Vajrayāna Buddhist Centres in South India


Book Description

The Present Book Deals With One Aspect I.E. The Rise Of The Tantric Or Vajrayana Buddhism At Various Centres, Particularly In South India. The Author In This Book Made An Attempt To Trace The Circumstances In Which The Vajrayana School Of Philosophy Took The Reins Of Degenerated Tenets Of Earlier Orthodox Schols Of Philosophy And Made Enquiries Into Various Aspects That It Contributed For The Continuity Of Buddhism As A Religion Upto The Post-Vijayanagara Times In South India.




Buddhist India Rediscovered


Book Description

LOSE YOURSELF IN THE BUDDHIST EXPERIENCE INDIA IS THE GUARDIAN OF a rich and ancient culture, and the seat of Buddhism. Mystic monasteries on Himalayan slopes, richly carved stupas amid lush gardens, cavernous dwellings with exquisite paintings –India is home to all these and more. In this, her seventh book, respected historian Aruna Deshpande travels the length and breadth of the country to track down the imprints of Buddhism. Never before has any historian presented every major Buddhist site located in India in one book. Here are the architectural gems of Lumbini, the lesser known Tawang Monastery of Arunachal Pradesh, the unparalleled Bodh Gaya and a reliable guide to visiting all these places. A boon to pilgrims, travelers and armchair explorers alike, Buddhist India Rediscovered will fire the imagination and carry you on a memorable journey. “A remarkably thorough catalogue of India’s Buddhist sites. Whether their interest is in history and culture or Buddhist pilgrimage, I am sure many readers will find this work of great value.” From the foreword by HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA




Guide to Buddhist Sites in the Indian Subcontinent


Book Description

The Indian subcontinent is the birthplace of Buddhism. Here is where the Buddha was born, where he lived and died. Here is where the first Buddhist councils were established, where the first monks practiced meditation, where the first stupas were built, where the great monasteries like Nalanda were established, where scholars from elsewhere in the Buddhist world came to learn Buddhism and so on. The earliest historical sites related to Buddhism were here too. In this book we provide an overview of historical sites related to Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent: including India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Here too, we only mention some of the most important sites, for listing out all sites related to Buddhism is virtually impossible on account of their great number. We have also covered holy sites belonging to all the important sects of Buddhism, including Theravada and Mahayana and Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism. Our preference is to focus on historically important and more famous sites. For the purposes of this book, we leave out other important Asian Buddhist countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, China and Japan for now. We will consider covering those sites in a separate book at a later time. For the purpose of covering the sites, we group them based on proximity. The author has personally visited most of the sites mentioned in this book in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The aim of this book is to provide the prospective traveler and pilgrim an overview of the sites so that they too can visit and see for themselves.




Buddhist World


Book Description

Buddhism is a religion practiced by an estimated 495 million in the world, as of the 2010s, representing 9% to 10% of the world's total population. China is the country with the largest population of Buddhists, approximately 244 million or 18.2% of its total population. They are mostly followers of Chinese schools of Mahayana, making this the largest body of Buddhist traditions. Mahayana, also practiced in broader East Asia, is followed by over half of world Buddhists. The second largest body of Buddhist schools is Theravada, mostly followed in Southeast Asia. The third and smallest body of schools, Vajrayana, is followed mostly in Tibet, the Himalayan region, Mongolia and parts of Russia, but has been disseminated throughout the world. Buddhism was almost entirely unknown in western countries until the 19th century. European diplomats and scholars who travelled and lived in Asia collected Buddhist texts to have them translated into English, German and French. Awareness of Buddhism arrived in the United States around the 1840's when the first Chinese immigrants settled in the western part of the country. Still, in general Buddhism remained poorly understood in the west until the 1960's when the first Buddhist teachers started arriving and quickly found thousands of followers. However curious westerners without serious study tended to view Buddhism as more of a mystic movement, rather than an encompassing spirituality involving meditation. Buddhism gained more popularity across Western culture by the end of the 20th century, when celebrities and other well-known people like Steve Jobs, Richard Gere or Phil Jackson openly talked about the positive influence Buddhism has had on their lives. The author of this book has joined the debate and examines the issues bringing fresh insights on the subject. In this book the author seeks to prove that the consciousness of the individual and individuality, which at the empirical level involves the rise of private property, family and the state, finds its most sophisticated and rational expression in early Buddhism.




