Through ethnographic and comparative inquiry, nine anthropologists and one historian examine ideological and social diminsions of merit and blessing in mainland Southeast Asia. Merit is central to Buddhism of the lowland peoples and to the feasts of merit of some upland tribal groups. Blessing also features in both lowland and upland contexts. This volume explores similarities and differences in Buddhist merit and merit of feasts of merit, as well as in blessing of lowland and upland religions.
目次
Can god be coerced? Structural correlates of merit and blessing in some southeast Asian religions / F.K. Lehman Cosmic and social exchanges: blessing among the Lahu of southwest China and the feast of merit complex in highland southeast Asia / Shanshan Du Begging for blessing among Akha highlanders of northern Thailand / Cornelia Ann Kammerer Blessing among the white Hmong of northern Thailand / Patricia V. Symonds Blessing in Lisu culture and practice / E. Paul Durrenberger Ritual as cosmogony: village-founding rites of Lhota Naga / Mark R. Woodward Blessing and northern Thai historiography / Ronald D. Renard Blessing and merit transfer among lowland Shan of northwestern Thailand / Nicola Tannenbaum Religious merit and social status among Burmese Buddhist lay associations / Juliane Schober Blessings and merit: elementary forms and religious complexes in comparative and historical perspective / Richard O'Connor
