Burning for the Buddha is the first book-length study of the theory and practice of "abandoning the body"(self-immolation) in Chinese Buddhism. It examines the hagiographical accounts of all those who made offerings of their own bodies and places them in historical; social; cultural; and doctrinal context. Rather than privilege the doctrinal and exegetical interpretations of the tradition; which assume the central importance of the mind and its cultivation; James Benn focuses on the ways in which the heroic ideals of the bodhisattva present in scriptural materials such as the Lotus Sutra played out in the realm of religious practice on the ground.
#3072006 in Books Univ of Hawaii Pr 2010-07-06 2010-07-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.10 x .90 x 6.00l; 1.00 #File Name: 0824833856200 pages
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. I loved it !By fabvizI loved this book; not boring at all ! You feel so close to Sri Lankan Buddhist monks and laypeople; their needs and concerns. The author analyzes very closely the origin of the bonds between them; and the implications that result. Very interesting book !
