Lives Lived, Lives Imagined

Lives Lived, Lives Imagined
Author :
Publisher :
Total Pages : 354
Release :
ISBN-10 : STANFORD:36105216994397
ISBN-13 :
Rating : 4/5 ( Downloads)

Book Synopsis Lives Lived, Lives Imagined by : Linda Covill

Download or read book Lives Lived, Lives Imagined written by Linda Covill and published by . This book was released on 2010-08-10 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buddhist biographies have different kinds of textual history and are conveyed through various media. They are composed by named poets or written down by anonymous redactors and compilers; they are told by bards and even enacted by performers. They are also written by historical persons as autobiographies, both "public" and "secret." They are addressed to different kinds of readerships and have diverse purposes, including forming a model for emulation, an explanation of the foundation of a particular community, or a narrative explication of doctrine. This book presents a multifaceted, multitradition portrait of Buddhist biographies. Part one deals with biographies of the Buddha, investigating Chinese sources and featuring poetic versions by Ashvaghosha. Part two contains modern Buddhist life stories, including a rare autobiography from Burma. Part three explores the Tibetan tradition. Together, these biographies give students and seekers a thoughtful overview of how diverse Buddhist teachers understand and explain the highest purpose of life.


Lives Lived, Lives Imagined Related Books