Sacred Island

Sacred Island
Author: Shravasti Dhammika
Publisher: Buddhist Publication Society
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2008
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9552402719

This travel and pilgrimage guidebook is meant primarily for Buddhists or those interested in Buddhism who wish to explore Sri Lanka’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of the island, the author weaves together archaeological findings, art history and the stories and legends of the Buddhist tradition to bring to life thirty-three places of religious significance.

Buddha in the Crown

Buddha in the Crown
Author: John Clifford Holt
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 306
Release: 1991-01-31
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0195362462

Historical, anthropological, and philosophical in approach, Buddha in the Crown is a case study in religious and cultural change. It examines the various ways in which Avalokitesvara, the most well known and proliferated bodhisattva of Mahayana Buddhism throughout south, southeast, and east Asia, was assimilated into the transforming religious culture of Sri Lanka, one of the most pluralistic in Asia. Exploring the expressions of the bodhisattva's cult in Sanskrit and Sinhala literature, in iconography, epigraphy, ritual, symbol, and myth, the author develops a provocative thesis regarding the dynamics of religious change. Interdisciplinary in scope, addressing a wide variety of issues relating to Buddhist thought and practice, and providing new and original information on the rich cultural history of Sri Lanka, this book will interest students of Buddhism and South Asia.

State of Buddhism in Ceylon (Srilaṅkā) as Depicted in the Pali Chronicles

State of Buddhism in Ceylon (Srilaṅkā) as Depicted in the Pali Chronicles
Author: Sandhya Bhattacharya
Publisher: Pilgrims
Total Pages: 300
Release: 2003
Genre: Religion
ISBN:

This book is an attempt to trace the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as depicted in the Pali lanaguage chronicles which date from the 4th century BC onwards. Describes about Vamsa Literature, short history of the Pali chronicles, royal patronage of buddhism, monastic life in ceylon, buddhist festivals and ceremonies in ceylon.

Indian Antiquary

Indian Antiquary
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 1032
Release: 1906
Genre: India
ISBN:

"At a time when each Society had its own medium of propogation of its researches ... in the form of Transactions, Proceedings, Journals, etc., a need was strongly felt for bringing out a journal devoted exclusively to the study and advancement of Indian culture in all its aspects. [This] encouraged Jas Burgess to launch the 'Indian antiquary' in 1872. The scope ... was in his own words 'as wide as possible' incorporating manners and customs, arts, mythology, feasts, festivals and rites, antiquities and the history of India ... Another laudable aim was to present the readers abstracts of the most recent researches of scholars in India and the West ... 'Indian antiquary' also dealt with local legends, folklore, proverbs, etc. In short 'Indian antiquary' was ...entirely devoted to the study of MAN - the Indian - in all spheres ... " -- introduction to facsimile volumes, published 1985.

Formations of Ritual

Formations of Ritual
Author: David Scott
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
Total Pages: 335
Release:
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1452902429

The Sri Lanka Reader

The Sri Lanka Reader
Author: John Holt
Publisher: Duke University Press
Total Pages: 791
Release: 2011-04-13
Genre: History
ISBN: 0822349825

Fifty-four images and more than ninety classic and contemporary texts introduce Sri Lankas recorded history of more than two and a half millennia.