copy for private study, requires the written permission of the authors. All en- quiries to: [email protected]. Canonical Exegesis in the Theravāda Vinaya Bhikkhu Brahmāli and Bhikkhu Anālayo1 Abstract In the present paper the two authors examine dimensions of the canonical exegesis found embedded within the text of the Theravāda Vinaya. In part one, Bhikkhu Anālayo ex- amines the word-commentary on the rules found in the Suttavibhaṅga. In part two, Bhikkhu Brahmāli takes up the function of narrative portions in the Khandhakas. Part I: The Word-commentary in the Suttavibhaṅga The Suttavibhaṅga embeds its various rules in a canonical exegesis. One dimension of such exegesis is narrative, which introduces the original promulgation of a particular rule and presents various tales related to possible breaches and, at times, the ensuing amendments to the rule in 1 Bhikkhu Brahmāli: Bodhinyana Monastery, Perth, Australia; Bhikkhu Anālayo: Numata Center for Buddhist Studies, University of Hamburg. We are indebted to Bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā, Ute Hüsken, Bhikkhu Khantipālo, Bhikkhu Pandita, Bhikkhu Sujāto, and the journal’s reviewer for valuable input and constructive criticism of a draft version of this paper. Brahmāli and Anālayo, Canonical Exegesis in the Theravāda Vinaya 226 question.2 Another dimension is the word-commentary, padabhājanīya (or padabhājana), which serves to draw out the precise meanings and implications of the terms used in the formulation of the rule itself.
- 
												  Buddhist PsychologyCHAPTER 1 Buddhist Psychology Andrew Olendzki THEORY AND PRACTICE ince the subject of Buddhist psychology is largely an artificial construction, Smixing as it does a product of ancient India with a Western movement hardly a century and a half old, it might be helpful to say how these terms are being used here. If we were to take the term psychology literally as referring to “the study of the psyche,” and if “psyche” is understood in its earliest sense of “soul,” then it would seem strange indeed to unite this enterprise with a tradition that is per- haps best known for its challenge to the very notion of a soul. But most dictio- naries offer a parallel definition of psychology, “the science of mind and behavior,” and this is a subject to which Buddhist thought can make a significant contribution. It is, after all, a universal subject, and I think many of the methods employed by the introspective traditions of ancient India for the investigation of mind and behavior would qualify as scientific. So my intention in using the label Buddhist Psychology is to bring some of the insights, observations, and experi- ence from the Buddhist tradition to bear on the human body, mind, emotions, and behavior patterns as we tend to view them today. In doing so we are going to find a fair amount of convergence with modern psychology, but also some intriguing diversity. The Buddhist tradition itself, of course, is vast and has many layers to it. Al- though there are some doctrines that can be considered universal to all Buddhist schools,1 there are such significant shifts in the use of language and in back- ground assumptions that it is usually helpful to speak from one particular per- spective at a time.
- 
												  “Siam's Borān Buddhism” from the Reign of Rāmā I (1782-1809 CE.)The Dhammakāyānussati-kathā: A Trace of “Siam's Borān Buddhism” from the Reign of Rāmā I (1782-1809 CE.) Woramat Malasart A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Arts Of the University of Otago, Dunedin New Zealand June 4, 2019 Abstract The Dhammakāya text genre appears in manuscripts, inscriptions, and printed texts found in Central Thailand, Northern Thailand, and Cambodia. Texts belonging to this genre share the same core Pāli verses, and date back to the Ayutthaya period. In this thesis, I transliterate, translate, contextualise and analyse the Dhammakāyānussati-kathā, “Words on the Recollec- tion of the Body of Dhammas,” which was part of the Suat Mon Plae, a collection of Bud- dhist chanting rituals compiled during the 1st reign (1782-1809), using a historical-critical approach to the text. The Dhammakāyānussati-kathā consists of verses composed in Pāli fol- lowed by the Thai translation, using a traditional method called yok sab. The first three parts of the Dhammakāyānussati-kathā share the core Pāli verses of the Dhammakāya text genre, but the final section, which praises the Buddha‟s physical body, is different. The Pāli vers- es describe the Buddha‟s auspicious marks including radiance, hair, height, etc., verses that are also found in the Golden Manuscript Braḥ Dhammakāya, a text that can be dated to the 1st reign. Today, the Dhammakāyānussati-kathā is not well-known in Central Thailand, but its similar texts are still used in Northern Thailand and Cambodia during buddhābhiṣeka and the ritual of installing the Buddha‟s heart into a Buddha statute and chedī.
- 
												  Chronology of the Pali Canon Bimala Churn Law, Ph.D., M.A., B.LChronology of the Pali Canon Bimala Churn Law, Ph.D., M.A., B.L. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Researchnstitute, Poona, pp.171-201 Rhys Davids in his Buddhist India (p. 188) has given a chronological table of Buddhist literature from the time of the Buddha to the time of Asoka which is as follows:-- 1. The simple statements of Buddhist doctrine now found, in identical words, in paragraphs or verses recurring in all the books. 2. Episodes found, in identical words, in two or more of the existing books. 3. The Silas, the Parayana, the Octades, the Patimokkha. 4. The Digha, Majjhima, Anguttara, and Samyutta Nikayas. 5. The Sutta-Nipata, the Thera-and Theri-Gathas, the Udanas, and the Khuddaka Patha. 6. The Sutta Vibhanga, and Khandhkas. 7. The Jatakas and the Dhammapadas. 8. The Niddesa, the Itivuttakas and the Patisambbhida. 9. The Peta and Vimana-Vatthus, the Apadana, the Cariya-Pitaka, and the Buddha-Vamsa. 10. The Abhidhamma books; the last of which is the Katha-Vatthu, and the earliest probably the Puggala-Pannatti. This chronological table of early Buddhist; literature is too catechetical, too cut and dried, and too general to be accepted in spite of its suggestiveness as a sure guide to determination of the chronology of the Pali canonical texts. The Octades and the Patimokkha are mentioned by Rhys Davids as literary compilations representing the third stage in the order of chronology. The Pali title corresponding to his Octades is Atthakavagga, the Book of Eights. The Book of Eights, as we have it in the Mahaniddesa or in the fourth book of the Suttanipata, is composed of sixteen poetical discourses, only four of which, namely, (1.) Guhatthaka, (2) Dutthatthaka.
