Indian Buddhist Research Articles

Learning Social Justice From Ambedkar's Short Animation Video

The life and work of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, a prominent Buddhist activist and scholar, have not only left behind a lasting legacy of ideas and access to social justice for the Indian people, but also served as a source of inspiration for citizens across the globe. Regrettably, many young Indonesians, particularly those in the Buddhist community, are unfamiliar with his life story. Consequently, this study seeks to describe the use of a short biographical animation video about Ambedkar's life in the Religious Studies curriculum at Kertarajasa Buddhist College (STAB Kertarajasa). This short biographical animation video will be employed as a teaching tool to explore topics related to religious diversity around the world and the role of religion as a driving force for social change. Through this case study, the objective of this lesson is to enhance students' understanding of the various expressions of religion worldwide, with a particular emphasis on Hinduism and Buddhism in India. Additionally, Ambedkar's powerful vision for achieving social justice provides guidance for prospective teachers in cultivating a critical mindset. The ability to think critically is crucial for aspiring educators, as they must be proactive agents of change. By fostering a critical mindset, these prospective teachers will be better equipped to embrace change and develop innovative and creative solutions. This paper outlines a learning best practice that utilizes a case study of Ambedkar's life struggle as a means of promoting social equality, religious freedom, and critical education for student-teachers at a Buddhist college through digital storytelling.
 Key words: Ambedkar, Buddhism, Philosphy of Education, Religious Studies, Religious Dialog, Social Justice.

불교에서 언어에 의한 대상세계 구성의 문제

It is widely known that Indian thought has a fundamental interest in language. Recently, J. Bronkhorst published a series of studies that drew our attention to the relationship between language and objects in Indian thought. In Language and Reality (2011), in particular, he designates this principle as “Correspondence Principle”, and argues that it lay at the root of the thoughts of various schools of the Indian schools for over half a millennium after Nāgārjuna (ca 150-250).
 This paper aims to understand whether it is possible to apply his correspondence principle to Buddhist ideas, especially to the Three-Nature (svabhāvatraya) theories of Indian Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda school, and to understand it from the perspective of the so-called “Linguistic turn” in Indian Buddhism. To this purpose, I try to distinguish the Three-Nature theory into two flows. One is an explanation from the perspective of the Noesis-Noema (grāhaka-grāhya) corelation, to use the terminology of Phenomenology, and the other is to apply the perspective of the expression-the expressed (abhilāpa- abhilāpya) relation to the fictive nature (parikalpitasvabhāva). For me, the latter flow could be rightly understood as a linguistic turn in Indian thought.

“Madhyamakanising” Tantric Yogācāra: The Reuse of Ratnākaraśānti’s Explanation of maṇḍala Visualisation in the Works of Śūnyasamādhivajra, Abhayākaragupta and Tsong Kha Pa

The eleventh-century Indian Buddhist master Ratnākaraśānti presents a unique Yogācāra interpretation of tantric maṇḍala visualisation in the *Guhyasamājamaṇḍalavidhiṭīkā. In this text, he employs the neither-one-nor-many argument to assert that the qualities of the mind represented by the deities in the maṇḍala are neither the same nor different from the mind itself. He also provides five scenarios of meditation to explain the necessity of practising both the perfection method (pāramitānaya) and the mantra method (mantranaya) together in Mahāyāna. Ratnākaraśānti’s explanation exerts a significant influence on the works of later Buddhist masters in India and Tibet, with parts of it being reused in the *Śrīherukopadeśanāmasvādhiṣṭhānakrama by Śūnyasamādhivajra (c. the eleventh century), the eighteenth chapter of the Āmnāyamañjarī by Abhayākaragupta (from the late eleventh to the twelfth century) and the tantric compendium sNgags rim chen mo by the Tibetan master Tsong kha pa Blo bzang grags pa (1357–1419). This paper explores how Ratnākaraśānti’s explanation has been reused and modified in these subsequent works. While Śūnyasamādhivajra faithfully reproduced Ratnākaraśānti’s Yogācāra explanation, Abhayākaragupta modified it to align with his Madhyamaka view. Abhayākaragupta in turn influenced Tsong kha pa, who accepted Abhayākaragupta’s Madhyamaka modification in his works. This paper also engages with current scholarly discussions on textual reuse and the underlying reasons behind it. While Śūnyasamādhivajra and Abhayākaragupta assimilated Ratnākaraśānti’s explanation without acknowledgement, Tsong kha pa quoted the text by name and acknowledged Abhayākaragupta’s reuse of Ratnākaraśānti’s explanation. This paper concludes by discussing the factors that determine whether the reused text is acknowledged or not, and the possible reasons behind textual reuse.

