Defining Buddhism(s)

Explores the multiple ways in which Buddhisms have been defined and constructed by Buddhists and scholars. This volume also participates in the process of construction, developing a framework in which scholarship on Buddhisms can be productively related and interpreted.

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'Defining Buddhism(s)' explores the multiple ways in which Buddhism has been defined and constructed by both Buddhists and scholars. In recent decades, scholars have become increasingly aware of their own role in the construction of how Buddhism is represented - a process in which multiple representations of Buddhism compete with and complement one another. The reader brings together key essays by leading scholars to examine the central methods and concerns of Buddhism. The essays aim to illuminate the challenges involved in defining historical, social, and political contexts and reveal how definitions of Buddhism have always been contested.