The Buddhist Saints of the Forest and the Cult of Amulets
Abstract
The central actors in this book are some reclusive forest-dwelling ascetic meditation masters who have been acclaimed as 'saints' in contemporary Thailand. These saints originally pursued their salvation quest among the isolated villages of the country's periphery, but once recognized as holy men endowed with charisma, they became the radiating centres of a country-wide cult of amulets. The amulets, blessed by the saints, are avidly sought by royalty, ruling generals, intelligentsia and common folk alike for their alleged powers to influence the success of worldly transactions, whether political, economic, martial or romantic.
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Affective charismatic performances by Buddhist hierarchs can lead to benevolent and personal attachments between members of the same group.
“Affective charismatic performances by Buddhist hierarchs can lead to benevolent and personal attachments between members of the same group.”
From Buddhist Ritual as “Connectionwork”: Aesthetics and Technologies of Mediating Religious Belonging (2021) · cites this paper as Tambiah 1984
As Tambiah shows, communal affectual action does arise in charismatic Buddhist leadership, especially through Buddhist ritual.
“As Stanley Tambiah shows, ' communal affectual action' does arise in charismatic Buddhist leadership, especially through Buddhist ritual (Tambiah 1984: 324; italics in original).”
From Buddhist Ritual as “Connectionwork”: Aesthetics and Technologies of Mediating Religious Belonging (2021) · cites this paper as Tambiah 1984: 324
Weber positions Buddhist forms of charismatic action in the individualistic category.
“He positions Buddhist forms of charismatic action in the first in his understanding that Buddhist salvation is a 'highly individualized task of a particular person' with an ethic of world-rejection (Weber 1978: 627; see also Tambiah 1984: 323-324).”
From Buddhist Ritual as “Connectionwork”: Aesthetics and Technologies of Mediating Religious Belonging (2021) · cites this paper as Tambiah 1984: 323-324
These objects are not merely regarded as reminders and fields of merit, but also as repositories of power.
“As Tambiah argues, these 'objects are not merely regarded as reminders and fields of merit, but also as repositories of power' (Tambiah 1984: 203; see also Gayley 2007: 465).”
From Buddhist Ritual as “Connectionwork”: Aesthetics and Technologies of Mediating Religious Belonging (2021) · cites this paper as Tambiah 1984: 203
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Soteriology of the Senses in Tibetan Buddhism
Gayley, H. (2007) · Numen · doi:10.1163/156852707x244306 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Buddhist Ritual as “Connectionwork”: Aesthetics and Technologies of Mediating Religious Belonging
Williams-Oerberg, E. (2021) · Numen · doi:10.1163/15685276-12341637 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Performing Theravāda: Introduction
Shulman, E. (2024) · Numen · doi:10.1163/15685276-20240001 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
From Riches to Rags: how new clothes for the dead become old robes for monks
LANGER, R. (2014) · Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland · doi:10.1017/s1356186313000345 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Buddhism and Resilience in Post-tsunami Thailand
Falk, M. L. (2021) · Zenodo · doi:10.5281/zenodo.4727600
Untitled work
Prasad, B. N. (2008) · Buddhist Studies Review
- Authors
- Tambiah, S. J.
- Corresponding author
- Tambiah, Stanley Jeyaraja
- Venue
- Cambridge University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Published
- 1984-06-29
- OpenAlex
- W2504981566
- Cited by
- 397
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 69.98
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cambridge University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Indian and Buddhist Studies
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
- Keywords
- Buddhist saints, amulets, charisma, holy men, Thai Buddhism
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