Buddhist Magic: Divination, Healing, and Enchantment through the AgesA fascinating exploration of the role that magic has played in the history of Buddhism As far back as we can see in the historical record, Buddhist monks and nuns have offered services including healing, divination, rain making, aggressive magic, and love magic to local clients. Studying this history, scholar Sam van Schaik concludes that magic and healing have played a key role in Buddhism's flourishing, yet they have rarely been studied in academic circles or by Western practitioners. The exclusion of magical practices and powers from most discussions of Buddhism in the modern era can be seen as part of the appropriation of Buddhism by Westerners, as well as an effect of modernization movements within Asian Buddhism. However, if we are to understand the way Buddhism has worked in the past, the way it still works now in many societies, and the way it can work in the future, we need to examine these overlooked aspects of Buddhist practice. In Buddhist Magic, van Schaik takes a book of spells and rituals--one of the earliest that has survived--from the Silk Road site of Dunhuang as the key reference point for discussing Buddhist magic in Tibet and beyond. After situating Buddhist magic within a cross-cultural history of world magic, he discusses sources of magic in Buddhist scripture, early Buddhist rituals of protection, medicine and the spread of Buddhism, and magic users. Including material from across the vast array of Buddhist traditions, van Schaik offers readers a fascinating, nuanced view of a topic that has too long been ignored. |
Other editions - View all
Buddhist Magic: Divination, Healing, and Enchantment through the Ages Sam van Schaik Limited preview - 2020 |
Buddhist Magic: Divination, Healing, and Enchantment through the Ages Sam van Schaik No preview available - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
amulets anoint Asia Asian Atharvaveda Avalokitesvara badzra Bari's Spellbook book of spells Bower Manuscript Buddha Buddhist magic Buddhist manuscripts Buddhist monastic Buddhist monks Buddhist practice Buddhist scriptures Buddhist texts canon century C.E. chapter child China Chinese Cloud Sutra collection compendium cure deity demons dharani dhist divination dragons Dunhuang early Buddhist edited effigy example Gandhara Genizah Gilgit goddess Greek magical papyri gugul healing Hidas India Jewish magic king kriyā literature magic user magical practices magical rituals magical texts Mahayana mandala mantra twenty-one medicine monasteries monks and nuns mudra Nepal offering Padmasambhava Pali Pali canon performed person practitioners prasena pregnant protection rainmaking recipes recite the mantra religion Sanskrit saying the mantra Schaik Scribe's note Silk Road sources specific spirits star water sūtra sweet flag syllables tantric Theravada thread Tibet Tibetan book Tibetan Buddhism tion tradition translation University Press vajra Vajrabhairava Vajrabhairava Tantra Vajrayana vidyadhara visualize yakṣa Zysk