Description
Book SynopsisBringing together leading authorities in the fields of Chinese and Tibetan Studies alike, Chinese and Tibetan Esoteric Buddhism engages cutting-edge research on the fertile tradition of Esoteric Buddhism (also known as Tantric Buddhism). This state of the art volume unfolds the sweeping impact of esoteric Buddhism on Tibetan and Chinese cultures, and the movement's role in forging distinct political, ethnical, and religious identities across Asia at large. Deciphering the oftentimes bewildering richness of esoteric Buddhism, this broadly conceived work exposes the common ground it shares with other Buddhist schools, as well as its intersection with non-Buddhist faiths. As such, the book is a major contribution to the study of Asian religions and cultures. Contributors are: Yael Bentor, Ester Bianchi, Megan Bryson, Jacob P. Dalton, Hou Chong, Hou Haoran, Eran Laish, Li Ling, Lin Pei-ying, Lü Jianfu, Ma De, Dan Martin, Charles D. Orzech, Meir Shahar, Robert H. Sharf, Shen Weirong, Henrik H. Sørensen, and Yang Fuxue and Zhang Haijuan.
Trade Review"These essays provide a rich resource of new information and new analyses that will continue to contribute to future research for years to come." - Richard K. Payne, Institute of Buddhist Studies at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, in: Reading Religion
Table of ContentsList of Figures Introduction Part I: Chinese Perspectives on the Origins of Esoteric Buddhism Chapter 1: Charles D. Orzech - Tantric Subjects: Liturgy and Vision in Chinese Esoteric Ritual Manuals Chapter 2: Henrik H. Sørensen - Spells and Magical Practices as Reflected in the Early Chinese Buddhist Sources (c. 300–600 CE) and their Implications for the Rise and Development of Esoteric Buddhism Chapter 3: Lü Jianfu - The Terms “Esoteric Teaching” (“Esoteric Buddhism”) and “Tantra” in Chinese Buddhist Sources Part II: Chan, Chinese Religion, and Esoteric Buddhism Chapter 4: Robert Sharf - Buddhist Veda and the Rise of Chan Chapter 5: Lin Pei-ying - A Comparative Approach to Śubhakarasiṃha’s (637–735) “Essentials of Meditation”: Meditation and Precepts in Eighth Century China Chapter 6: Meir Shahar - The Tantric Origins of the Horse King: Hayagrīva and the Chinese Horse Cult Part III: Scriptures and Practices in the Their Tibetan Context Chapter 7: Dan Martin - Crazy Wisdom in Moderation: Padampa Sangyé's Use of Counterintuitive Methods in Dealing with Negative Mental States Chapter 8: Eran Laish - Perception, Body and Selfhood: The Transformation of Embodiment in the Thod rgal Practice of the “Heart Essence” Tradition Chapter 9: Yael Bentor - Tibetan Interpretations of the Opening Verses of Vajraghaṇṭa on the Body Maṇḍala Part IV: Tibetan Buddhism in China Chapter 10: Shen Weirong - Ming Chinese Translations of Tibetan Tantric Buddhist Texts and the Buddhist Saṃgha of the Western Regions in Beijing Chapter 11: Ester Bianchi - Continuities and Discontinuities in Sino-Tibetan Buddhism: The Case of Nenghai’s Legacy in the Contemporary Era Part V: Esoteric Buddhism in Dunhuang Chapter 12: Jacob Dalton - On the Significance of the Ārya-tattvasaṃgraha-sādhanopāyikā and Its Commentary Chapter 13: Li Ling and Ma De - Avalokiteśvara and the Dunhuang Dhāraṇī Spells of Salvation in Childbirth Part VI: Esoteric Buddhism in the Tangut Xixia and Yugur Spheres Chapter 14: Hou Haoran - Notes on the Translation and Transmission of the Saṃpuṭa and Cakrasaṃvara Tantras in the Xixia Period (1038–1227) Chapter 15: Yang Fuxue - Mongol Rulers, Yugur Subjects, and Tibetan Buddhism Part VII: Esoteric Buddhism in the Dali Kingdom (Yunnan) Chapter 16: Hou Chong - The Chinese Origins of Dali Esoteric Buddhism Chapter 17: Megan Bryson - Between China and Tibet: Mahākāla Worship and Esoteric Buddhism in the Dali Kingdom Index
