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The Buddhist Magic Before Vajrayâna
Abstract
The view that magical rituals represent a foreign element in Buddhism, is definitely wrong when examined from a historical perspective. The origins of Buddhist magic go back to the origins of that religion. Magical practices were common among lay people and monks in Indian Śravakayâna and Mahayâna. Recitation of protective texts, veneration of Śakjamuni in places especially significant in his life, worship of stupas and images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were widespread Buddhist magical rituals. The ritual acts characteristic of magical practices have even been assigned a salvific function, which fact bears out their enormous importance. The tendency to influence the course of events by magical rituals culminated with the Mahayâna movement known from the Dhāraṇī Sūtras papers. The rituals reflect fascination with magic seen as a tool for transforming ones surroundings and oneself. They are also a testimony of the bold use of alien liturgical traditions. In many dharani-sutras, magical rituals possessed the status of being the main factor in the saving transformation of the mind. Vajrayana evolved from dharani-sutras.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17951/kw.2020.30.45-67
Date of publication: 2021-03-25 00:00:00
Date of submission: 2020-10-14 13:16:51
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