Journal of International Buddhist Studies

Marvel as Superhuman Power Performance (Iddhi-pāṭihāriya) in Dhammapada Scriptures

Sanu Mahatthanadull — 2024-06-07

This article aims to understand the power of miracles that appeared in Dhammapada scriptures from the Theravāda Buddhist perspective. Notwithstanding, the author does not attempt to criticize the accuracy or credibility of the stories recorded as evidence in the Buddhist scriptures. Marvel as superhuman power performance or iddhi-pāṭihāriya in Pali depicts supernatural phenomena or extraordinary things. It is the product of human mental training grounded on the belief that certain phenomena are beyond the laws of nature and science. They cannot be proven by any scientific instruments. In real life, human beings invented innovations to fulfill their needs, imagination and dreams. They are just physical miracles created under the fundamental laws of physics of space-time. In Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā, commentary to the Dhammapada, magical events appeared overwhelmingly throughout the books in which the author has selected just some of them to present and analyze in this paper. The Buddha himself, like all previous Buddhas, performs the twin miracle (yamakapāṭihāriya). Including his disciples who are qualified to perform miracles in different times and places. Moreover, non-Buddhist ascetics were also able to demonstrate these magics through the form of pseudo sciences (tiracchānavijjā). It is worth noting that the Buddha laid down the Discipline to not allow monks to perform any miracles. What was the true reason? It is a great challenge for Buddhists to find the answers.

Negotiating the Restoration of a Buddhist Temple in Loei Province: A Focus on Cultural Capital

Phonphat Permpitayangkura — 2024-07-26

Despite being a predominantly Buddhist country, Thailand faces an issue with abandoned temples, which have increasingly become a burden for the National Office of Buddhism to maintain. This situation also underscores the absence of monks in certain areas despite the need of local communities for their Buddhist ceremonies and merit-making. Previous attempts to address this problem have not been very successful, which highlighted the need for alternative solutions. This qualitative study investigates the successful implementation of a temple restoration project in Loei Province, which is an interesting case due to its strategic cultural adaptation in design and the fact that it was led by a group of monks without traditional sources of authority, such as monastic seniority or ecclesiastical titles. Despite lacking these traditional forms of authority, the monks were able to leverage their negotiation skills to secure community support and execute the project. Through non-participant observation and in-depth interviews with various stakeholders, including the team of four Buddhist monks leading the restoration project, monastic authorities, government representatives, community leaders, and lay participants in an ordination ceremony, the case was studied and analyzed using Michael Benoliel's framework of negotiation capitals, which provides a holistic approach to understanding efforts of negotiators. The findings revealed that the temple restoration project could be understood as a negotiation strategy, with the monks strategically utilizing their cultural capital to systematically design a project that resonated with the community and garnered widespread support.

Stories of Remarkable Empowering: Some Reflections on the Therīgāthā

Pragati Sahni — 2024-08-15

The role and place of women within the earliest form of Buddhism have been questioned and analyzed by scholars frequently. In this paper, this subject will be revisited in the light of the Therīgāthā (a part of the Pali Canon), a text attributed to women who had chosen the path of Buddhist renunciation. Women are mentioned occasionally in the Pali Canon in texts other than the Therīgāthā, but comprehending their exact status remains challenging. The Therīgāthā, with its 522 verses set within 73 poems, sets a different mood and opens new paths of understanding. This paper will attempt to comprehend the experiences of the women themselves based on their reflections and attitudes as personified within this text. It will particularly demonstrate that these women were self-empowered: they were aware of their circumstances and equipped to deal with the challenges that confronted them. The different ways through which the strength and confidence of the women in directing their lives and initiating change can be envisioned in the Therīgāthā will be exemplified through three key themes that are embodied in the poems. The paper will also compare and contrast briefly the idea of ‘power’ drawn from other texts of the Canon with similar ideas in the Therīgāthā. Finally, some challenges will be assessed and conclusions will be drawn on why the conjecture of ‘remarkable empowering’ may indeed be a truism.