La Stimmung du paysage dans l’esthétique allemande et les concepts esthétiques chez Wang Fuzhi et Wang Guowei

This article examines the concept of qingjing (sentiment-landscape) and its related aesthetic notions, such as qingjing (sentiment-scene) and yijing (idea-scene) in Wang Fuzhi’s and Wang Guowei’s aesthetic theories. We will compare these categories of aesthetics with the German aesthetic notion of Stimmung from the early Romanticism to Schopenhauer and investigate into parallel evolutions and influence studies. Although Goethe, Schiller, and Schopenhauer do not belong to the group of German Romantics, their conception of Stimmung and the spiritual eye draw on aesthetics of German Romanticism. Wang Fuzhi’s conception of qingjing is still inscribed into Chinese classical thought, such as Daoist cosmology based on the original Breath and the epistemology of Indian Buddhism, such as pramāṇa (measure). We will compare the parallelism in thought evolution regarding Wang Fuzhi’s theory of qingjing and the German concept of Stimmung, both as a crystallization and intertwinement of indissociable sentiment and landscape. Many German writers proclaim that landscape is the projection of subjective emotions from inside to outside, so it can be understood as an externalization of Stimmung. According to Wang Fuzhi, sentiment unfolds as landscape, and landscape, driven by a vital impulse, is truly endowed with emotion. There is still a dichotomy between subject and object related to Stimmung, but this is not the case for qingjing. Moreover, we will also investigate the direct influence of Stimmung on Wang Guowei’s conception of qingjing and jingjie, since Wang Guowei has already been influenced by the aesthetics of German Romanticism and Idealism, especially the notion of Stimmung. This influence also contributes to Wang Guowei’s deviation from Wang Fuzhi’s aesthetic theory.

THE INFLUENCE OF BUDDHIST ON THE FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SHAOLIN CULTURE

The localization and development of Buddhism in China owe much to the efforts and contributions of eminent Indian monks such as Bodhidharma in propagating Indian Buddhism. Within the development of Buddhism at Shaolin Temple, the complex theoretical doctrines and strict disciplines gradually faded away, giving rise to a unique Zen culture. The emphasis on physical practice and the cultivation of both internal and external aspects in Buddhism aligns well with the philosophy of Shaolin Kungfu, ultimately forming the distinctive system of Shaolin Kungfu. The integration of the medicine concept from Buddhism with traditional Chinese medicine resulted in the theoretical framework and treatment methods of Shaolin medicine. Moreover, the influence of Buddhist culture extends to the temple culture, pagoda forest culture, and stone inscription culture of Shaolin Temple. The methodological approach of this research is the qualitative research techniques with historical analytical method. The main objective of this research is to understand the influence of Buddhist on the formation and development of Shaolin culture. Keywords: Buddhism; Shaolin culture; Chan (Zen) culture; Kungfu culture; Medical culture

Early Indian Buddhist Monasteries: Bhaja, Bedsa, and Karla from 200 BCE to 700 CE

Early Indian Buddhist Monasteries: Bhaja, Bedsa, and Karla from 200 BCE to 700 CE

