Buddhist Goddesses of India

By Miranda Shaw

Book Overview

The Indian Buddhist world abounds with goddesses--graceful nature divinities, maternal nurturers, potent healers, mighty protectors, transcendent wisdom figures, cosmic mothers of liberation, and dancing female Buddhas. Despite their importance in Buddhist thought and practice, female deities have received relatively little scholarly attention, and no comprehensive study of the female pantheon has been available.

Buddhist Goddesses of India chronicles the histories, legends, and artistic portrayals of nineteen goddesses and several related human figures and texts. Beautifully illustrated and 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 in this definitive and essential guide.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691168547
• ISBN13: 9780691168548
• Release Date: August 2015
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 608 Pages
• Weight: 2.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Divine order from mythic chaos

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 ma

Invaluable information

This book is a masterpiece of clarity and readability. The information is available for the first time in one volume; and is accurate, accessible and poetic. A tour de force from this erudite scholar. I pick it up to find specific information about a particular goddess; and find myself reading on strictly for pleasure. A must-have book for feminists, historians of goddess traditions, buddhists, and teachers of Comparative religion.

Beautiful, accomplished & engaging

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.

Impeccable scholarship, inspiring information

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.

transcendent authorship

Ms. Shaw is an impeccable scholar whose transcendent writing captures the imagination. This inspired text is a compilation of unparalled research on an amazing array of Buddhist deities. Beautiful book.