Special Issue: Honoring James H. Sanford

[Guest Editor] Orzech, C.D. (2008) Special Issue: Honoring James H. Sanford. Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies, 3(8), pp. 1-299.

Abstract

This special issue of Pacific World Journal is comprised of eleven peer-reviewed articles in honor of James Sanford on his retirement. It actually appeared in Fall 2008. I contributed the Guest Editor's Preface: Festschrift Honoring James Sanford (pp. 1-8) and the article Looking for Bhairava: Exploring the Circulation of Esoteric Texts Produced by the Song Institute for Canonical Translation (pp. 139-166). The article, "Looking for Bhairava: Exploring the Circulation of Esoteric Texts Produced by the Song Institute for Canonical Translation" examines the preinterpretive decisions behind scholarly narratives about the circulation of the tantras in China. During the tenth and eleventh centuries the later tantras characterized by the cult of the cemetery (ma Äna tavana) were translated from Indic languages into classical Chinese. The process was entirely underwritten, organized, and funded through Song dynasty imperial patronage, and the output was distributed to imperial monasteries and to foreign courts through the new technology of printing. I argue that this enterprise was a key element of Song policy to establish itself as the new cosmopolitan empire on the Asian continent. The Institute for Canonical Translation functioned as a museum at the heart of the imperial metropole. Nevertheless, the prevailing scholarly opinion is that the Chinese found them offensive and that they had no impact in China and disappeared with little trace. Examining evidence in Song catalogues, the diary of the Japanese pilgrim JÅjin, and still extant sculpture from both the Northern and the Southern Song, I argue that the scriptures translated under imperial patronage in the Northern Song did have an impact in China. Transgression, I argue, is culturally constructed and I question current scholarly assumptions that tenth century literati would have considered such material scandalous or transgressive. I show that while some of the scriptures were officially logged into the canon and put into circulation, other translations were kept off the books and, contrary to prevailing scholarly opinion, there is evidence for the impact of both sorts of scriptures.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Special Issue Honoring James H. Sanford edited by Charles Orzech. Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies. 3rd series, no. 8, 2006 (actually published 2008).
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Orzech, Dr Charles
• Authors: [Guest Editor] Orzech, C.D.
• Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BQ Buddhism
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > Theology and Religious Studies
• Journal Name: Pacific World: Journal of the Institute of Buddhist Studies
• Publisher: Institute of Buddhist Studies
• ISSN: 0897-3644