We tend to think that the Buddha has always been seen as the compassionate sage admired around the world today; but until the nineteenth century; Europeans often regarded him as a nefarious figure; an idol worshipped by the pagans of the Orient. Donald S. Lopez Jr. offers here a rich sourcebook of European fantasies about the Buddha drawn from the works of dozens of authors over fifteen hundred years; including Clement of Alexandria; Marco Polo; St. Francis Xavier; Voltaire; and Sir William Jones. Featuring writings by soldiers; adventurers; merchants; missionaries; theologians; and colonial officers; this volume contains a wide range of portraits of the Buddha. The descriptions are rarely flattering; as all manner of reports—some accurate; some inaccurate; and some garbled—came to circulate among European savants and eccentrics; many of whom were famous in their day but are long forgotten in ours. Taken together; these accounts present a fascinating picture; not only of the Buddha as he was understood and misunderstood for centuries; but also of his portrayers.
#1432730 in Books Campbell Mary 2016-12-05Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.00 x .80 x 8.50l; .0 #File Name: 022637369X192 pagesCharles Ellis Johnson and the Erotic Mormon Image
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