Buddha in Sri Lanka: Remembered YesterdaysState University of New York Press, 2012 M02 1 - 317 pages This book provides both an erudite and intimate look at how Buddhism is lived in Sri Lanka. While India is known as the birthplace of Buddhism, Sri Lanka is its other home; Buddhism extends back over twenty-five hundred years on the island and remains at the center of its spiritual traditions and culture. Throughout the book, author Swarna Wickremeratne incorporates a personal view, sharing stories of herself, her family, friends, and acquaintances as they "lived Buddhism" both during her Sri Lankan girlhood and during more recent times. This personal view makes the traditions come alive as Wickremeratne details Buddhist beliefs, customs, rituals and ceremonies, and folklore. She also provides a fascinating discussion of the Sangha, the institutional monkhood in Sri Lanka, including its history, codes of conduct, and evolution and resilience over time. Wickremeratne explores the recent attempts by many monks to reinvent themselves in a society characterized by secularization, globalization, and a tide of aggressive Christian evangelization. |
Contents
1 Beginnings and Looking Beyond | 1 |
2 Growing Up in Sri Lankan Culture | 11 |
The New Year | 31 |
4 Loving Worship and Loving Kindness | 41 |
Many Motives Many Fruits | 55 |
6 Sri Lankan Buddhists and Their Rituals | 75 |
7 Reminiscences of Bana Preaching | 89 |
8 Buddhist Pilgrims Progress | 101 |
13 Pirit Chanting and the Holy Thread | 167 |
14 Sons of the Buddha | 179 |
15 Varieties in a Single Saffron Robe | 199 |
16 Quid Pro Quo Worship | 221 |
17 Many Gods Many Altars | 237 |
18 God Kataragama | 259 |
Epilogue | 273 |
Glossary of Religious Terms | 275 |
9 Karma in Popular Buddhist Culture | 113 |
10 To Die Only to Be Reborn | 125 |
Buddhist Ways and Other Ways | 141 |
All for the Sake of a Tree | 157 |
281 | |
285 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Ananda asked beautiful became become believed birth blessings body born bring Buddha Buddhist Buddhist monks called carried ceremony chanting child clothes considered culture custom dana dead death deeds devotees dharma dressed evil explained father finally flowers followed friends gave give given gods hands happy human important influences karma Kataragama kindness king known lamps leaves listen living looked means merit mind monks mother never night observed occasion offered once parents performed period person pirit poor popular practice preaching protection puja rebirth recited relatives religious ritual robes rules Sangha share Sri Lanka stories taken teaching temple things thought tion told took traditional tree Venerable village walked wear wife woman women worship young
Popular passages
Page vii - ... All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts and made up of our thoughts.