ePub Studying Buddhism in Practice (Studying Religions in Practice) by From Brand: Routledge in History

Description

Offering the first long-duration analysis of the relationship between the state and religion in South Asia; this book looks at the nature and origins of Indian secularism. It interrogates the proposition that communalism in India is wholly a product of colonial policy and modernisation; questions whether the Indian state has generally been a benign; or disruptive; influence on public religious life; and evaluates the claim that the region has spawned a culture of practical toleration. The book is structured around six key arenas of interaction between state and religion: cow worship and sacrifice; control of temples and shrines; religious festivals and processions; proselytising and conversion; communal riots; and religious teaching/doctrine and family law. It offers a challenging argument about the role of the state in religious life in a historical continuum; and identifies points of similarity and contrast between periods and regimes. The book makes a significant contribution to the literature on South Asian History and Religion.