Religious Belief in a Buddhist Merchant Community, Nepal

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of religious belief in a Newar Buddhist merchant community in Kathmandu, Nepal, drawing on data obtained in a questionnaire study and life history research. After noting the plurality of Buddhist traditions in the Newar context, it outlines the research methodology used and clarifies several theoretical difficulties in the study of Buddhist belief. The research data is presented in two sections, one describing the central tenets articulated by a representative sample of the community and the other providing a series of individual portraits that illustrate in more extended and nuanced form the variation found among Buddhist devotees. The discussion of religious belief examines the effects of two especially salient and intersecting variables: the respective local Buddhist traditions (Newar, Theravadin, or Tibetan) and various modern ideologies (ecumenical pluralism or secular thought). The conclusion reviews the overall pattern of community belief and makes observations pertinent to Buddhist studies and the study of religious belief