Harris: Cambodian Buddhism CL

by Ian Harris

The study of Cambodian religion has long been hampered by a lack of easily accessible scholarship. This impressive new work by Ian Harris thus fills a major gap and offers English-language scholars a book-length, up-to-date treatment of the religious aspects of Cambodian culture. Beginning with a coherent history of the presence of religion in the country from its inception to the present day, the book goes on to furnish insights into the distinctive nature of Cambodia's important yet overlooked manifestation of Theravada Buddhist tradition and to show how it reestablished itself following almost total annihilation during the Pol Pot period. Historical sections cover the dominant role of tantric Mahayana concepts and rituals under the last great king of Angkor, Jayavarman VII (1181-c. 1220); the rise of Theravada traditions after the collapse of the Angkorian civilization; the impact of foreign influences on the development of the nineteenth-century monastic order; and politicized Buddhism and the Buddhist contribution to an emerging sense of Khmer nationhood. The Buddhism practiced in Cambodia has much in common with parallel traditions in Thailand and Sri Lanka, yet there are als

Genres: Buddhism, History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2004

Reviews

[Five · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite dense and thorough, the only comprehensive book on specifically Cambodian Buddhism, however, quite western centric. Would enjoy more description of modern day buddhism in Cambodia with first person accounts.

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harris's book on Cambodian Buddhism is incredibly comprehensive. It traces the entire history of Buddhism from the pre-Angkorian kingdoms of Funan and Chenla to the modern Kingdom of Cambodia. Spanning such fields as archaeology, sociology, and political science, the book makes significant claims about the enduring importance of Buddhism to Cambodia's national identity.

As an academic work, Cambodian Buddhism deserves praise. It is structured well for researchers from a variety of disciplines interested in a wide range of historical periods. Things are explained and then re-explained in subsequent chapters for the benefit of those who may only be interested in a specific section. Those without a desire or special interest in the subject should be warned, as Harris doesn't always prioritize a gripping style of writing, preferring to be as thorough and exact as he can be given the sources at his disposal. Best read as a primer or used as a source for a research interest, this book has all the makings of a proper academic work and earned my approval for enlightening me on the presence of Buddhism in Cambodia.

[David Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introduction and overview of Cambodian Buddhism in both its early Mahayana phase (including its Vajrayana elements) and its later transition to Theravada under the influence of the Thais. Though there is some evidence to indicate it was there from earlier periods, at least as a minor religious theme. I was surprised to learn of an esoteric tradition within Cambodian Theravada with symbolic interpretations of traditional Buddhist cosmology and even a symbolic rendering of the Ramayana into a kind of Buddhist Pilgrims Progress. It is an interesting question whether this kind of esoterism was more widespread in traditional Theravada and has been kind of pushed under the table by Theravada modernism

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Harris is thorough. He presents a historical account of Cambodian Buddhism discussing early statues to the DK period and into modernity. The reason I rated it low is because it was difficult to follow though there is a general temporal flow.