Buddhism in the Shadow of Brahmanism

For many centuries Buddhism and Brahmanism coexisted in the Indian subcontinent. This book concentrates on the way in which the two, after an initial period of relative independence, confronted each other, both in and around the royal courts and in society at large. In this confrontation, Buddhism was strong in philosophical debate, but could not compete with Brahmanism in the services it could provide to the centres of political power, primarily ritual protection and practical advice. Buddhism evolved in both areas, providing practical advice to lay people and rulers from early Mahayana onward, and ritual protection in its Tantric developments. Some of these developments came too late, though, and could not prevent the disappearance of Buddhism from the subcontinent.

'Con How the Brahmins Won si chiude, forse, il discorso iniziato con la pubblicazione di Greater Magadha, eppure ancora tante sono le finestre appena schiuse, soprattutto quando si cerca di mettere in dialogo fonti sanscrite, prācrite, greche e cinesi. Certamente, questi tre volumi tutti insieme danno un contributo irrinunciabile per cono 150 marianna ferrara scere le operazioni politiche e propagandistiche, le narrative e le retoriche, le storie individuali e collettive attraverso le quali i brahmani sono riusciti a imporre l’ideologia che ne ha preservato l’autorevolezza e l’autorità per secoli. E all’ombra di questa storia apparentemente a lieto fine per la classe brahmanica, tante altre ancora dovranno essere raccontate, non senza sorprese.' Marianna Ferrara, Historia Religionum 11 (2019)

Johannes Bronkhorst is professor of Sanskrit and Indian studies at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) since 1987. Doctorates: Pune (India, 1979), Leiden (Netherlands, 1980). Recent books: Greater Magadha (2007), Aux origines de la philosophie indienne (2008), Buddhist Teaching in India (2009).