Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo

by Richard F. Gombrich

Written by the leading authority on Theravada Buddhism, this up-dated edition takes into account recent research to include the controversies over the date of the Buddha and current social and political developments in Sri Lanka. Gombrich explores the legacy of the Buddha's predecessors and the social and religious contexts against which Buddhism has developed and changed throughout history, demonstrating above all, how it has always influenced and been influenced by its social surroundings in a way which continues to this day.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion, History, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Spirituality

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

Reviews

[Frank Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great, easily readable book about a topic that could have been tediously dry. I recommend it to all contemporary practitioners of Buddhism. It's first five chapters alone are worth the price of the book as Gombrich details the social climate that went into conditioning the Buddha's path and teachings.

This book will also disabuse those western practitioners overly idealistic about "Buddhism" and perhaps lead to a more level-headed and nuanced understanding of this rich, complex and ever evolving tradition.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readable, thoughtful histories of Buddhism are difficult to come by. Most of the material that exists follows the more populist Mahayana branch or the Tibetan version, which has the advantage of a tragic recent past and a dynamic leader. Gombrich is an expert on Theraveda (dismissively referred to as Hinayana, or the Lesser Vehicle by the Mahayanas), particularly is it is practiced in Sri Lanka, where a number of important shrines are located. Gombrich follows the vicissitudes of Sri Lankan Buddhism, but what emerges is one of those interesting voyages that religions take from inspiration to institutionalization. Buddhism, the way (one hesitates to call the original vision, a path to freedom from reincarnation, a religious idea in the classic sense) of the Buddha, emphasizes non-attachment. Yet what one sees in Sri Lanka is a waxing and waning that is dependent on a relationship with the royal family. Some are devout (again, a troubling term for a vision that is so focussed on non-attachment, but relics and idols abound), following Asoka the great Indian Buddhist King with his rest houses on the roads, or decreeing that the king must be a Buddha. Others persecuted it or confiscated lands; at one point, the community had decayed to such a degree that Burmese Buddhists (another Theraveda community) had to be imported to share ordination rituals. Gombrich points out the cognitive dissonance: "When monks are landlords, it is not surprising that they should drift into the same caste as other landlords." But, although Gombrich does not phrase it in these terms, the same modernizing trends that ended the monarchy has once more placed Sri Lankan Buddhism in peril, subjected it to Hinduizing and secularizing trends.

[Jakub]

I am no too thrilled with this book. Although there is some good information every couple pages, it is generally boring read with way too many specifics that do not matter. I catch myself reading an not even paying attention after a while so I have to break up my reading sessions. In addition the author writes in a very bias way, often stating his opinion as if it were fact. My professor even said that this is the most dry read that we will have this semester, so I am just looking forward to get over to the next book.

[Jessica Zu · Rating 4 out of 5]

a true classic! Clearly written by an erudite scholar.

[Robert Meaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but like the author it reads like an academic book. Kind of dry and maybe a bit opinionated.

[Julbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dry. A far cry from Paul Williams's masterpiece from the same collection.

It was difficult to make sense of how Gombrich organised his arguments. Oftentimes, he mentions a topic then digresses to another topic only to explicit say thereafter that he 'needs to step back' to explain the first topic.

On top of this, I think the most off-putting aspect of this book is its blatant bias. As any good academic would do, Gombrich offers competing theories on unclear and controversial topics. Gombrich, however, would rush to favour one theory, saying it is 'more convincing', without actually explaining what makes it preferable over the other theories. I am not sure what to call this: academic laziness? conceit? arrogance?

[Krupakaran · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book on Buddhist philosophy but on Theravada Buddhism and its history with particular focus on SriLanka. However, no book on Buddhism can completely obviate Buddhist philosophy, so we find it sprinkled in the text.

It also requires some understanding of basic Buddhist terms like nibbana for better understanding. This is not meant as an introduction to Buddhism.

Unless one is interested in the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, it requires dogged determination to complete it. But it provides some perspective on development of a religion. One time read.

[Anmol]

Pretty well-written, good introduction to the context of the Buddha's time and all the way to Ashoka's mission to Sri Lanka. Not a lot about "modern Colombo" here though, beyond Anagarika Dharmapala and "protestant" Buddhism, but I was really just looking for a good introduction to early Indian Buddhism and how that's related to the Pali Canon, so I'm not complaining.

[Alisha Greenlaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was definitely a difficult read as it was an older text. But informative. It just took time to wade through in chunks. Definitely more of a historical read than a spiritual one, which I didn't realize.

[Maria Hrickova · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.9

[Derek Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Theravada, with particular emphasis on Sri Lanka, chosen because the country was never subjected to any strong Islamic influences so we can reasonably assume that Theravadin practise today is generally faithful to the canon. Scholarly, but written clearly and without jargon or obfuscation, though I had to remind myself of the meaning of soteriology and terms of that kind. I learned a lot from this book and will refer back to it I'm sure.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good general opening to Theravada Buddhism. A Western orientation is openly admitted, through which the morality of Theravada Buddhism is examined. Gombrich, as a believer, argues that Theravada Buddhism is a soteriological religion. Basics of the Dhamma, buddhist cosmology, and the history of the sangha are covered.