India


Book Description

The Book Is An Academic Endeavour On A Variety Of Themes Encompassing History, Society, Religions, Vedas, Upanishads And Epics. It Also Studies The Movements Led By Various Personalities Enjoying Places Of Prominence In Their Respective Fields.Besides The Major Tenets Of Different Religions, The Book Discusses More Than Thirty Philosophies Representing Various Shades Of Thought Classified Into Five Broad Categories: (I) Saddarsanas Or Six Visions, Inspired By The Vedas, Are Independent In Approach And Argument Though Not Isolated From One Another; (Ii) Sramanas (Strivers) Philosophies Emerged In The 6Th Century Bc. Their Proponents Were, By And Large, Empiricists Who Used Experience And Observation As A Source Of Knowledge; (Iii) The Modern Philosophies In Hindusim Emanated From The Movements Of Revival Of This Religion Through Reformist Organisations Like Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj, And Theosophical Society, Etc.; (Iv) The Upanishadic Philosophies Mainly Revolve Around The Concepts Of Self The Individual, And Absolute God Almighty; (V) Finally, The Philosophies Of Different Religions Are Based On Faith And Practices Propounded By Their Respective Founders Or Their Successors.This Elaborate Study Is Structured In Two Volumes Each Consisting Of A Number Of Parts That Include Chapters On Different Themes. Volume I Makes A Detailed Discussion On India, Going In-Depth Into The Name, Basic Characteristics, Geography, History, Civilization, Etc. It Effectively Unveils India S Identity As A Nation Along With Its Historical Realities, Socio-Culture Features And Contribution To The World At Large In Spiritual Pursuits. Volume Ii Is A Self-Contained Comparative Study Of Hinduism And Christianity Accentuating The Doctrinal Issues Which Mark The Points Of Accord And Possible Discords In The Cordiality And Mutuality Of These Two Great Religions. Annexures Given In The End Constitute An Integral Part Of This Volume And Will Provide Useful Study-Aids To The Readers.The Book Will Be Useful To Students, Teachers, Religious Preachers, Educationists, And All Those Who Aspire To Enhance Their Knowledge On India S History, Religion And Spiritual Philosophy.




The Making of Modern Burma


Book Description

Burma has often been portrayed as a timeless place, a country of egalitarian Buddhist villages, ruled successively by autocratic kings, British colonialists and, most recently, a military dictatorship. The Making of Modern Burma argues instead that many aspects of Burmese society today, from the borders of the state to the social structure of the countryside to the very notion of a Burmese identity, are largely the creations of the nineteenth century - a period of great change - away from the Ava-based polity of early modern times, and towards the 'British Burma' of the 1900s. The book provides a sophisticated and much-needed account of the period, and as such will be an important resource for policy makers and students as a basis for understanding contemporary politics and the challenges of the modern state. It will also be read by historians interested in the British colonial expansion of the nineteenth century.




Temples of South India


Book Description




The Rough Guide to South India and Kerala


Book Description

One of the world's most exciting destinations, South India and Kerala offers majestic temples, exotic wildlife, spectacular festivals and thousands of miles of tropical coastline. Written by Rough Guides' team of India experts, this brand-new Rough Guide offers the best blend of critical reviews, in-depth background and tell-it-like it is advice on everything from yoga retreats and beaches to spotting wild tigers and elephants. Also inside The Rough Guide to South India and Kerala: · Get inspired with our trademark "things not to miss" and "author picks" by local experts · Learn how to book a train ticket, what to eat and cultural tips in our travel basics section. · Read features on trekking in the Cardamom Hills, discovering the sacred sites of Tamil Nadu or exploring the lazy backwaters of Kerala · Find your way across every inch of South India with full-color maps and easy-to-follow city and temple plans · Read the most detailed background on South Indian history, architecture and wildlife in contexts · Try speaking Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam with our handy language section Includes Goa, Kerala, Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and the Andaman Islands. Make the most of your trip with The Rough Guide to South India and Kerala.







Kun-mkhyen Pad-ma dKar-po's Amitayus Tradition of Vajrayana Buddhist Transformative Care


Book Description

The book opens fresh ground in Buddhist studies and practical theology by applying phenomenological research methods to empirically discern transformative aspects of contemplative experience using reports elicited directly from contemporary practitioners. The work portrays the experiences of performing Kun-mkyen Pad-ma dKar-po's 16th c. ritual in a practice tradition attributed to the 12th c. female Indian teacher Siddharaj�±i. Preliminary spiritual care and contemplative factor models are presented along with a detailed theoretical process analysis of positive spiritual development as a method of ��spiritual care through the contemplative action of the liturgy. Bhikshuni Lozang Trinlae is a fully ordained Buddhist monastic, contemplative, practical theologian, and chaplain. Founder of Mahaprajapati Vihar hermitage in Solukhumbu, Nepal, her scholarly work is in the areas of contemplative studies and hermeneutics of lived religion, and it explores the epistemological and transformative characteristics of religious experience. (Series: Pastoral Care and Spiritual Healing / Spiritualit�¤t interkulturell, Vol. 6) [Subject: Buddhist Studies, Pastoral Care]