| FT-54694-06 | Research Programs: Summer Stipends | Andrew Neil Rotman | Thus I Have Seen: Visualizing Faith in Early Indian Buddhism | 6/1/2006 - 7/31/2006 | $5,000.00 | Andrew | Neil | Rotman | | | | Trustees of Smith College | Northampton | MA | 01060-2916 | USA | 2006 | History of Religion | Summer Stipends | Research Programs | 5000 | 0 | 5000 | 0 |
The Divyavadana ("Divine Legends") is an important collection of Sanskrit Buddhist narratives from the early centuries of the Common Era in India. These stories then spread worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on Buddhist thought and practice. However, unlike much contemporary Buddhism in both Asia and America, these stories map out a world in which seeing is an integral part of Buddhist morality. In trying to make sense of this connection between the moral and visual economies of the text, I focus on faith as a visual practice, and how this matrix of seeing, faith, and giving offers unique insight into Buddhist ethics. |