Scholastic Context of Tarka

This paper delves into the genealogy of the concept of "tarka" in the Indian Buddhist tradition with the aim of exploring the notion of "contentious meditation." While "tarka" is commonly associated with the characteristics of intellectual rivals engaging in troublesome, noisy, and often meaningless debates, Vasubandhu employs this term to delineate his own limitations in Viṃśikā, necessitating a more comprehensive explanation. The prevailing interpretation, advocated by Hyodo Kazuo, perceives it as an expression of the author's humility. However, this perspective falls short, given that Vasubandhu himself created the aforementioned practice. Instead, a thorough examination and analysis of Vasubandhu's intended message is required. Drawing insights from subsequent commentators such as Kuiji and Sthiramati, Vasubandhu's discourse appears to reflect the complexities of contemporary scholarly considerations.

The Positive Influences of Master Nagarjuna’s Treatises on Tibetan Culture

The topic for my article is ‘The Positive Influences of Indian Master Nagarjuna’s Treatises on Tibetan Culture’ and I have broadly divided this article into two parts, namely: 1. The Treatises’ Influence on the Lives of Ordinary People, and 2. The Treatises’ Influence on the Lives of Monastic Community. Generally speaking, there are six volumes of Master Nagarjuna’s treatises translated into Tibetan language by Tibetan translators, but I am going to write my article mainly based on treatises like, Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika), Entry into the Middle Way Principle, A Letter to the Friend, The Four Hundred Verses Treatise, and A Guide to the Boddhisattva’s Way of Life. The purpose of writing this article is not only to share knowledge, but also to express this ancient Indian Buddhist philosopher’s marvellous contributions to the development of Tibetan culture and its effective relevance to the entire humanity even in the 21st century. In addition, the importance of continuous preservation and study on the above-mentioned treatises is also something that seriously needs to be taken care of. The method to be adopted here would be qualitative method as I am going to refer to treatises composed by this great Indian Master and their commentaries written by Tibetan Buddhist scholars like, Gyal Tsob Dharma Rinchen, Ngulchu Thokmey Sangpo, and Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelug tradition. These treatises have been used at different Tibetan Buddhist Learning Centres across the world for hundreds of years and they have tremendously given powerful impacts on the way of leading lives and the manner in which the external phenomenon is perceived. In other words, they have rendered a well-balanced space regarding the relationship between the object to be perceived and the perceiver or the person.

A Mysticism Approach to Yeats Byzantium

William Butler Yeats is the most famous poet in the history of modern Irish literature. He is called the greatest poet of our time by T.S Eliot. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1925. He has a strong interest in mysticism and has made unremitting exploration of it throughout his life. Mysticism is an important source of Yeatss life creation. From the early collection of Irish folklore and mythology to the formation of the later mysterious system, Yeats constructed his own set of mythological systems. Yeats mysticism is particularly evident in his poem Byzantium. His poems are full of mystery due to the combination of Irish folk mythology, Swedish mysticism philosophy, Judaism and Christian doctrine, Indian Buddhist thought, ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian mythology and other factors. Among them, his poems are famous for the symbol of Oriental mysticism. This paper makes a detailed interpretation of Byzantine and then implements the analysis of this masterpiece in each section. Based on this analysis, this paper focuses on the interpretation of mysticism in poetry and its impact in order to achieve a better understanding of the mysticism embodied in poetry and provide a valuable reference for future research on related issues.

Presentation of “Living Being” in Early Indian Buddhism and Its Ethical Implications

This article focuses on the presentation of the notion of “living being” and its link to ethics in the Pāli Buddhist canon and its commentaries. This objective is achieved by examining the key Pāli terms that refer to “living being” (i.e., satta, pāṇa, and bhūta) in different contexts with the aim of identifying their sematic ranges. The article then discusses how the notion of “living being” in the Pāli sources can be situated within the main doctrinal models developed in early Buddhism such as the six sense bases (āyatana), dependent origination (paticcasamuppada), and the Abhidhammic presentation of cognition, which are linked to a larger ethical framework that axiomatically repudiates the existence of a human “self” as the centre of all analysis. Instead, complex systems that link all living beings serve as the foundation for Buddhist praxis, and lead to a new understanding of the lived experience, which is founded on an ethics of behaviour, centred around non-violence or the non-harming of all beings. The article concludes by exploring the important contribution of Buddhist ethics to the current environmental challenges by underscoring the essential role played by the doctrine of non-self (anattā) as the very source and foundation of an ethical stance from which ethical actions can proceed.

