Theravada Buddhist Devotionalism

by V.V.S. Saibaba and vijay Kumar Thakur

The monograph consists of two parts of which the first examines the buddhsit devotional practices from the historical and canonical perspectives of the evolution of the worship of caitya, stupa, relics, symbols and images. It provides a multi dimensional account of caitya, thupa, relica symbol and image worship in Theravada Buddhist tradition in the Sinhalese Vamsa literature and as depicted in the records of the prominent chinese travellers to India. It throws light on the Buddhist stupa the Buddha`s relics viz, hair, nail, tooth and ashesm the symbols which pre-ceded the Buddha image . Dr. V. V. S. Saibaba Associate professor department of philosophy and religious studies, Andhra University took his Master`s degree in philosophy in 1973 senior P.G. Diploma in sanskrit in 1976 and Ph.D. degree in