Second edition of this standard introduction to the branch of Buddhism found in Sri Lanka and parts of South East Asia Widely recognized as the classic introduction to the field, Richard Gombrich’s book shows how Theravada Buddhism has influenced and been influenced by its social surroundings. Acknowledgments and recommendations for further reading ix Preface to the second edition xi 1 Introduction 1(31) A Introductory information 1(4) B A social history of Buddhism? 5(27) The limitations of Marxist and Weberian views of religion 11(4) Unintended consequences 15(3) The Sangha 18(1) What inquiries will the evidence support? 19(3) Theravadin history: the uneven pace of change 22(1) Buddhist identity 23(9) 2 Gotama Buddha's problem situation 32(29) A Vedic civilization 32(17) The Vedic tradition 32(3) The early Vedic period 35(3) Later Vedic society 38(2) Religion in the later Vedic period 40(6) Karma and escape from re-birth 46(3) B The social conditions of his day 49(12) To whom did the Buddha's message appeal? 56(5) 3 The Buddha's Dhamma 61(28) The Dhamma in its context: answers to brahminism 67(6) Buddhism as religious individualism 73(7) An ethic for the socially mobile 80(3) The Buddha on kings and politics 83(6) 4 The Sangha's discipline 89(30) General principles of the vinaya 90(2) Dating and development of the rules 92(3) The middle way between discomfort and indulgence 95(10) The disbarring offences and enforcement of chastity 105(1) Hierarchies of age and sex 106(1) The formal organization of the Sangha 107(4) Sect formation: Theravada defined 111(3) Maintaining conformity 114(1) Relations between ordained and laity 115(4) 5 The accommodation between Buddhism and society in ancient India 119(18) A Buddhist devotion 119(9) The Buddha as an object of faith and devotion 120(2) Pilgrimage 122(1) Relics 123(2) Mortuary rituals and 'transfer of merit' 125(3) B Secular power: Asoka 128(9) Asoka's inscriptions 129(3) Asoka in Buddhist tradition 132(3) The missions: interpreting the evidence 135(2) 6 The Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka 137(34) The Sinhalese Buddhist identity 138(1) Periodization of Sinhalese Buddhist history 139(1) Sources 140(1) Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism 141(1) Cosmology 142(1) A Buddhist society 143(2) Worship of Buddha images 145(1) Role of the village monk 146(2) The achievements of Mahinda's mission 148(2) Establishing Buddhism in a new country 150(1) The Sangha's duty to preserve the scriptures 151(2) The use of Pali: Buddhaghosa 153(2) Translation and popularization 155(1) Village dweller and forest dweller 156(1) The structure of the Sangha in Ceylon 157(1) Formal state control of the Sangha 158(2) Sangha and state in Anuradhapura 160(1) The Sangha as landlords 161(5) Decline... .165 ...and revival 166(2) The character of Sinhalese Buddhist religiosity 168(3) 7 Protestant Buddhism 171(25) The disestablishment of the Sangha 173(2) The British missions 175(4) Early Buddhist reactions 179(3) The rise of the Buddhist laity 182(1) The impact of the Theosophists 183(3) Anagarika Dharmapala 186(3) Lay religious activism 189(3) Other characteristics of Protestant Buddhism 192(2) Limited scope of Protestant Buddhism 194(2) 8 Current trends, new problems 196(15) Religious pluralism 196(1) The new ethos 197(1) Unintended consequences of lay religious activism 198(1) Recent economic and social developments 199(2) The cultural effect of the war 201(2) Hinduizing trends 203(1) The decline of rationality 204(1) The crisis of authority 205(1) Altered states of consciousness 205(1) Using Buddhism for this world 206(1) Developments in the Sangha 207(2) The challenge 209(2) Works cited 211(6) Abbreviations and primary sources 217(2) References 219(8) Index 227