Temple Architecture and Modern Hindu Appropriations of Buddhism

Abstract During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Buddhism became deeply embedded in an array of social and political debates taking place across India. The unique history of Buddhism in India and of its spread across Asia offered a model of ideological and cultural emancipation that was used not only to challenge colonial rule but also to further numerous anti-caste movements against existing Brahmanical institutions and practices. While the history of anti-caste and Dalit engagements with Buddhism has largely been studied through a discussion of the Indian constitutionalist B. R. Ambedkar's conversion to Buddhism along with some half million of his followers in 1956, this article addresses the ways in which Buddhism came to be simultaneously seen as a “Hindu sect” and central to Hindu nationalist projects. It does so through a detailed analysis of the planning and construction of several “Hindu-Buddhist” temples constructed in the 1930s by the Birla family that sought to construct a vision of India as a Hindu nation. A close examination of these sites reveals the wider dynamics underlining the transformation of modern Buddhism in India and, by extension, modern Hinduism.

“Little Tibet”

Abstract With the Chinese invasion of Tibet, exile-Tibetan Buddhist leaders have found new bases for their monastic endeavors in the Himalayan regions of India and Nepal. This article highlights how the northwest Himalayan region of Ladakh has become a homeland for Tibetan-led Buddhism in India. While previously an independent kingdom, Ladakh has been dubbed “Little Tibet” because of its close geographical, political, cultural, and religious association with the central Tibetan empire. Ladakhis themselves promote the region as “Little Tibet” and the “last Shangri-la” to emphasize the identity of the region as Buddhist. In this way, Ladakhis utilize the moral economy of “Tibetanness” as a means for cultural survival, but also to promote tourism and gain the economic benefits of being “Little Tibet.” By highlighting multiple and ongoing processes of Tibetanization, such as historical/political, cultural/religious, and imagined, this article illuminates the complex Ladakhi-Tibetan relations within projects of cultural preservation in India. Ladakhis are not passive recipients of the cultural domination of Tibetan religious leaders in the area; instead they adopt selective processes of Tibetanization to help safeguard their distinct religious and cultural identity as a religious and ethnic minority in India.

Protection of Buddhist structures under Emperor Tao-wu of the Northern Wei dynasty as a way of asserting political power

The subject of the study is the analysis of the formation of Buddhism under the Northern Wei Dynasty. The object of the study is Buddhist construction projects as a way of asserting political power. The author examines in detail such aspects of the topic as the construction of a Buddhist pagoda, a hall on Mount Sumeru, Vulture Peak and the "Great Monastery" (Dasa). When the state of Northern Wei was formed at the end of the fourth century, Buddhism became extremely widespread in their empire. Imperial patronage of Buddhist society continued throughout the dynasty until its decline in the sixth century. Powerful images of rulers, alternative ideas about the centers of power and special ways of sponsoring public monuments came from the understanding of the rulers of Northern Wei of ancient India, which, in turn, were obtained from Indian missionaries, reports of Chinese pilgrims and Buddhist scriptures translated into Chinese. Construction projects, in particular, gave the rulers the opportunity to present themselves to the people in various mythological and historical figures. The main conclusions of the study are that Emperor Tao-wu created an image legitimizing his rule, based on Indian Buddhist symbols of power, and not on Chinese Confucian traditions of government. The association of pagodas, Vulture Peak with King Ashoka was still strong in the popular imagination, which Tao-wu could not help but take advantage of. The new Buddhist construction complexes were actually intended to demonstrate political dominance in the capital. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that the author showed Emperor Tao-wu portraying himself as mytho-historical Indian authority figures such as Indra, King Bimbisara, Emperor Ashoka and Vimalakirti to assert his imperial authority.