- 
												  A Anguttara Nikiiya D Digha Nikaya M Majjhima Nikaya S Samyutta Niklzya Dh Dhammapada It Itivuttaka Ud UdiinaNotes The following abbreviations occur in the Notes: A Anguttara Nikiiya D Digha Nikaya M Majjhima Nikaya S Samyutta Niklzya Dh Dhammapada It Itivuttaka Ud Udiina I BASIC FEATURES OF BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY I Robert H. Thouless, Riddel Memorial Lectures, (Oxford, 1940), p. 47. 2 Mrs C. A. F. Rhys Davids, Buddhist Psychology, (London, 1914). 3 Rune Johansson, The Psychology ofNirvana (London, 1965), P:II. 4 The material pertaining to the psychology ofBuddhism is basically drawn from the suttapitaka. 5. Carl R. Rogers, 'Some Thoughts Regarding The Current Philosophy of the Behavioural Sciences', Journal ofHumanistic Psychology, autumn 1965. 6 Stuart Hampshire (ed.), Philosophy ofMind (London, 1966) 7 Dh., 183. 8 M I, 224. 9 O. H. de A. Wijesekera, Buddhism and Society, (Sri Lanka, 1952), P: 12. 10 DIll, 289. II S V, 168. 12 Wijesekera, Ope cit., P: 12. 13 DIll, Sutta 26. 14 A II, 16. 15 The Sangiiraoa Sutta refers to three groups of thinkers: (I) Traditionalists (anussavikii) , (2) Rationalists and Metaphysicians (takki vzma'rlSl) , (3) Ex perientialists who had personal experience of a higher knowledge. 16 Nanananda, Concept and Reality (Sri Lanka, 1971), Preface. 17 For an analysis of the Buddhist theory of knowledge, see K. N.Jayatilleke, Early Buddhist Theory ofKnowledge (London, 1963). 18 See, K. N.Jayatilleke, 'The Buddhist Doctrine of Karma' (mimeo, 1948) p. 4; The analysis pertaining to the several realms within which the laws of the universe operate is found in the works of commentary, and not in the main discourses of the Buddha. 19 Far a comprehensive study of the Buddhist concept of causality see David J.
- 
												  Early Buddhist Metaphysics: the Making of a Philosophical TraditionEARLY BUDDHIST METAPHYSICS This book provides a philosophical account of the major doctrinal shift in the history of early Theravada tradition in India: the transition from the earliest stratum of Buddhist thought to the systematic and allegedly scholastic philosophy of the Pali Abhidhamma movement. Conceptual investigation into the development of Buddhist ideas is pursued, thus rendering the Buddha’s philosophical position more explicit and showing how and why his successors changed it. Entwining comparative philosophy and Buddhology, the author probes the Abhidhamma’s shift from an epistemologically oriented conceptual scheme to a metaphysical worldview that is based on the concept of dhamma. She does so in terms of the Aristotelian tradition and vis-à-vis modern philosophy, exploiting Western philo- sophical literature from Plato to contemporary texts in the fields of philosophy of mind and cultural criticism. This book not only demonstrates that a philosophical inquiry into the conceptual foundations of early Buddhism can enhance our understanding of what philosophy and religion are qua thought and religion; it also shows the value of fresh perspectives for traditional Buddhology. Combining philosophically rigorous investigation and Buddhological research criteria, Early Buddhist Metaphysics fills a significant gap in Buddhist scholar- ship’s treatment of the conceptual development of the Abhidhamma. Noa Ronkin received her PhD from the University of Oxford. She is currently a lecturer in the Introduction to the Humanities Programme and a Research Fellow at the Center for Buddhist Studies, Stanford University. Her research interests include a range of issues associated with Indian Theravada Buddhist philosophy and psychology, the Abhidhamma tradition and comparative Indian philosophy.
- 
												  A Theravada Buddhist Contribution to Universal EthicsA Theravada Buddhist Contribution to Universal Ethics By James A. Santucci ABSTRACT Ethics is a sub;ecl thw is taking on increased importance in various areas of human activitv, especially with new challenges in the biological sciences, business, commerce, and trade. like many fields of inquiry, the principles are clearly defined, but it is in the details that disagreements abound This paper focuses on ethical action in Theravcida Buddhism. To do so requtres a definition of ethics and morals on the one hand, and ethic and moral on the other. It also requires a discussion of the difference, ifany, between moral actions and other normative actions. such as law, rilllals, customs, and etiquette. When applied to Theravada Buddhism, we find tha1 some linguistic d1fjiculty exists regarding a /ranslation of ethical actions into the Pali or Sanskril languages. A /though terms exist, they are not informative in defining the range of acllons thai we expect such actions to encompass. In this regard, cerlain axiomalic statements are inlroduced that serve as a basis of moral action regardless of culture. The Theravcida Buddhist response to these axioms, especially when discussing those actions reflecting srla, indicate a goal-oriented and utilitarian approach that conforms more closely to the concepl of karma than lo the Weslern notion of ethics. Why this is so requires an understanding of Vedic cu/lure, !he source of Indian attitudes regarding karma. Ethics is a subject that is taking on increased importance in various areas of human activity. especially with new challenges in the biological sciences, business, commerce, and trade.