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Book Cover
E-book
Author Ito, Tomomi.

Title Modern Thai Buddhism and Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu : a social history / Tomomi Ito
Published Singapore : NUS Press, ©2012

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Description 1 online resource (ix, 389 pages :) : illustrations, maps
Contents A new era in Thai Buddhism -- Early development of Buddhadāsa's work and growing influence -- The spread of Buddhadāsa's Dhamma -- Debates on the empty mind -- Abhidhamma Controversies: the supreme doctrine in the Buddhist public sphere -- Buddhism meets Marxism: Buddhadāsa and his Marxist followers -- Dhammic Socialism and engaged Buddhism: development of social aspects in Thai Buddhism -- Dhamma mother: a new female practitioner form alternative to Bhikkhunī
Summary "The Buddhist monk Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (1906-1993) injected fresh life into Thai Buddhism by exploring and teaching little known transcendent aspects of the religion. His investigations excited both monks and lay people, and gave rise to vigorous discussion in shops, temple yards and newly founded Buddhist associations. Moreover, he was a prolific author, who produced a rich array of publications that are indicative of his popularity and the impact of his teachings. While these discussions included serious exchanges on doctrine and practice, they also included jokes and light humor, criticisms of weak evidence for certain positions, and a defamation campaign arising from rumors that Buddhadasa was a communist sympathizer. Buddhadasa's thoughts and historical context coincide with the general picture of "modern Buddhism" and he may be seen as an agent of "Buddhist modernity," but he worked predominantly in Thailand through the medium of the Thai language, and he contributed much more significantly to Thai Buddhists than to Buddhist practice outside the country. An enormous amount of material relating to Buddhadasa Bhikkhu has been captured in religious journals and in numerous "pocket books" aimed at a general audience. Departing from the classical method of studying Buddhism through philology, Tomomi Ito's account of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu draws on this popular literature and on conversations with a broad spectrum of the people involved in these discussions to develop an account of Buddhism as it is experienced by Thai people. The result is a lively intellectual and social history of contemporary Thai religion and society built around the life of an exceptional monk who captured the interest of Buddhists pursuing spiritual depth in the context of the ideological conflicts of the Cold War."--Publisher's website
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 338-377) and index
Notes Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL
Print version record
digitized 2011 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL
Subject Phra Thēpwisutthimēthī (Ngư̄am), 1906-1993 -- Political and social views
Phra Thēpwisutthimēthī (Ngư̄am), 1906-1993
Buddhism and politics -- Thailand
Theravāda Buddhism -- Social aspects -- Thailand
Theravāda Buddhism -- Thailand
Buddhism -- Social aspects -- Thailand
Buddhism -- Thailand
Buddhism
Buddhism and politics
Buddhism -- Social aspects
Political and social views
Theravāda Buddhism
Religion.
Philosophy & Religion.
Buddhism.
Thailand
Form Electronic book
LC no. 2012330200
ISBN 9789971696092
9971696096
9971695723
9789971695729