BuddhaNet eBooks

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PDF documents on Buddhist History and Art

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(723 KB) Buddhism in Sri Lanka - A Short History — H.R. Perera.

This book deals with Buddhism in Sri Lanka from the time of its introduction in 250 B.C. in the reign of
King Devanampiya Tissa, up to Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the first half of the twentieth century, and the
Buddha Jayanti, that is when the 2500th Buddha Jayanti (anniversary) was celebrated and after.

(1,245 KB) Buddhist Ceremonies and Ritual of Sri Lanka — A.G.S. Kariyawasam.

The purpose of the present study is to highlight this often neglected face of popular Buddhism. Though
the study focuses on Buddhism as practiced in Sri Lanka, the same basic round of rituals and
ceremonies, with minor variations, can be found in the other countries following Theravada Buddhism,
such as Burma and Thailand. I also hope that this survey will demonstrate that the expression of Buddhist
piety in devotional forms is a necessity if Buddhism is to survive at the popular level as a vital and vibrant
force in the daily life of its adherents.

(650 KB) Buddhism in Myanmar - A Short History — Roger Bischoff.

This book traces the earliest contact with Buddhism in Mayanmar (Burma); the Mon and Pyu Kingdoms.
Theravada Buddhism comes to Pagan. Pagan: its flowering and decline. The Shan rule. The Mayanmar
build an Empire. The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries.

(431 KB) Buddhism in Thailand — Karuna Kusalasaya.

This is a history of Buddhism in Thailand - the Land of Yellow Robes. Its past and present. The Bhikkhu
Sangha or the Order of monks: the two Sects or Nikayas. Wats (Temples) and Monks. The Laity. Buddhist
organisations and the revival of Buddhism in Thailand.

(1,499 KB) Buddhism in Thailand — Published by The World Buddhist University.

This work presents facts and figures about the current condition of Buddhism in Thailand, historical
background sketches of the establishment and growth of the Buddhist community in Thailand and
information on Buddhist education in Thailand. (9-10 December, 2002)

(668 KB) The Edicts of King Asoka — English rendering by Ven. S. Dhammika.

This rendering of King Asoka’s Edicts is based heavily on Amulyachandra Sen’s English translation, which
includes the original Magadhi and a Sanskrit and English translation of the text. However, many parts of
the edicts are far from clear in meaning and the numerous translations of them differ widely. Therefore, I
have also consulted the translations of C. D. Sircar and D. R. Bhandarkar and in parts favored their
interpretations. Any credit this small book deserves is due entirely to the labors and learning of these
scholars. - S. Dhammika.
(1,581 KB) King Asoka and Buddhism — Anuradha Seneviratna.

King Asoka, the third monarch of the Mauryan dynasty in the third century B.C., was the first ruler of a
unified India and one of the greatest political figures of all time. After he embraced the teachings of the
Buddha, he transformed his polity from one of military conquest to one of Dharmavijaya — victory by
righteousness and truth. By providing royal patronage for the propagation of Buddhism both within and
beyond his empire, he helped promote the metamorphosis of Buddhism into a world religion that spread
peacefully across the face of Asia. This collection of essays by leading Indological scholars draws upon
both the inscriptions and the literary traditions to explore the relationship between King Asoka and the
religion he embraced. In highlighting the ways in which Asoka tapped the ethical and spiritual potentials of
rulership.

(2,671 KB) Biographies of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo & H.H. The 41st Sakya Trizin

This book on the biographies of the Great Sachen Kunga Nyingpo and the current lineage holder of the
Sakya sect in Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin, has been compiled by Ratna Vajra
Sakya, Dolma Lhama and Lama Jampa Losel. It includes photographic material of the His Holiness
Sakya Trizin.

(1,579 KB) Charisma in Buddhism — Ven. Piyasilo.

A sociological and doctrinal study of charisma, this book discusses three past Buddhist workers — Father
Sumangalo, Ananda Mangala Maha nayaka Thera, Dr. Wong Phui Weng — and a living master, the
charismatic Ajahn Yantra Amaro of Thailand. Among other topics discussed are: • Types of charisma •
Genius, leadership and charisma • The Buddha as a charismatic leader • The Sangha and the
routinization of charisma
• Exploiting charisma • The disadvantages of charisma • Buddhist Suttas relating to charisma [being a
preprint of Buddhism, Society and History: towards a postmodern perspective]

(1,843 KB) Honour Thy Fathers — Terry Shine.

