Confessional Perspectives vs. Laic/Non-Confessional Historiography

In debates about Buddhism—especially when discussing practice and the spiritual value of the Buddha’s message—it is common to encounter claims that the doctrine’s historical development has altered its “original” message. Such judgments typically imply two things: on the one hand, they presuppose the existence of an immutable origin against which change can be measured; on the other, they often carry a value judgment that denounces the present as corrupted or decayed compared with an alleged primordial purity. This is an ancient religious topos that connects an original message to the degeneration of later times. This reading is problematic and, from both historical and philosophical standpoints, should be approached with caution. Continua a leggere “Studying Buddhism” →