Buddhism in Iran : An Anthropological Approach to Traces and Influences

Exploring the interactions of the Buddhist world with the dominant cultures of Iran in pre- and post-Islamic times, Vaziri demonstrates that the traces and cross-influences of Buddhism have brought the material and spiritual culture of Iran to its present state even after the term was eradicated from the literary and popular language of the region. Exploring the interactions of Buddhist world with the dominant cultures of Iran in pre- and post-Islamic times, this book demonstrates that the traces and cross-influences of Buddhism have brought the material and spiritual culture of Iran to its present state even after the term 'Buddhism' was eradicated from the literary and popular languages of the region. In the course of its history, Iranian culture adopted and assimilated a system of Buddhist art, iconography, religious symbolism, literature, and asceticism due to the open border of eastern Iran with the Buddhist regions, and the resultant intermingling of the two worlds Cover 1 Half-title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Contents 7 List of Maps and Figures 10 Foreword 12 Acknowledgments 14 Abbreviations of Journals 16 Prologue: Goal of the Book and the Method 18 Part 1 The Beginning 25 1. Introduction to the Buddha’s Key Spiritual and Philosophical Concepts 26 Part 2 The Early Interactions 36 2. The Early Spread and Influences of Buddhism in Iran 37 3. Mānī, “the Buddha of Light” 51 Part 3 The Traces 62 4. The Legendary Story of the Buddha in Iran 63 5. Qadamgāh (Holy Footprints) and Monastic Caves in Iran 87 6. Nawbahār and Stūpa-Like Islamic Shrines 109 7. Buddhism during the Mongol Period in Iran 130 Part 4 The Influences 151 8. Buddhism and Early Asceticism in Iran 152 9. Jābir ibn Hayyān, Ibn Sīnā, and Mīr Fenderiskī: Any Buddhist Associations? 172 Conclusion 184 Appendix: Nonviolence and Rationalism: A Crypto-Buddhist Influence 186 Notes 190 Glossary of Terminologies 235 Bibliography 238 Index 262 Front Matter....Pages i-xxiii Front Matter....Pages 1-1 Introduction to the Buddha’s Key Spiritual and Philosophical Concepts....Pages 3-12 Front Matter....Pages 13-13 The Early Spread and Influences of Buddhism in Iran....Pages 15-28 Mānī, “the Buddha of Light”....Pages 29-39 Front Matter....Pages 41-41 The Legendary Story of the Buddha in Iran....Pages 43-66 Qadamgāh (Holy Footprints) and Monastic Caves in Iran....Pages 67-88 Nawbahār and Stūpa-Like Islamic Shrines....Pages 89-109 Buddhism during the Mongol Period in Iran....Pages 111-131 Front Matter....Pages 133-133 Buddhism and Early Asceticism in Iran....Pages 135-154 Jābir ibn Hayyān, Ibn Sīnā, and Mīr Fenderiskī: Any Buddhist Associations?....Pages 155-166 Conclusion....Pages 167-168 Back Matter....Pages 169-262