This book is intended primarily as a tribute to the late Venerable Kapilavaddho Bhikkhu (William August
Purfurst, known later as Richard Randall) for whom the English Sangha Trust was formed. He stands out
as a man who started and developed the founding of the first English Theravada Sangha in the Western
world. For the sake of context it includes a very brief history of the development of Theravada Buddhism
in the UK. Only the major steps of this development have been recorded here, though many other groups
have contributed to the spreading of Buddhism in the UK.

(4,607 KB) Acariya Mun Bhuridatta - A Spiritual Biography — with Photographs.

A Spiritual Biography by Acariya Maha Boowa Nanasampanno. Translated from the Thai by Bhikkhu Dick
Sãlaratano. Ãcariya Mun Bhýridatta Thera was a vipassanã meditation master of the highest caliber of
this present age. He taught the profound nature of Dhamma with such authority and persuasion that he
left no doubts among his students about the exalted level of his spiritual attainment. His devoted followers
consist of numerous monks and laity from virtually every region of Thailand. His story is truly a
magnificent one throughout: from his early years in lay life through his long endeavor as a Buddhist monk
to the day he finally passed away.

(607 KB) Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms — Fa-Hien.

Fa-Hien was a Chinese monk of the Eastern dynasty (4th-5th Century). In 399 he left China for India,
finally arriving there after six years of hard travel. After studying Sanskrit and obtaining many Sanskrit
texts of the Tripitaka (Buddhist canon), he returned to China by sea in 414. This text is an Account by Fa-
Hien of his travels in India and Ceylon (A.D. 399-414) in Search of the Buddhist Books of Discipline.
Translated and annotated with a Corean recension of the Chinese text by James Legge.
(1,764 KB) The Iconography of Nepalese Buddhism — Min Bahadur Shakya. (Text only)

Nepal has a time-honoured tradition of art and culture embedded with Buddhism. In fact, the artistic
tradition of Nepalese people is instrumental in elevating the status of Nepal in the world. In the past
Nepalese artists produced many excellent images and were sent to Tibet, China, Japan and Mongolia.
The purpose of this monograph is to provide some facts, materials and information on Buddhist
Iconography gathered through extensive study of canonical texts relating to Vajrayana Buddhism
prevailing in Nepal and some from Tibet albeit in a humble way. The readers are specifically sculptors,
artists, painters and students of Buddhism interested in Buddhist Iconography and the general public.
This monograph describes important deities and images especially relevant in Nepalese context along
with their functions, utility, virtues and wisdom in the path to enlightenment.

(5,520 KB) The Iconography of Nepalese Buddhism — Min Bahadur Shakya.

The illustrated version of "The Iconography of Nepalese Buddhism".

(3,584 KB) Buddhist Arts in Thailand — Ms Charuwan Chareonla.

This is a study of the development of Art and Architecture in Thailand with Buddhism. The Culture of
Thailand has two important sources of origin — indigenous and foreign. The indigenous source comes
directly from the ideas and inspiration of the people while the foreign sources came through its cultural
contact with other great civilized nations such as India and China. In the field of art, it mainly deals with
religions such as Buddhism and the cultural and artistic relationship with India, and other countries. Thai
art served religion, which formed the national ideal and conception of life.

(9,976 KB) Thai-Cambodian Culture - Relationship through Arts — Ms Charuwan Chareonla.

Thailand and Cambodia are very close neighbours with common borders and cultural relations. The Thai
people received and adopted some arts and culture from ancient Cambodia. The pre-Thai scripts and
spoken words were adopted from Khmer native language. The development of Cambodian arts can be
seen in the Thai art of the Lopburi period (11th to 15th century A.D.) It was occupied by the Khmers and
as such the art of this period is known locally as Khmer art which deals with Mahayana elements, as in
the Sri-Vijaya school of art. This school of Buddhist art marks the last stage of the growth of Buddhist art
in Thailand before the rise of the Thai people to power in the land which is now called Thailand.

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