The present volume selects twenty-four of Prof. Wayman's published research papers around the topic of Buddhist Insight, and includes only strong, well developed papers consistent with the topic. Students of Buddhism and general Indian religion will find here a rich offering of genuine research with the best of sources and Wayman's own thoughtful presentations and original organizations of the information. The essays have been edited by a former student of Wayman's, Prof. George R. Elder of Hunter College, New York. The papers are ranged under the headings, I. Buddhist Practice, II. Buddhist Doctrine, III. Interpretative Studies of Buddhism, IV. Texts of the Asanga School, V. Hindu and Buddhist Studies. The papers begin with "Buddha as Savior" among the latest (1980) and end with the earliest (1959) in this volume, "Twenty one Praises of Tara." Part IV is especially valuable for its three seminal texts by Asanga which Wayman himself edited in Sanskrit. It provides also translation and comments which cast light on Asanga's own Buddhist position. The Hindu and Buddhist Studies illustrate Wayman's comparative approach by showing both sides in their strong independence, and sensitively revealing their relation.
Buddhist Insight, George R. Elder, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 470 pages, $22.00
Alex Wayman, pioneer in the field of Tibetology and Professor Emeritus of
Sanskrit, died on Sept. 22, 2004, at the age of 83.
Wayman joined Columbia in 1966 as a visiting associate professor of
religion. In 1967, he was appointed professor of Sanskrit in the
Department of Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures, a position he
held until his retirement in 1991. During his tenure, Wayman taught
classes in classical Sanskrit, Buddhist hybrid Sanskrit, Indian and
Tibetan Religions and the history of astrology.
While at Columbia, he was a member of the administrative committee of the
Southern Asian Institute. He also served as senior editor of The Buddhist
Traditions Series (with 30 volumes to date) published by Motilal
Banarsidass in Delhi, India.
Contents:
I. Buddhist Practice,
II. Buddhist Doctrine,
III. Interpretative Studies of Buddhism,
IV. Texts of the Asanga School,
V. Hindu and Buddhist Studies.
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