Routledge handbook of Theravada Buddhism / edited by Stephen C. Berkwitz and Ashley Thompson.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

INTRODUCTION / Stephen C. Berkwitz & Ashley Thompson -- PART I: Ideas/Ideals 1. "THERAVADA": Sectarianism and Diversity in Mahavihara Historiography / Sven Bretfeld -- 2. PALI: Its Place in the Theravada Buddhist Tradition / Alastair Gornall -- 3. CIRCULATIONS: Linked Spaces and Divergent Temporalities in the Pali World / Anne M. Blackburn -- 4. STATECRAFT: From Buddhist Kingship to Modern States / Patrice Ladwig -- 5. REFORM: Ideas and Events in Modern Theravada Reformism / Anne Hansen & Anthony Lovenheim Irwin -- 6. TRADITION: Nuns and "Theravada" in Sri Lanka / Nirmala Salgado -- PART II. Practices/Persons: 7. MERIT: Ritual Giving and Its Cultural Meditations / Juliane Schober -- 8. MEDITATION: Techniques and Processes of Transformation / Pyi Phyo Kyaw & Kate Crosby -- 9. REPETITION: P�ali Iterations of Ritual Commitment, Commentarial Refrain, and Assiduous Practice / Christoph Emmrich -- 10. FILIAL PIETY: Shades of Difference across Therav�adin traditions / Gregory Kourilsky -- 11. LAITY: Status, Role and Practice in Therav�ada / Asanga Tilakaratne -- 12. DISCIPLINE: Beyond the Vinaya / Thomas Borchert -- 13. FUNERALS: Changing Funerary Practices / Katherine Bowie -- PART III. Texts/Teachings: 14. CANONS: Authoritative Texts of the Therava�msa / Peter Skilling -- 15. ABHIDHAMMA: Therav�ada Thought in Relation to Sarv�astiv�ada Thought / Rupert Gethin -- 16. VA�MSA: History and Lineage in the Therav�ada / Stephen C. Berkwitz -- 17. MERIT: Ten Ways of Making Merit in Therav�ada Exegetical Literature and Contemporary Sri Lanka / Rita Langer -- 18. BILINGUALISM: Therav�ada Bitexts across South and Southeast Asia / Trent Walker -- PART IV. Images/Imaginations: 19. VISUAL NARRATIVES: Buddha Life Stories in the 'Medieval Therav�ada' of Southeast Asia / Samerchai Poolsuwan -- 20. ICONS: Standing out from the Narrative in Therav�adin Art / Ashley Thompson -- 21. AFFECT: Notes from Contemporary Southeast Asian Visual Culture / Chairat Polmuk -- 22. DEITIES: Supernatural Forces in Therav�ada Buddhist Religious Cultures / John Holt -- 23. MONS: Creating a Narrative of the Origins of Therav�ada / Patrick McCormick.

"Among one of the older sub-fields in Buddhist Studies, the study of Therav�ada Buddhism is undergoing a revival by contemporary scholars who are revising long-held conventional views of the tradition while undertaking new approaches and engaging new subject matter. The term Therav�ada has been refined, and research has expanded beyond the analysis of canonical texts to examine contemporary cultural forms, social movements linked with meditation practices, material culture, and vernacular language texts. The Routledge Handbook of Therav�ada Buddhism illustrates the growth and new directions of scholarship in the study of Therav�ada Buddhism and is structured in four parts: Ideas/Ideals Practices/Persons Texts/Teachings Images/Imaginations Owing largely to the continued vitality of Therav�ada Buddhist communities in countries like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, as well as in diaspora communities across the globe, traditions associated with what is commonly (and fairly recently) called Therav�ada attract considerable attention from scholars and practitioners around the world. An in-depth guide to the distinctive features of Therav�ada, the Handbook will be an invaluable resource to provide structure and guidance for scholars and students of Asian Religion, Buddhism and in particular Therav�ada Buddhism"-- Provided by publisher.