RT Article
T1 The Protective Buddha: On the Cosmological Logic of Paritta
JF Numen
VO 66
IS 2/3
SP 207
OP 242
A1 Shulman, Evyatar 1973-
LA English
PB Brill
YR 2019
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1681988291
AB Paritta — ritual chanting — is a central institution in Theravāda Buddhism, with deep roots in all historical forms of Buddhism in Asia. Nevertheless, no study provides a convincing framework for how the protective potency of the Buddha and his words is understood. Earlier strands of scholarship highlighted the psychological aspects of ritual chanting that were thought to have a positive effect on participants. Later scholars emphasized the role of paritta in the training of monks. These studies do not explain "how paritta works," that is, for example, why, according to the views encapsulated in the texts themselves, bringing the Buddha to mind can act against demons or change reality. This article offers a close reading of the central texts of the genre in order to conceptualize the metaphysical understanding they employ. It thus provides insights regarding the unique ontological position and cosmological function of the Buddha according to the texts.
K1 Buddha-vacana
K1 Buddhist magic
K1 Buddhist texts
K1 Paritta
K1 Theravāda
K1 ritual chanting
DO 10.1163/15685276-12341533