Vajrayana Buddhism : Study in Social Iconography

Contents: Foreword. Acknowledgement. 1. Introduction. 2. Vajrayana as a social religion. 3. Religious landscape of Orissa--From 5th to 12th centuries AD with reference to Buddhism. Documenting vertical Buddhism in the period: 4. Religious equations between Buddhism and Brahmanical religions in \'early medieval Orissa\'. 5. Support system. 6. Buddhism across Bay of Bengal and maritime network--7th - 12th century AD. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index.

"Contrary to existing historiography of early medieval religions, which often deals Vajrayana Buddhism as a declining and degenerated religion confined to monastic complex only, the book argues that Vajrayana Buddhism was an instrumental and social religion. Working on social iconography, the author uses iconographic, epigraphic and textual sources to show that Buddhism made vertical and horizontal expansion in Orissa in early medieval period. As a social, instrumental religion, it innovated numerous deities, introduced new rituals for laities, wrote litanies in praises of Buddhist Gods and Goddesses and imbued deities with instrumental functions. But these changes occurred within the evolving normative tradition of Buddhism itself. These changes in Buddhism occurred at a time when Brahmanical religions were expanding in Orissa.

The book makes copious documentation of religious sites from archaeological and epigraphic sources to argue that poly-religiosity defines the religious landscape of early medieval Orissa, and then, it goes on to explain the relations between Brahmanical religions and Buddhism. In the process, it analyses the support base of Buddhism, nature of monastic complex and various markers of support base. The book also explores the continued Indian connection in Southeast Asian Buddhism after 7th century AD." (jacket)