|
Showing 1 - 9 of
9 matches in All Departments
This study is based on a manuscript which was carried by a Chinese
monk through the monasteries of the Hexi corridor, as part of his
pilgrimage from Wutaishan to India. The manuscript has been created
as a composite object from three separate documents, with Chinese
and Tibetan texts on them. Included is a series of Tibetan letters
of introduction addressed to the heads of monasteries along the
route, functioning as a passport when passing through the region.
The manuscript dates to the late 960s, coinciding with the large
pilgrimage movement during the reign of Emperor Taizu of the
Northern Song recorded in transmitted sources. Therefore, it is
very likely that this is a unique contemporary testimony of the
movement, of which our pilgrim was also part. Complementing extant
historical sources, the manuscript provides evidence for the high
degree of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity in Western
China during this period.
The Mahabodhi temple at Bodhgaya in eastern India has long been
recognised as the place where the Buddha sat in meditation and
attained enlightenment. The site, soon identified as the 'Diamond
Throne' or vajrasana, became a destination for pilgrims and a focus
of religious attention for more than two thousand years. This
volume presents new research on Bodhgaya and assesses the important
archaeological, artistic and literary evidence that bears witness
to the Buddha's enlightenment and to the enduring significance of
Bodhgaya in the history of Buddhism. The book brings together a
team of international scholars to look at the history and
perception of the site across the Buddhist world and its position
in the networks of patronage and complex religious landscape of
northern India. The volume assesses the site's decline in the
thirteenth century, as well as its subsequent revival as a result
of archaeological excavations in the nineteenth century. Using the
British Museum's collections as a base, the authors discuss the
rich material culture excavated from the site that highlights
Bodhgaya's importance in the field of Buddhist studies.
An engaging introduction to Zen Buddhism, featuring a new English
translation of one of the earliest Zen texts Leading Buddhist
scholar Sam van Schaik explores the history and essence of Zen,
based on a new translation of one of the earliest surviving
collections of teachings by Zen masters. These teachings, titled
The Masters and Students of the Lanka, were discovered in a sealed
cave on the old Silk Road, in modern Gansu, China, in the early
twentieth century. All more than a thousand years old, the
manuscripts have sometimes been called the Buddhist Dead Sea
Scrolls, and their translation has opened a new window onto the
history of Buddhism. Both accessible and illuminating, this book
explores the continuities between the ways in which Zen was
practiced in ancient times, and how it is practiced today in East
Asian countries such as Japan, China, Korea, and Vietnam, as well
as in the emerging Western Zen tradition.
A timely and illuminating history of Tibet, from the seventh
century to what it means to be Tibetan today Situated north of the
Himalayas, Tibet is famous for its unique culture and its
controversial assimilation into modern China. Yet Tibet in the
twenty-first century can only be properly understood in the context
of its extraordinary history. Sam van Schaik brings the history of
Tibet to life by telling the stories of the people involved, from
the glory days of the Tibetan empire in the seventh century through
to the present day. He explores the emergence of Tibetan Buddhism
and the rise of the Dalai Lamas, Tibet's entanglement in the "Great
Game" in the early twentieth century, its submission to Chinese
Communist rule in the 1950s, and the troubled times of recent
decades. Tibet sheds light on the country's complex relationship
with China and explains often-misunderstood aspects of its culture,
such as reborn lamas, monasteries and hermits, The Tibetan Book of
the Dead, and the role of the Dalai Lama. Van Schaik works through
the layers of history and myth to create a compelling narrative,
one that offers readers a greater understanding of this important
and controversial corner of the world.
A leading writer and researcher on Tibet, Sam van Schaik offers an
accessible and authoritative introduction to Tibetan Buddhism by
examining its key texts, from its origins in the eighth century to
teachings practiced across the world today. In addition to
demonstrating its richness and historical importance, van Schaik's
fresh translations of and introductions to each text provide a
comprehensive overview of Tibetan Buddhism's most popular teachings
and concepts-including rebirth, compassion, mindfulness, tantric
deities, and the graduated path-and discusses how each is put into
practice. The book unfolds chronologically, conveying a sense of
this thousand-year-old tradition's progress and evolution. Under
the spiritual leadership of the Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism has an
estimated ten to twenty million adherents worldwide. Written for
those new to the topic, but also useful to seasoned Buddhist
practitioners and students, this much-needed anthological
introduction provides the deepest understanding of the key writings
currently available.
A complete catalogue of Tibetan Chan Texts in the Dunhuang
Manuscript Collections
|
|