Buddhist Goddesses of India [Hardcover]

Miranda Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2006

The Indian Buddhist world abounds with goddesses--voluptuous tree spirits, maternal nurturers, potent healers and protectors, transcendent wisdom figures, cosmic mothers of liberation, and dancing female Buddhas. Despite their importance in Buddhist thought and practice, these female deities have received relatively little scholarly attention, and no comprehensive study of the female pantheon has been available. Buddhist Goddesses of India is the essential and definitive guide to divinities that, as Miranda Shaw writes, "operate from transcendent planes of bliss and awareness for as long as their presence may benefit living beings."

Beautifully illustrated, the book chronicles the histories, legends, and artistic portrayals of nineteen goddesses and several related human figures and texts. Drawing on a sweeping range of material, from devotional poetry and meditation manuals to rituals and artistic images, Shaw reveals the character, powers, and practice traditions of the female divinities. Interpretations of intriguing traits such as body color, stance, hairstyle, clothing, jewelry, hand gestures, and handheld objects lend deep insight into the symbolism and roles of each goddess.

In addition to being a comprehensive reference, this book traces the fascinating history of these goddesses as they evolved through the early, Mahayana, and Tantric movements in India and found a place in the pantheons of Tibet and Nepal.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This first comprehensive survey of Buddhist female deities fills a gap in academic treatment of the goddess role in the evolution of Buddhism. . . . Each chapter is a complete work on a single goddess and may be read independently. Highly recommended. -- Library Journal

Buddhist Goddesses of India will delight and entice students of religious studies, cultural anthropologists, art history enthusiasts, goddess spirituality practitioners, and anyone interested in the divine feminine. -- Leah Samul, ForeWord

Buddhist Goddesses of India is a wonderful contribution to the study of deities. . . . All in all, Shaw's book is a valuable resource for the scholar, the practitioner, and the student of goddess traditions. Her rich profiles provide the necessary historical, iconographic, and ritual background for us to understand the meaning and context of these goddesses, and the art she has chosen and represented with vivid colored plates . . . beautifully illustrates the variety, vitality, and power of the goddess traditions of Buddhist India. -- Judith Simmer-Brown, Buddhadharma

The theme of this fine work is best described as untangling and clarifying the complex early role and appearance of female deities found throughout the Himalayan plateau. There is a dearth of understanding of the symbolism of goddess-deity characters: figures of wisdom, healers, heavenly and earthly mothers, beautiful and powerful beings. [. . .] This is a marvelous study. Buddhist Goddesses of India serves the reader on multiple levels. -- New Age Retailer

This comprehensive study of Indian Buddhist goddesses fills a major gap in knowledge of the breadth of divine female figures in the Buddhist world. . . . Well documented, and with a fine, full bibliography, this book is beautifully and lavishly illustrated in color and black and white. -- Choice

Scholars of Buddhism who are unaware of the importance and pervasiveness of Buddhist 'goddess' traditions would be well advised to read it. It will also be of interest to graduate students, in part because of its broad coverage and helpful references. -- David B. Gray, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

From the Inside Flap

"Beautifully written and erudite, this book fills a need in the growing literature about goddesses in Buddhism. The goddesses are meticulously researched and brilliantly analyzed. Destined to become a classic in the field, Buddhist Goddesses of India leaves no doubt that goddesses have been central, not peripheral, to Buddhism, even from the earliest traceable beginnings of the tradition."--Susan L. Huntington, author of The Art of Ancient India

"A jewel. A very significant contribution to the field."--Adalbert J. Gail, Freie Universitt Berlin

"Miranda Shaw comprehensively demonstrates the importance of the feminine divine in Buddhism. She draws together art, scripture, myth, and ritual to bring these goddesses and female Buddhas alive, producing a definitive resource for scholars of Buddhism and of women's spirituality. With her eloquent translations and scrupulous analyses, Shaw has given us a treasure of religious insight into the sacred feminine."--Patricia Monaghan, Depaul University, author of Goddess Path

"This work is a masterpiece. Shaw's fascinating study deepens our understanding of the divine feminine in South Asia. Her luminous writing carries the reader through an amazing terrain that is rich with historical discoveries and vivid portraits of a remarkable female pantheon."--Graham M. Schweig, author of Dance of Divine Love: India's Classic Sacred Love Story and Bhagavad Gita: The Beloved Lord's Secret Love Song

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 571 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (October 16, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691127581
• ISBN-13: 978-0691127583
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.6 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #718,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, accomplished & engaging, December 1, 2007

By 

dancer (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Buddhist Goddesses of India (Hardcover)

This book is more than worth it for the pictures alone. The images of Buddhist goddesses are simply gorgeous--whether clear black and white, or glorious color. Representing architectural elements, reliefs, gates, sculptures, painted cloth, and more, these images provide an invaluable visual document of the female images of divinity populating Buddhist history.

Even so, the book offers far more. Shaw not only gathers these visual images for us, she helps us understand them--why they exist, why they appear as they do, and what they teach us about Buddhist thought and practice. For each goddess, Shaw considers the visual representations alongside the goddess's appearances in literature, history, ritual practices, and other Hindu and folk traditions. Moving among these various representations, Shaw creates compelling accounts of each deity's religious significance. She also documents change over time, charting the ascension of goddess figures through three stages of Buddhist history, early, Mahayana, and Tantra. The female Buddhas of Tantra occupy the third section of the book. And all along the way, Shaw deftly moves from persuasively engaging issues in Buddhist scholarship to telling vivid stories about the goddesses themselves.

