Beyond Enlightenment
Buddhism, Religion, Modernity
Published on 21. August 2006
256 pages
978-1-134-19204-5 (ISBN)
Description
The vast majority of books on Buddhism describe the Buddha using the word enlightened, rather than awakened. This bias has resulted in Buddhism becoming generally perceived as the eponymous religion of enlightenment.
Beyond Enlightenment is a sophisticated study of some of the underlying assumptions involved in the study of Buddhism (especially, but not exclusively, in the West). It investigates the tendency of most scholars to ground their study of Buddhism in these particular assumptions about the Buddha's enlightenment and a particular understanding of religion, which is traced back through Western orientalists to the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation.
Placing a distinct emphasis on Indian Buddhism, Richard Cohen adeptly creates a work that will appeal to those with an interest in Buddhism and India and also scholars of religion and history.
Beyond Enlightenment is a sophisticated study of some of the underlying assumptions involved in the study of Buddhism (especially, but not exclusively, in the West). It investigates the tendency of most scholars to ground their study of Buddhism in these particular assumptions about the Buddha's enlightenment and a particular understanding of religion, which is traced back through Western orientalists to the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation.
Placing a distinct emphasis on Indian Buddhism, Richard Cohen adeptly creates a work that will appeal to those with an interest in Buddhism and India and also scholars of religion and history.
Reviews / Votes
'This book has ambitious scope, it explores and critiques Western notions of enlightenment that have structured the study of Buddhism.'- Nayanjot Lahiri, Professor of History, Delhi University, India
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
16 s/w Abbildungen, 2 s/w Tabellen, 12 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder, 4 s/w Zeichnungen
2 Tables, black and white; 4 Line drawings, black and white; 12 Halftones, black and white; 16 Illustrations, black and white
File size
2,79 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-134-19204-5 (9781134192045)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
04/2009
1st Edition
Routledge
€71.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Book
05/2006
1st Edition
Routledge
€252.00
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Richard S. Cohen is Associate Professor of South Asian Religious Literatures at the University of California, San Diego. This is his first book, though he has published numerous articles in such venues as the Journal of the American Academy of Religion and History of Religions. He is now working on a study of Buddhism and counterculture.
Content
Preface 1. A Benign Introduction 2. A Place of Exceptional Universal Value 3. A Tale of Two Histories 4. The Anthropology of Enlightenment 5. What Do Gods Have to Do With Enlightenment? 6. A Baroque. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index
