Becoming the Buddha: The Ritual of Image Consecration in Thailand.(Book review)

From: The Journal of the American Oriental Society | Date: October 1, 2005| Author: | Copyright information

Becoming the Buddha: The Ritual of Image Consecration in Thailand. By DONALD K. SWEARER. Princeton: PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2004. Pp. xvi + 332, figs. $35.

This book is about how Buddha images are made, how they are used, how they are considered, and how they are theorized. The title "Becoming the Buddha" refers to how the physical object that is a Buddha image becomes the Buddha in order to be worshiped. The focus is on the ritual that produces this transformation, a ritual called the buddhabhiseka that "hypostasizes the Buddha in an image." While the consecration ...

Read all of this article with a FREE trial to HighBeam Research

Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

Serene Sentinels, NATION
; ...real meaning of Buddha images and Buddhism...people build a Buddha image, they say it...Buddhism and the Buddha images. ''Describing...introduction to Buddha in the Landscape...the land of the Buddha images, with more statues...
Buddha images from Asia
; ...Gowri New Straits Times 05-03-2006 Buddha images from Asia Byline: R. Gowri Edition...The Light of Asia is an exhibition of Buddha images of astonishing beauty and grace, handpicked...eight years with much success. The Buddha images have been sold to devotees, art connoisseurs...
Forbidden fruits. (Wisdom and Compassion: the Sacred Art of Tibet, Royal Academy, London, England)
; ...power of art: It's best to use a small Buddha image as the focus for concentration; it plants...Buddhahood. But make sure you have a well-made Buddha image; if you meditate a lot on a crooked Buddha image, there's a danger you will one day become...
Big Gold Buddha Image to be Made in Thailand
; A 120-kilogram pure gold Buddha image will be molded in Thailand, the biggest in more than 200 years in the country. The gold Buddha image, worth 2.16 million US dollars, will be presented to King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand on his 68th birthday...
Image of Buddha inspires worship of ideals
; ...Nelson Sammie New Straits Times 03-08-2001 Image of Buddha inspires worship of ideals Byline: A.K. Nelson...the destruction of the world's tallest standing Buddha image measuring 53 metres at Bamiyan, Afghanistan. It...given by the Taliban rulers for this destruction of Buddha statues is to ...
Top monk sees crisis in beliefs not Buddhism
; ...the back cover to advertisements for Buddha images, he noted. ''It's a shame that even...increasingly promoting the consecration of Buddha images or the building of big stupas,'' Phra...ceremonies and the consecration of Buddha images. The trend reflects the failure of...
NEW ARRIVALS :, NATION
; ...collection is a fusion of new and old Buddha images, the focus is rather on the former...increasingly materialistic Thailand: Buddha images snapped against backgrounds of neon...Buddha and the methods used to make Buddha images...
Tokens of luck.(Society)
; ...with red candles featuring the Praying Buddha with auspicious Chinese characters. Buddha images -- Create a sense of balance and harmony with Buddha images. There is Buddha larger than life and with a big smile on his face symbolizing a good...
Amazing Bangkok
; ...houses the world's biggest purely gold Buddha image, believed to be about 700 to 800 years...Phra Kaeo Morakot, the most revered Buddha image in the nation, carved from a single...myself, I still marveled at the majestic Buddha image perched high towards the cei
BUDDHA IMAGE CARVED INTO MOUNTAIN IN THAILAND.(News/National/International)
; ...in eastern Thailand is being turned into a site of wonder and reverence, as the finishing touches are being put on a giant Buddha image carved into the side of a mountain. The $5.92 million project in Chonburi province was launched 18 months ago to celebrate...