This comprehensive, accomplished book is for everyone and anyone who is interested in Buddhism, India, goddesses, South East Asia, Indian art and architecture, comparative religions, or the religious significance of art in general. Its stories and pictures engage and delight. At the same time, it is a must-read for scholars in all these fields for the ways in which it stretches and prunes our understanding of Buddhism. As Shaw persuasively documents, there is far more to the tradition than teachings of renunciation. Equally integral to the tradition are life-affirming, female-celebrating expressions of wisdom, creativity, and devotion.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impeccable scholarship, inspiring information, October 9, 2007

By 

Buddhist scholar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buddhist Goddesses of India (Hardcover)

This magnum opus will remain a serious resource for information about Buddhist Goddesses of India for decades. The scholarship is impeccable. Not only does it bring numerous texts and information into English for the first time, it explicates vast amounts of material loaded with insightful interpretations that only an expert authority can provide. This text will also reward those seeking inspiration from the Buddhist pantheon of goddesses. The prose is lyrical, compelling, and transports the reader into the powerful and colorful worlds of these ancient goddesses.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Divine order from mythic chaos, August 9, 2009

By 

Kent Davis "Devata Org - Khmer Studies" (Anna Maria Island, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buddhist Goddesses of India (Hardcover)

Miranda Shaw devoted more than a decade of research to create this epic work, greatly expanding on concepts she introduced in Passionate Enlightenment. Buddhist Goddesses of India sets a new benchmark for the study and understanding of female deities in the context of Asian religion and society. While the title states the focus is on Buddhist goddesses, the book's scope is actually far greater; the author's rigorous research explores Hindu and animist relationships for each goddess, carefully examining their origins and the historical evolution of their worship.

To her credit, Shaw designed the book as a reference that readers can explore in a non-linear fashion; each chapter is independent. That said, the author constructed a brilliant hierarchy that is a pleasure to read in sequence. What makes this reference especially rare is Shaw's writing style, which transcends the strength of her logic to give readers a work of beauty and inspiration.

She begins each chapter with a quote of original scripture relating to the goddess, followed by her own prose introduction, such as this example from page 188:

"Parnasavari dwells in a forest glade high on a mountainside. Her beauty reflects the allure of the forest. Her skin glistens with emerald light; the healing sap of trees flows in her veins; her limbs are robust and supple as saplings. Parnasavari adorns herself with nature's finery: feathers, flowers, fruit, and berries. A skirt made of leaves sways around her hips as she dances in her primeval bower. Thus arrayed in tribal splendor, she wanders in a state of joyous, primal rapture, alive to the colors, fragrances, and textures of the forest. Her woodland home is a treasure trove of botanical riches and medicinal secrets...."

Shaw then conducts a thorough analysis of each goddess (see list below) including origin, development, iconography, sphere of influence, methods of worship, geographical areas of influence, temporal and regional variations, tantric manifestations, conflicting interpretations, relationships with other gods and goddesses, etc. Shaw's sources include her own translations and extensive field work in South Asia. Most goddesses are illustrated with multiple photos and the book features 16 stunning color plates.

This systematic approach consistently gives rise to new insights, illuminating roles, iconography and relationships among gods and goddesses that have previously been obscure. The author's focus on feminine deities has caused some to criticize her as a "feminist." My perception is that she is a realist, conducting research where previous scholars have missed crucial connections, or chosen not to make them. In this regard, her groundbreaking scholarship is similar to Trudy Jacobsen's work Lost Goddesses: Denial of Female Power in Cambodian History.

Buddhist Goddesses of India is an indispensible reference on the evolution of female deities in Asian religion. But it is Miranda Shaw's lifelong passion for this topic that makes her book an inspiration for anyone seeking to understand the feminine divine.

PART ONE - ASCENT OF THE SACRED FEMALE IN EARLY BUDDHISM
Prthivi: Mother Earth
Mayadevi: The Buddha's Wondrous Mother and Her Sacred Grove
Yaksinis: Voluptuous, Magical Nature Spirits
Sri Laksmi: Glorious Good Fortune
Hariti: Goddess of Motherly Love
Female Buddhas: The Case of Gotami

PART TWO - MAHAYANA MOTHERS OF LIBERATION
Goddesses in the Flower Ornament Scripture
Prajnaparamita: Luminous Mother of Perfect Wisdom
Parnasavari: Healing Goddess Clothed in Leaves
Marici: Lady of Sunrise Splendor
Jariguli: The Buddhist Snake Goddess
Sarasvati: Divine Muse
Vasudhara: Lady Bountiful
Cunda: Saving Grace
Sitatapatra: Invincible Goddess With a Thousand Heads and Hands
Usnisavijaya: Bestower of Long Life and Immortality
Tara: Mahayana Buddha, Universal Savior

PART THREE TANTRIC FEMALE BUDDHAS
Vajrayogini: Her Dance Is Total Freedom
Nairatmya: Her Body Is the Sky
Chinnamunda: Severed-Headed Goddess
Simhamukha: Lion-Faced Female Buddha
Kurukulla: Red Enchantress with Flowered Bow

Note - Full Sanskrit diacritical marks that appear in the actual book are missing in the list above.