Buddhist Homiletics on Grief

Indo-Iranian Journal, vol. 64, pp. 291–347

Abstract

Abstract The study first introduces a hitherto completely unstudied anonymous work, for which I reconstruct the title *Saddharmaparikathā. This substantial text is a Buddhist homiletician’s guidebook with sample sermons in Sanskrit on a rich variety of topics. I argue that it dates from the 5th century and that it was possibly authored in a Saṃmatīya environment. I first discuss the unique manuscript transmitting the text, the structure and contents of the work, what information it can provide for the tradition of preaching and its importance for Buddhist studies. In the second half, I provide a sample chapter ‘On Grief’ with an annotated translation.

Authors 1

1. Péter-Dániel Szántó corresponding Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Universiteit Leiden The Netherlands Leiden