Buddhist Monastic Life According to the Texts of the Theravada Tradition [Hardcover]

This 1991 book describes the ideal way of life prescribed for Buddhist monks and nuns in the Pali texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism.A detailed description of the life and practices of Buddhist monks and nuns during the classic period of Theravada Buddhism evokes a religious ideal followed in India and South Asia for more than two thousand years.A detailed description of the life and practices of Buddhist monks and nuns during the classic period of Theravada Buddhism evokes a religious ideal followed in India and South Asia for more than two thousand years.This book provides a vivid and detailed picture of the daily life and religious practices of Buddhist monks and nuns in the classic period of Theravada Buddhism. The author describes the way in which the Buddha's disciples institutionalized and ritualized his teachings about food, dress, money, chastity, solitude, and discipleship. This tradition represents an ideal of religious life that has been followed in India and South Asia for more than two thousand years. The introduction by Steven Collins describes Theravada Buddhist literature, discusses the issue of the historical reliability of the texts, and offers extensive suggestions for further reading. The book will be of interest to scholars and students in Asian studies, religious studies, anthropology, and history.Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. The origin of the community; 2. Dwelling places; 3. Clothing; 4. Food; 5. Money; 6. Chastity; 7. Solitude; 8. The rules of the community; Conclusion; Appendices; Glossary; Index. For anybody who is interested in the process of codification of monastic rules in the Theravada tradition, Wijayaratna's book offers extensive scriptural information... Cistercian Studies Quarterly I am delighted to see this translation in print. The French version has been revised and admirably translated. For an understanding of the founding and early form of the Buddhist monastic order most people still rely on Dult's pioneelS'