Description

This is an edited book on historical aspect of Vajrayana Buddhism of Nepal. The followers of this form of Buddhism in Nepal are the Newars in the Kathmandu valley.
Nepal’s position in the development of Buddhism in the region is of immense significance. Nepal has rendered greater contribution in the expansion of Buddhism in countries north of the Himalaya. Buddhism of Käthmändü is predominantly the Vajrayäna tradition. It was flourished in Nepal in the ancient and medieval times. A section of ethnic Newärs of Käthmändü are the followers of Vajrayäna Buddhism. Therefore, the Vajrayäna tradition of Nepal is popularly known as Newär Buddhism worldwide. However that, in northern Himalayan region, is predominantly the Tibetan Buddhism. Newär Buddhists have preserved the living cultural and religious tradition since many centuries. The rituals they perform are very lively.
Buddhism as a religion has greater importance for the Newärs. In spite of its importance, native scholars did not publish books on Newär Buddhism based on research. This has been a drawback of present context Buddhist scholarship of Nepal. Although Newär Buddhists have published hundreds of booklets on Newär Buddhism mostly in Newäré language, none of them have scholarly value. The Buddhist scholars from Western Europe, Oceania, America and East and South Asia have done a lot of significant scholarly work on Newär Buddhism. In part of the native scholars, new publication desperately needs to fill the intellectual vacuum. Therefore, this volume is an attempt to contribute accordingly.
In beginning I planned to include fifteen articles of the native writers to give a mixed flavour of Newär Buddhism. So, I selected prospective writers and made requests to contribute articles. Originally, I intended to include themes such as rituals, Cakrasamvara tantra, Pujä, Bodhisattva practice, Buddhist revival movement, Newär Saègha, Source of Newär Buddhism, aesthetic of Newär art and so on. Only a few responded to my plan. So, I decided to publish six articles dealing with the history and historical context of Newär Buddhism. Finally I felt necessary to include one article to introduce Newär Buddhism. So, I requested Prof. Michael Allen for permission to reprint his article – ‘Buddhism without Monks: the Vajrayäna Religion of the Newärs of Käthmändü Valley’. Prof. Allen responded me immediately and consented to reproduce his article. This article was first published in the South Asia Journal Vol. 3, 1978. In fact, it made the book very significant. Other articles deal only with the history of Newär Buddhism.