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"Contrary to existing historiography of early medieval religions, which
often deals Vajrayana Buddhism as a declining and degenerated religion
confined to monastic complex only, the book argues that Vajrayana Buddhism
was an instrumental and social religion. Working on social iconography, the
author on social iconography, epigraphic and textual sources to show that
Buddhism made vertical and horizontal expansion in Orissa in early medieval
period. As a social, instrumental religion, it innovated numerous deities,
introduced new rituals for laities, wrote litanies in praises of Buddhist
gods and goddesses and imbued deities with instrumental functions. But
these changes occurred within the evolving normative tradition of Buddhism
itself. These changes in Buddhism occurred at a time when brahmanical
religions were expanding in Orissa.
The book makes copious documentation of religious sites from archaeological
and epigraphic sources to argue that poly-religiosity defines the religious
landscape of early medieval Orissa, and then, it goes on to explain the
relations between brahmanical religions and Buddhism. In the process, it
analyses the support base of Buddhism, nature of monastic complex and
various makers of support base. The book also explores the continued Indian
connection in Southeast Asian Buddhism after 7th century AD."
[from Blurb]
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgement
List of Photographs
List of Tables and Maps
Abbreviations
1. Introduction
1.1 Context of the present study
1.2 Fundamental Questions
1.3 Vajrayana as Degenerate and Declining Buddhism?
1.4 Vajrayana Buddhism as a social Religion
1.5 Religious dynamics
1.6 Support base of Buddhism
1.7 Objectives of the study
1.8 About sources
1.9 About Periodisation
2. Vajrayana As a Social Religion
2.1 Medieval Religions in Early Medieval Historiography
2.2 Degenerate and Imitative Hypothesis : Some Reflections
2.3 Practical Buddhism
2.4 Early Development and Ritual practices
2.5 Cetiyas, Pilgrimage and Community identity:
2.6 Mahayana Development-Bodhisattvas, Devotion and Transference
of merits
2.7 Vajrayana as a Social Religion
2.8 Vajrayana Buddhism : Basic tenets
2.9 Philosophical Continuity
2.10 Tantric Practice
2.11 Vajrayana Deities
2.12 Motivational Basis - Vajrayana as an Instrumental Religion
2.13 Priesthood and Rituals
2.14 Vajrayana as Religion of Magical Protection
2.15 The Three Yanas : A Total System
3. Religious Landscape of Orissa - From 5th to 12th centuries AD with
reference to Buddhism
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Rationale of Documentation
3.3 Religious Landscape between 5th-7th centuries AD
3.4 7th-9th centuries AD
3.5 9th-12th centuries AD
4. Religious Equations between Buddhism and Brahmanical Religions in `Early
Medieval Orissa'
4.1 Contours of religious Developments
4.2 Issues in Studying Religious Dynamics
4.3 Eclecticism/Syncretism/or Competition
4.4 Routinisation in Vajrayana Buddhism
4.5 Religious Equation : Study of Iconography
4.6 Rituals - the Other Arena of Religious Contestation
4.7 Contestation within Brahmanical religion
4.8 Appropriation and Accommodation of Buddhism in Brahmanical Religions
4.9 Emergence of the Jagannatha Cult and its Implication
4.10 Decline - Possible Causes
5. Support System
5.1 Patronage in Early Medieval historiography
5.2 Recent Studies and Some Issues
5.3 Buddhism and its Support base in Orissa
5.4 Communities, Distribution in the Epigraphic evidence and
Support Groups
5.5 Votive Stupas, Other Archaeological Artefacts and Support Base
5.6 Reference to various settlements in the epigraphic records of
Orissa (7th to 12th centuries AD)
6. Buddhism Across Bay of Bengal and Maritime network - 7th-12th century AD
6.1 Situating seafaring in our Period
6.2 Emergence of Islam and Sri Lanka as Cultural Inspiration
for Southeast Asian
6.3 Sri Lanka as a Source of Theravada Buddhism
6.4 Buddhism in Southeast Asia after 7th century AD Continued
Indian Connection
6.5 Juxtaposition of port and Buddhist sites in Southeast Asia
(7th-12th century AD)
6.6 Role of Kalinga
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
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