Buddhist Scriptures as Literature: Sacred Rhetoric and the Uses of TheoryBuddhist Scriptures as Literature explores the drama, lyricism, and compelling storylines in Buddhist sacred writings, while illustrating how rhetoric and ideology are at work in shaping readers’ reactions. Ralph Flores argues that the Buddha’s life story itself follows an archetypal quest-romance pattern: regal surroundings are abandoned and the ensuing feats are heroic. The story can be read as an epic, but it also has a comic plot: confusions and trials until the Prince becomes utterly selfless, having found his true element—nirvana. Making use of contemporary literary theory, Flores offers new readings of texts such as the Nikaμyas, the Dhammapada, the Heart Sutra, Zen koans, Shantideva’s Way of the Bodhisattva, and the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Understanding these works as literature deepens our sense of the unfolding of their teachings, of their exuberant histories, and of their relevance for contemporary life. |
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Contents
Fictions of Reading Westerners and Buddhist Texts | 1 |
A Prince Transformed The Nikayas the Nidanakatha Asvaghosas Acts of the Buddha | 17 |
The Buddha Awakening The Nikayas | 35 |
Winning Conversions The Nikayas | 51 |
Passing On The Nikayas | 67 |
Right Figures of Speech The Dhammapada | 87 |
Joyous Negations The Heart Sutra | 103 |
Masters of Emptiness The Gateless Barrier and Zen Folktales | 119 |
Extreme Giving The Vessantara Jataka and Shantidevas A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life | 141 |
Final Emergency Reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead | 163 |
Images in the Reader | 183 |
Notes | 187 |
207 | |
219 | |
Other editions - View all
Buddhist Scriptures as Literature: Sacred Rhetoric and the Uses of Theory Ralph Flores Limited preview - 2009 |
Buddhist Scriptures as Literature: Sacred Rhetoric and the Uses of Theory Ralph Flores No preview available - 2008 |
Buddhist Scriptures as Literature: Sacred Rhetoric and the Uses of Theory Ralph Flores No preview available - 2008 |
Common terms and phrases
Ananda Anatomy of Criticism archetypal asks awakening bardo person Bardo Thodol become Bhikkhu Bhikkhu Bodhi birth Bodhicaryavatara bodhicitta bodhisattva body brahmin Buddha Buddhist Publication Society Buddhist texts called Chan cited compassion corpse dead death Dehli deities Derrida Dhammapada dharma dhist dialogues disciples discourse divine doctrine dukkha earlier emptiness enlightenment epic example figure flower followers Frye Gateless Barrier Gautama giving guru reader Heart Sutra hero human hyperbolic ideology ignorance images imagine Jataka karma karmic koans liberation literary literature lives magical mantra Mara master meditation metaphor mimetic mind monks negations Nikaya nirvana Noble Truths Pali parable path perhaps phrase poet poetry prajnaparamita Prince question rebirth rhetorical ritual samsaric Samyutta Nikaya Sariputra seems sense Shantideva Shantideva's skillful story suffering sutta teacher teachings text's Tibetan Book tion traditional trans translation trope University Press verses Vessantara violence wisdom womb words York