Description
Book SynopsisIn considering medieval illustrated Buddhist manuscripts as sacred objects of cultic innovation, this book explores how and why South Asian Buddhist book-cult has survived for almost two millennia to present. It also shows how human agency was critical in perpetuating and intensifying the potency of a manuscript as a sacred object throughout time.
Trade Review"This book is of great value for graduate courses on Buddhist material culture, art historical methodology, or esoteric Buddhism." -- Purvi Parikh Religious Studies Review
Table of ContentsAcknowledgement List of Figures List of Diagrams Introduction. Text, Image and the book Chapter 1. Buddhist books and their cultic use Chapter 2. Innovations of the Medieval Buddhist Book-cult Chapter 3. Representing the Perfect Wisdom, Embodying the Holy Sties Chapter 4. The Visual World of Buddhist Book Illustrations Chapter 5. Esoteric Buddhism and the Illustrated Manuscripts Chapter 6. Social History of the Buddhist book-cult Chapter 7. Epilogue: Invoking a goddess in a book Bibliography Index
