Visions of the Buddha: Creative Dimensions of Early Buddhist Scripture

Shulman, Eviatar (著)

著者

Shulman, Eviatar (著)

出版年月日

2021

ページ

255

出版者

Oxford University Press

出版サイト

https://corp.oup.com/

出版地

New York, US [紐約州, 美國]

資料の種類

書籍=Book

言語

英文=English

ノート

Author Affiliation: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.

抄録

Visions of the Buddha offers a ground-breaking approach to the nature of the early discourses of the Buddha, the most foundational scriptures of Buddhist religion. Although the early discourses are commonly considered to be attempts to preserve the Buddha's teachings, Shulman demonstrates that these texts are full of creativity, and that their main aim is to beautify the image of the wonderous Buddha. While the texts surely care for the early teachings and for the Buddha's philosophy or his guidelines for meditation, and while at times they may relate real historical events, they are no less interested in telling good stories, in re-working folkloric materials, and in the visionary contemplation of the Buddha in order to sense his unique presence. The texts can thus be, at times, a type of meditation. -- Eviatar Shulman frames the early discourses as literary masterpieces that helped Buddhism achieve the wonderful success it has obtained. Much of the discourses' masterful storytelling was achieved through a technique of composition defined here as the play of formulas. In the oral literature of early Buddhism, texts were composed of formulas, which are repeated within and between texts. Shulman argues that the formulas are the real texts of Buddhism, and are primary to full discourses. Shaping texts through the play of formulas balances conservative and innovative tendencies within the tradition, making room for creativity within accepted forms and patterns. The texts we find today are thus versions--remnants--chosen by history of a much more vibrant and dynamic creative process.

Preface ix
I. THE LITERARY APPROACH TO THE EARLY DISCOURSES
1. Introduction: Rereading the Udumbarika-sutta 3
A First Textual Analysis: Why the Udumbarika-sutta? 10
The Formulaic Opening of the Mahasakuludayi-sutta as a Literary Preamble to the Udumbarika 14
The Opening of the Pali Udumbarika-sutta 19
The Philosophy of the Udumbarika 25
Versions of the Udumbarika-sutta 28
Conclusion 37
2. Literary Design in the Early Discourses 41
Multivalence in the Majjhima Nikaya: A Reading of the Culatanhasankhaya-sutta 48
The Art of Narrative in the Sila-kkhandha-vagga I: The Brahmajala 54
The Art of Narrative in the Sila-kkhandha-vagga II: The Samaññaphala 60
Applying and Reapplying the SKV Formula 65
What is Editing? 73
Conclusion: The Art of Interpretation in the Nikayas 79
II. INNER AND OUTER WORLDS OF LITERARY EXPRESSION
3. Mindfulness of the Buddha in the Mahaparinibbana-sutta 83
Reading and Listening to the Mahaparinibbana-sutta (MPS) 93
The Climax: The Buddha Relinquishes His Life 99
Nearing the Buddha's Death 107
Death and its Aftermath 111
Epilogue: Ananda's Vision of the Buddha Before His Enlightenment 113
4. The Folklore of Sutta: Performance in the Early Discourses and Texts as Versions 119
Buddhist Fun in the Patika-sutta 125
The Patika as a Version 132
A Doctrinal Version 135
The Buddha's Perplexing Austerities in the Mahasihanada 139
Bring in the Jatakas 141
The Closing Section of the Patika 144
Conclusion 145
III. COMPOSING BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE THROUGH THE PLAY OF FORMULAS
5. The Play of Formulas: Toward a Theory of Composition for the Early Discourses 149
The Perils of Historicism in Buddhist Studies 150
Literary Solutions to Historicist Fallacies 156
The Primacy of the Formula 165
An Alternative Approach 171
The Play of Formulas and the Unanswered Questions 174
Playing with Formulas on Brahmin-Householders 180
Conclusion: Buddhist Orality Revisited 191
6. Re-telling the Buddha's Enlightenment in the Majjhima Nikaya 200
Awakening in the Bhayabherava-Sutta ("The Discourse on Fear and Dread," MN 4) 201
The Dvedhavitakka-Sutta ("The Discourse on Two Types of Thoughts," MN 19) 204
The Ariyapariyesana-Sutta ("The Discourse on the Noble Search," MN 26) 207
The Mahasaccaka-Sutta ("The Greater Discourse with Saccaka," MN 36) 215
The Bodhirajakumara-Sutta ("The Discourse to Prince Bodhi," MN 85) 218
The Sangarava-Sutta ("The Discourse to Sangarava," MN 100) 222
The Art of Narrative in the Sila-kkhandha-vagga I: The Brahmajala
Conclusion 223
7. Conclusion: The Play of Formulas and Meditative Practice 225
Bibliography 235

ISBN

9780197587867; 0197587860

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