In Buddhist thought and practice, death has always been a central
concept. This book provides a careful and thorough analysis of the
rituals and social customs surrounding death in the Theravada
tradition of Sri Lanka.
Rita Langer describes the rituals of death and rebirth and
investigates their ancient origins, analyzing social issues of the
relationship between monks and lay people in this context. This
aspect is of particular interest as death rituals are the only life
cycle ritual in which Theravada Buddhist monks are actively
involved. Drawing on early Vedic sutras and Pali texts as well as
archaeological and epigraphical material, Buddhist Rituals of Death
and Rebirth establishes that Sri Lankan rituals are deeply rooted
in their pre-Buddhist, Vedic precursors. Whilst beliefs and
doctrines have undergone considerable changes over the centuries,
it becomes evident that the underlying practices have largely
remained stable.
The first comprehensive study of death rituals in Theravada
Buddhist practice, this is an important contribution to the fields
of Buddhist studies, indology, anthropology and religious
studies.
General
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