Description
Book SynopsisAn Archaeological History of Indian Buddhism is a comprehensive survey of Indian Buddhism from its origins in the 6th century BCE, through its ascendance in the 1st millennium CE, and its eventual decline in mainland South Asia by the mid-2nd millennium CE. Weaving together studies of archaeological remains, architecture, iconography, inscriptions, and Buddhist historical sources, this book uncovers the quotidian concerns and practices of Buddhist monks and nuns (the sangha), and their lay adherents--concerns and practices often obscured in studies of Buddhism premised largely, if not exclusively, on Buddhist texts. At the heart of Indian Buddhism lies a persistent social contradiction between the desire for individual asceticism versus the need to maintain a coherent community of Buddhists. Before the early 1st millennium CE, the sangha relied heavily on the patronage of kings, guilds, and ordinary Buddhists to support themselves. During this period, the sangha emphasized the communal
Trade Reviewprovide[s] a fascinating complement to prior understandings of the development, ascendance, and eventual decline of this major world religion in India. Lars Fogelin's clear and informative book will appeal to scholars and enthusiasts alike, and it is a prime exemplar for archaeological studies of long-term religious change. * Current World Archaeology *
this book provides a useful overview of the development of Indian Buddhism from an archaeological perspective * Robin Coningham, Antiquity *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; Chapter 1 - Introduction ; Chapter 2 - The Material of Religion ; Chapter 3 - From the Buddha to Ashoka: c. 600 - 200 BCE ; Chapter 4 - The Sangha and the Laity: c. 200 BCE - 200 CE ; Chapter 5 - The Beginnings of Mahayana Buddhism, Buddha Images, and Monastic Isolation: c. 100 - 600 CE ; Chapter 6 - Lay Buddhism and Religious Syncretism in the First Millennium CE ; Chapter 7 - The Consolidation and Collapse of Monastic Buddhism: c. 600 - 1400 CE ; Conclusion ; Bibliography
