How the Buddha survives

Buddhism: The Fabric of Life in Asia

By David Clive Price

Published by FormAsia

Available at Asia Book, Kinokuniya Books, and B2S, Bt1,995

Reviewed by Manote Tripathi

The Nation

 With monks making headlines for all the wrong reasons, Buddhism in Thailand seems to be in peril. Just days ago villagers protested against an abbot who'd placed pictures of controversial politicians around the base of a Buddha image at his temple in Chon Buri.

 It was another example of the clash over orthodoxy - to the rescue of which the laity often quickly arrives.

 David Clive Price's "Buddhism: The Fabric of Life in Asia" is more - and generous - evidence of the  Buddhist faith's continuing strength, both in Thailand and elsewhere. He believes it still has a lot to offer people, and not just Asians.

 A Londoner trained in history at Cambridge, Price is one of the many who comes from another religion, yet is awed by Buddhism's power of reason.

 His coffee-table book is a visual feast and a useful, well-researched introduction to Buddhism, its history and its different forms, from Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Tibet to Burma, Japan and Thailand.

 The photos speak volumes by themselves. Thailand is well represented, with remarkable scenes of Buddhist ways at such notable temples as Suthat and Ratchabophit in Bangkok and Parelai in Isaan.

 It's pleasing to see the Kingdom's treasures - like images of the Buddha from the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods - shown alongside those of the Khmer civilisation and others.

 Despite differences in approach to Buddhist art, there's never any element of foreignness. After all, the hand gestures and facial expressions of the Buddha are well known, and that's where the joy lies in studying Buddhism through the shades of its art, as displayed by different schools.

 Most impressive of all are the photos of the great Buddha sculptures in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley, as they were before the ruling Taleban destroyed them in February 2001. This is where Buddhism flourished as early as 400 AD, before the Western Turk Saffarids seized the region in 871.

 Then there are the countless pagodas of Pagan in Burma, shown here as exquisite ruins - the result of Kublai Khan's invasion in the early 13th century. The author writes that, of the original 13,000 pagodas, Kublai's warriors left only 5,000 standing, and those they left shattered.

 There's a lot more to see in the heritage sites of India, Sri Lanka, Japan and Indonesia. Sadly, the book does not include photos of the Gandhara Buddha sculptures in Pakistan, famed for their Greek influence.

 But there's ample compensation in the shots illustrating the "Saffron Revolution" in Burma and Tibet. As rare as it is to see monks taking to the streets and confronting authority, it's worth remembering that Buddhism has often given voice to the masses, especially the downtrodden.

 Readers will welcome two auspicious signs.

The 21st century is witnessing an intellectually stimulating encounter between Buddhism and Western beliefs that has triggered a wider debate on peace.

And secondly, Buddhism has returned to India, in places like Kushinagar, where more temples are being built.

 These are developments we need to celebrate.