The Buddha: A Storied Life

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Vanessa R. Sasson (Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College and Research Fellow, University of the Free State) Kristin Scheible (Professor of Religion and Humanities, Professor of Religion and Humanities, Reed College)

The Buddha

A Storied Life

Vanessa R. Sasson (Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College and Research Fellow, University of the Free State), Kristin Scheible (Professor of Religion and Humanities, Professor of Religion and Humanities, Reed College)

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English

Oxford University Press Inc
03 March 2024

Asian history; History of religion; Buddhism

Retellings of the Buddha's life story have animated and sustained Buddhist thought and practice through some 2,500 years of history. To this day, Buddhist holidays and rituals are pinned to the arc of his biography, celebrating his birth, awakening, teaching, and final nirvana. His story is the model that exemplary Buddhists follow. Often, there is a moment of insight akin to the Buddha's experience with the Four Sights, followed by a great departure from home, and a period of searching that it is hoped will lead to final awakening. The Buddha's story is not just the Buddha's story; it is the story of Buddhism.

In this book, twelve leading scholars of South Asian texts and traditions articulate the Buddha-life blueprint—the underlying and foundational pattern that holds the life story of a buddha together. They retell the episodes of Buddha Gautama's extended life story, while keeping in mind the cosmic, paradigmatic arc of his narrative. The contributors have dedicated their careers to exploring hagiographical materials, each applying their own methodological and theoretical interests to shed new light on the enduring story of Buddhism. Using multiple perspectives, voices, and sources, this volume underscores the multivalent centrality of this story. The book will be an invaluable resource to practicing Buddhists and students of Buddhist Studies to help them engage in the most foundational story of the tradition.

Edited by: Vanessa R. Sasson (Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College and Research Fellow University of the Free State), Kristin Scheible (Professor of Religion and Humanities, Professor of Religion and Humanities, Reed College)
Imprint: Oxford University Press Inc
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9780197649473
ISBN 10: 0197649475
Pages: 264
Publication Date: 03 March 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Vanessa R. Sasson is Professor of Religious Studies at Marianopolis College, Research Fellow at the University of the Free State, and Research Member of Centre d'études et de recherches sur l'Inde, l'Asie du Sud et sa diaspora at Université du Québec à Montreal. She is the author or editor of numerous books, including Yasodhara and the Buddha (2021) and The Gathering: A Story of the First Buddhist Nuns (2023). Kristin Scheible is Professor of Religion and Humanities at Reed College. She is the author of Reading the Mahavamsa: The Literary Aims of a Theravada Buddhist History (2016).