The Transformation of the Manorah Story into Religious Performance: A Study of the Social and Spiritual Roles of the Manorah Master

Sudthaporn Ratanakul — 2024-09-23

This article presents research on the transformation of the Buddhist Manorah story into a work of Southern Thai dance theatre and explores its changing social and spiritual roles. The main objectives are to study the transformation of the Manorah story into religious performance, to study the Manorah master, to study modernity, causes, and changes. The research setting was in Nakorn Si Thammarat and Trang. The research studies the threats of modernity affecting Manorah masters and investigates how Manorah can survive in the modern world in conjunction with Buddhism through different case studies. This qualitative study mainly uses two research models: Descriptive and Explanatory research. The content analysis and data collection are from a review of Jataka’s story and the fieldwork. The findings are that Manorah’s beliefs and practices have been syncretized well with Buddhism. Also, Manorah in related literature, had distinctive characteristics and concrete values from legends. The roles of spirit medium and ritual practices from the Manorah master are at the gate of co-existence and hybridization. Manorah can survive in the modern world within the Buddhist community. The study concludes that traditional Manorah masters can coexist with modernity and maintain the Manorah ceremony in the community. The new generation of Manorah can also be community leaders by maintaining aspects of internal peace.

Taixu’s Concept of “Buddhist Minister” in Relation to the Formation and Profession of Buddhist Chaplaincy in the US

Guan Zhen — 2024-11-14

In the early 20th century, Master Taixu proposed the concept of “Buddhist Minister” to provide specific plans for reforming Buddhism in China—enhancing its social recognition and engagement. In his proposal, qualifications for becoming a Buddhist minister were in line with the “Three Stages of Formation,” “Four Levels of Learning,” and “Three Levels of Practicing.” The proposal includes a specific paradigm of “Neo-Buddhology,” that is, applied Buddhology in theory and practice. In the early 21st century, Professor Richard Osmer from Princeton Theological Seminary proposed the practical theological concepts of descriptive-empirical, interpretive, normative, and pragmatic paradigms in response to the extension of Christian church ministry into secular contexts. Under these four tasks of practical theological paradigm, the formation and profession of Buddhist chaplaincy in the US was developed. This article introduces Master Taixu’s concept of a Buddhist Minister. It analyzes the influence of Professor Osmer’s practical theological paradigm in the professional formation of Buddhist chaplaincy. Finally, this article discusses the potential enrichment and advancement of Buddhist chaplaincy in the US using Master Taixu’s applied Buddhological paradigm. Such changes may inspire Buddhist and Christian dialogues with regard to religious/spiritual social services in the US.

Dissent and Deviance in Buddhist Monastics: Non-Conformity in the Age of the Buddha

Anand Singh — 2024-11-17

Religious dissent and non-conformity are well embedded in the broader canvas of Indic religions. In a larger perspective, religious dissent was against certain established practices and beliefs of the religion. Deviances in religious practices broke the established procedures to benefit the self and others. Both had an emphatic impact in the social and spiritual domain as an influence and phenomenon. Buddhism has also faced dissent, deviance, and non-conformity since its origin. The incidents of Chabbaggiyā Bhikkhus, the Kosāmbī dispute, and the episode of Devadatta are some of the significant events that gave the nascent religion a shock but also the strength to plug the loopholes for the future. The majority of these deviances in the period of the Buddha were related to social and material milieus and resolved by the Saṅgha either accommodating the views of the doers or introducing prohibitionary rules by considering them as rule breakers. The non-conformity raised by Devadatta was termed as his ambition, and his demands are related to the functional aspects of the Saṅgha. However, the Buddha did not endorse his view; instead, he made it optional. The Buddha as a paramount authority was able to see dissents or deviance in a holistic perspective. The paper will examine the nature, procedure, and ramifications of dissents and deviances in the age of the Buddha.