Nalanda Rising

Abstract While the memory of the ancient Nalanda University has often been invoked in recent years as a symbol of educational excellence and pan-Asian unity, particularly with reference to the creation of a new international university in Bihar, India, these discourses often overlook and erase the significance of Nava Nalanda Mahviahra that was created in India's postindependence period as an institute devoted to the study of Buddhist texts and languages near the archeological site of the ancient university. This article looks at the Indian Buddhist scholar Jagdish Kashyap and his role in creating the state-sponsored institute, the symbolism of cultural revival it represented, and the excitement it generated in international Buddhism, attracting monks and lay students from around the Buddhist world. The article also discusses the institute's links to China and its sensitive relation to the dynamics of the Cold War in the 1950s and ’60s. It then discusses how these two Nalanda insitutions speak to issues of heritage diplomacy and the politics of revival in contemporary India and beyond.

A Study of the History of the Development of Buddhist Iconography

Nowadays Buddhism is one of the world's major religions, and its means of transmission and artistic approach are diverse. As one of these means of communication, Buddhist statuary has also been passed on to the present day as an excellent form of art. The art of statuary is very rich, with different periods of statuary having different characteristics, which have been handed down from one generation to the next. The art of Buddhist statuary also varies from region to region. They have their own history of development, but they are not independent, learning from each other and from other regions and times. There is no clear lineage of the specific development of Buddha's statues and the specific history of their development in different regions and at different times. The aim of this paper is to trace the history of the development of Buddhist iconography, to sort out its development from Hellenism to its arrival in India and its subsequent introduction to China, and to clarify the influence of Greek sculpture on Indian Buddhist iconography and subsequently on Chinese Buddhist iconography.

The Formation of Biaoquan and Zhequan as a Pair of Philosophical Concepts in Chinese Buddhism

The general consensus in the field of Buddhist studies is that the terms “biaoquan” and “zhequan” are a pair of Buddhist philosophical concepts often used to designate two diametrically opposed forms of rhetoric. The former term constitutes its affirmative statement, while the latter defines a fact in negative terms—known in Christian theology as cataphatic and apophatic uses of language, respectively. Looking at the terms for which biaoquan and zhequan initially served as translations, especially in Xuanzang’s works, it would seem that these two concepts have not always appeared as a related pair representing the above-mentioned affirmative–negative dichotomy. The former could designate both affirmation (*vidhi) as well as the general activity of speech, syllables, and words (nāma). In the case of zhequan, it corresponds, in different texts, to the three Indian Buddhist concepts of negation (*pratiṣedha, *vyāvṛtti, *nivṛtti), implicative negation (paryudāsa), and exclusion of others (anyāpoha), with each use of the term “zhequan” carrying a different set of meanings and associated doctrines. Indeed, in various texts, the concept of zhequan might be opposed to the concept of biaoquan (*vidhi *sadhana) or opposed to pure negation (prasajya), or it might be applied on its own with no opposing concept. However, as Chinese Buddhism continued to develop throughout the Tang, biaoquan and zhequan came to be firmly associated and popularized as a pair of opposites. Looking at the doctrinal as well as the translation history of these two terms, this paper focuses on how they were used as a pair of opposing philosophical concepts, followed by an analysis of the profound influence of these two concepts on Chinese Buddhism.

India, Korea and Buddhism

India and Korea share a long-standing cultural and religious connection through Buddhism. Buddhism originated in ancient India, where it was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha. It then spread to many parts of Asia, including Korea, through a combination of trade, missionary activity, and cultural exchange. The first recorded introduction of Buddhism to Korea was in the 4th century CE, when Chinese monks arrived in the country to spread Buddhist teachings. From that time on, Buddhism played a significant role in Korean culture and society, and has continued to be an important part of Korean life up to the present day. Indian Buddhist philosophy and teachings are rooted in the teachings of Buddha. Buddhism originated in India over 2,500 years ago and has since spread to other parts of the world.

