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| 12. |
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Buddhism among Tamils in Tamilakam and Īlam : Part 3 - Extension and Conclusions
- 2013
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Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This book is the result of a conference in Bangkok in January 2012 mainly financed by Vetenskapsrådet in Stockholm (426-2011-1299). In Bangkok, not only pre-colonial Buddhism among Tamils was discussed but also Buddhism during the colonial and post-colonial period, like the Buddhism of Pēriyar, of the Ambedkar movement inYālppāṇam (Jaffna) in the 1950s, and the expansion of siṃhala budusamayam (Siṃhala Buddhism) into areas of Tamil speakers.The field of Buddhist Studies—in Europe and the Americas—has largely ignored the traditions, activities, and cultural products of Tamil-speaking Buddhists in southern India, former pre-colonialTamilakam, present Tamilnāṭu, and Īlam (Sri Laṃkā). This conference, building on previous work done by the applicant, sought to expand the range of conversation from South Indian and Īlam specialists to scholars of southern Asian “Buddhisms” in Southeast Asia. So much of Tamil-speaking religious and literary culture—whether in India or Īlam —is linked in as yet little understood ways to the various regions of Southeast Asia, including Thailand (the site of the conference). Based on prefigurations of Buddhism in Sanskrit and Pāli, representatives of Tamil culture, foremost of Tamil language and religion (Caivam), developed an indigenised form of Tamil Buddhism. In this volume it is called tamilppauttam (or Tamil Pauttam) in accordance with a tradition by scholars using Tamil. The concept of tamilppauttamis part of a rich indigenous Buddhist terminology that presentsan emic aspect of Buddhism among Tamils and is therefore elaborately brought out in this volume.In the history of the European study of South Asian Buddhism—stemming back to the mid-nineteenth century—the Tamil-speaking Buddhist communities of southern India and Īlam have been relatively under-studied, but provide an important link in dialogue and confrontation among the diverse Buddhist landscapes of greater India and the largely Theravāda communities of Īlam. In colonial and postcolonial times, Buddhism has been instrumentalised, as a liberating force from the caste system within the Tamil Dalit movement and also as a creative force of a new Buddhist identity in Īlam as alternative to Siṃhala Budu Samayam. The problem for Buddhists among Tamilsin Īlam today is that that their historical tradition is questioned by both Tamil Caivas (Shaivas) and Siṃhala Buddhists.Each conference paper contributed to a clearer understanding ofthe role of Tamil-speaking Buddhists in textual, literary and political cultures, as emissaries of Buddhism among Tamils in past and present.The goal of the conference was to foster critical inter-regional dialogue on topics concerning the transmission, cultures, and contactsamong various forms of southern Asian “Buddhisms”.
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| 14. |
- Farelius, Birgitta, 1937-
(författare)
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Origins of Kingship Traditions and Symbolism in the Great Lakes Region of Africa
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Considering myth as the bearer of important symbolism with potentials to reveal history, this dissertation undertakes a historical interpretation of kingship traditions and/or myths in the Great Lakes region. While the historical sources describe the cultures of the peoples of the interlacustrine region, this study goes a step further to develop analytic categories using symbolism to interpret and explain the socio-political developments, which previously have been mystified and hence crystallised in theories as the well-known Hamitic theory. The analysis combining a historical linguistic approach with the ecology of religion has facilitated an interpretation of the symbolism surrounding kingship and thereby elucidating the development of cultural history pertaining to the interlacustrine peoples.Mindful of local variations, regionally applicable symbolism gained from lan-guage and the meaning of words and names have been interpreted and appropriated within the perceptual framework of the peoples concerned. The perspective from within presupposes a continuous interaction between the material and the immaterial world. In this new multi-faceted dimension of history the kingship symbolism of the white cow illustrates how the visible and the invisible world interact.
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| 19. |
- Karlsson, Klemens
(författare)
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Face to face with the absent Buddha : The formation of Buddhist Aniconic art
- 1999
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Early art in Buddhist cultic sites was characterized by the absence of anthropomorphicimages of the Buddha. The Buddha was instead represented by different signs, like awheel, a tree, a seat and footprints. This study emphasizes the transformation this artunderwent from simple signs to carefully made aniconic compositions representing theBuddha in a narrative context. Buddhist aniconic art has been explained by a prohibition against images of theBuddha or by a doctrine that made it inappropriate to depict the body of the Buddha.This study rejects such explanations. Likewise, the practice of different meditationalexercises cannot explain this transformation. Instead, it is important to understand thatearly art at Buddhist cultic sites consisted of simple signs belonging to a shared sacredIndian culture. This art reflected a notion of auspiciousness, fertility and abundance.The formation of Buddhist aniconic art was indicated by the connection of these auspi- cious signs with a narrative tradition about the life and teachings of the Buddha. The study emphasizes the importance Sakyamuni Buddha played in the formation ofBuddhist art. The Buddha was interpreted as an expression of auspiciousness, but hewas also connected with a soteriological perspective. Attention is also focused on thefact that the development of Buddhist art and literature was a gradual and mutualprocess. Furthermore, Buddhist aniconic art presaged the making of anthropomorphicimages of the Buddha. It was not an innovation of motive for the Buddhists when theystarted to make anthropomorphic images of the Buddha. He was already there.
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| 20. |
- Karlsson, Klemens
(författare)
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Face to face with the absent Buddha : The formation of Buddhist Aniconic art
- 2000
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Early art in Buddhist cultic sites was characterized by the absence of anthropomorphicimages of the Buddha. The Buddha was instead represented by different signs, like awheel, a tree, a seat and footprints. This study emphasizes the transformation this artunderwent from simple signs to carefully made aniconic compositions representing theBuddha in a narrative context. Buddhist aniconic art has been explained by a prohibition against images of theBuddha or by a doctrine that made it inappropriate to depict the body of the Buddha.This study rejects such explanations. Likewise, the practice of different meditationalexercises cannot explain this transformation. Instead, it is important to understand thatearly art at Buddhist cultic sites consisted of simple signs belonging to a shared sacredIndian culture. This art reflected a notion of auspiciousness, fertility and abundance.The formation of Buddhist aniconic art was indicated by the connection of these auspi- cious signs with a narrative tradition about the life and teachings of the Buddha. The study emphasizes the importance Sakyamuni Buddha played in the formation ofBuddhist art. The Buddha was interpreted as an expression of auspiciousness, but hewas also connected with a soteriological perspective. Attention is also focused on thefact that the development of Buddhist art and literature was a gradual and mutualprocess. Furthermore, Buddhist aniconic art presaged the making of anthropomorphicimages of the Buddha. It was not an innovation of motive for the Buddhists when theystarted to make anthropomorphic images of the Buddha. He was already there.
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