Buddhist Saints in India: A Study in Buddhist Values and Orientations

The Issue Of Saints Is A Difficult And Complicated Problem In Buddhology. This Study Is The First Comprehensive Examination Of The Figure Of The Buddhist Saint In A Wide Range Of Indian Buddhist Evidence. Drawing On An Extensive Variety Of Sources, Ray Seeks To Identify The Prototypical Buddhist Saint As A Renunciant Of The Forest. This Classical Type, Ray Argues, Provides The Presupposition For, And Informs The Different Major Buddhist Saintly Types And Subtypes, Including The Buddha, Pratyekabuddha, Arhant, And Bodhisattva. Discussing The Nature, Dynamics, And History Of Buddhist Hagiography, Ray Surveys The Ascetic Codes, Conventions, And Traditions Of Buddhist Saints, And The Cults Both Of Living Saints And Of Those Who Have Passed Beyond. He Traces The Role Of The Saints In Indian Buddhist History, Particularly At The Times Of Buddhist Origins And The Formation Of The Mahayana. Calling For A Reconceptualization Of Indian Buddhist History That Takes Into Account The Essential Role Played By The Saints Of The Forest, Ray Proposes A New Three-fold Model Of Buddhism, That Adds The Forest Renunciant To The Well-known Figures Of The Buddhist Monastic And Layperson. Of Primary Concern To Scholars Of Buddhism, Indian Religions, Asian Studies, And Religious Studies, Buddhist Saints In India Will Also Interest Those Who Study Hagiography. The Buddhist Saints And The Two-tiered Model Of Buddhism. The Two-tiered Model ; Some Ideological Features Of The Two-tiered Model -- Buddha Śakyamuni As A Saint. Buddha Śakyamuni's Life As Paradigm ; Some Historical Considerations -- Saints Of The Theragāthā And Therīgāthā. Prerealization ; Postrealization ; Conclusion -- Some Orthodox Saints In Buddhism. A Preeminent Saint Among The Buddha's Disciples: Mahākāśyapa ; A Latter-day Orthodox Buddhist Saint: Upagupta ; A Paradigmatic Saint Of Settled Monasticism: Śāriputra ; Conclusion -- Saints Criticized And Condemned. A Criticized Saint: Piṇḍolabhāradvāja ; A Condemned Saint: Devadatta -- Cults Of Arhants. The Sixteen Arhants ; The Chinese Pilgrims On The Cult Of Arhants ; Conclusion -- The Solitary Saint, The Pratyekabuddha. Images Of Pratyekabuddhas ; Some Questions Of Interpretation. Bodhisattva Saints Of The Forest In Mahāyāna Sūtras. Śantideva On The Bodhisattva As Forest Renunciant ; The Bodhisattva In The Ratnaguṇasaṃcayagāthā ; The Bodhisattva Of The Forest In The Rāṣṭrapālapaparipṛcchā Sūtra ; The Saṃdhinirmocana Sūtra On The Bodhisattva As Saint ; Conclusion ; Appendix: The Minor Rāṣṭrapālapaparipṛcchā Sūtra On Forest Bhikṣus -- Ascetic Traditions Of Buddhist Saints. The Dhutaguṇas ; Two Pāli Depictions Of The Dhutaguṇas ; Some Other Groups Of Dhutaguṇas ; Conclusion -- The Buddhist Saints And The Stūpa. Some Aspects Of Stūpa Symbolism ; The Stūpa Cult ; Modalities And Parallels Of The Stūpa ; Conclusion -- The Cult Of Saints And Buddhist Doctrines Of Absence And Presence. A Doctrine Of Absence In The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra ; A Doctrine Of Presence Or Immanence Among The Buddhist Saints ; Conclusion -- The Buddhist Saints And The Process Of Monasticization. The Origins Of Buddhist Monasticism Reconsidered ; The Origins Of The Mahāyāna And The Process Of Monasticization ; A Forest Response To The Process Of Monasticization ; Appendix: Some Limitation Of Weber's Model Of Early Buddhism -- Conclusion: Toward A Threefold Model Of Buddhism. Three Kinds Of Actors In Buddhist History ; Some Dynamics Of The Threefold Model. Reginald A. Ray. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 448-467) And Index.