Where Did Kamalaśīla Compose His Works, and Does It Even Matter? Reflections on the Activities of Indian Scholars in Imperial Tibet

Abstract This article reflects on the activities of the Indian Buddhist scholar-monk Kamalaśīla (c. 740–795) in imperial Tibet. Following accounts offered by Tibetan historians of later periods, these activities have so far been understood as more or less limited to Kamalaśīla’s victorious participation in the historically momentous “Great Debate” at Bsam yas monastery against the Chinese Chan master Heshang Moheyan. This article suggests that he also composed altogether seven of his works – and possibly more – while residing in Tibet, and sketches aspects of his intellectual profile on this basis. While remaining focused on Kamalaśīla, the article also raises wider-ranging questions regarding the activities of Indian Buddhist scholars in imperial Tibet against the backdrop of interconnected histories across South, Central and East Asia.

Review of Guardian of a Dying Flame: Śāriputra (c. 1335–1426) and the End of Late Indian Buddhism


 
 
 Guardian of a Dying Flame: Śāriputra (c. 1335–1426) and the End of Late Indian Buddhism. By Arthur Philip McKeown. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, Department of South Asian Studies, 2018. Pp. 480. $50.
 
 

『돈오대승정리결』에서 摩訶衍의 불성 이론을 비불교도들의 아뜨만 이론이라고 비판하는 이는 까말라씰라인가?

Through the colophon of the Summary of the Essential Points of the Mahāyāna Sūtras (Dàshèng jīng zuǎn yàoyì 大乘經纂要義, Or.8210/S.3966 and PC2298) unearthed from Dunhuang, it can be seen that the gradual teaching of Indian Buddhism was approved officially in Tibet in 822. As described in Tibetan history writings such as the Ba’s Testimony and the Chronicle of Buddhism in India and Tibet, it can be confirmed that King Khri srong lde brtsan (reigned 755-797) did not approve officially the gradual teaching of Indian Buddhism after the Kamalaśīla (ca. 740-795) and Mahāyāna (摩訶衍, fl. late 8th c.)’s debate, but only in 822, when King Khri gtsug lde brtsan (reigned 815-841) was reign. In the True Principle of the Mahāyāna Teaching of Sudden Enlightenment (Dùnwù dàchéng zhènglǐ jué 頓悟大乘正理決), Indian Buddhist criticizes Mahāyāna’s concept of “Buddha-nature.” The gist of the criticism of Indian Buddhist is that the concept of ‘Buddha-nature’ is similar to the ‘self (ātman)’ theory of non-Buddhists. If Kamalaśīla and Mahāyāna had a direct debate with Tibetan historical writings such as the Ba’s Testimony and the Chronicle of Buddhism in India and Tibet as described by modern scholars such as Eugene Obermiller, Paul Demiéville, and Giuseppe Tucci, etc., would Kamalaśīla criticize Mahāyāna’s theory of Buddha-nature as the non-Buddhists’ theory like the description of the True Principle of the Mahāyāna Teaching of Sudden Enlightenment. Kamalaśīla, an eminent Indian scholar-monk belonging to the Yogācāra-madhyamaka, interprets Buddha-nature’s teachings as a teaching featuring “selflessness (nairātmya)” after setting the teachings of One-vehicle (ekayāna) as the entire theme in his work, the Madhyamakāloka. It can be seen that his understanding of Buddha-nature is closely connected to a phrase, “the embryo of the tathāgata, which is selflessness (tathāgatanairātmyagarbha)” in the Laṅkāvatārasūtra. Through this, it can be confirmed that Kamalaśīla is not the one who criticizes Mahāyāna’s theory of Buddha-nature as the ‘self (ātman)’ theory of non-Buddhists in the True Principle of the Mahāyāna Teaching of Sudden Enlightenment.