scholarly journals Buddhist Pilgrimage and the Ritual Ecology of Sacred Sites in the Indo-Gangetic Region

Religions ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 385
Author(s):  
David Geary ◽  
Kiran Shinde
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Place ◽  
Indian Subcontinent ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Ritual Practice ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Religious Motivation ◽  
National Community ◽  
Shared Identity ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Buddhist Ritual

In contemporary India and Nepal, Buddhist pilgrimage spaces constitute a ritual ecology. Not only is pilgrimage a form of ritual practice that is central to placemaking and the construction of a Buddhist sacred geography, but the actions of religious adherents at sacred centers also involve a rich and diverse set of ritual observances and performances. Drawing on ethnographic research, this paper examines how the material and corporeal aspects of Buddhist ritual contribute to the distinctive religious sense of place that reinforce the memory of the Buddha’s life and the historical ties to the Indian subcontinent. It is found that at most Buddhist sites, pilgrim groups mostly travel with their own monks, nuns, and guides from their respective countries who facilitate devotion and reside in the monasteries and guest houses affiliated with their national community. Despite the differences across national, cultural–linguistic, and sectarian lines, the ritual practices associated with pilgrimage speak to certain patterns of religious motivation and behavior that contribute to a sense of shared identity that plays an important role in how Buddhists imagine themselves as part of a translocal religion in a globalizing age.

scholarly journals TEMPAT-TEMPAT KERAMAT DI KECAMATAN PANJALU KABUPATEN CIAMIS

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 475
Author(s):  
Aam Masduki
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Good Luck ◽  
Sacred Places ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Cultural Elements ◽  
And Behavior

AbstrakDewasa ini bangsa Indonesia sedang berada di tengah-tengah kebudayaan yang sedang tumbuh dan berubah sesuai dengan perkembangan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi (iptek). Meskipun di tengah arus perkembangan yang sangat pesat  dalam segala aspek kehidupan, masih nampak bahwa ada masyarakat  yang masih kuat berpegang pada adat kebiasaan dan mentalitas para leluhur mereka tentang kepercayaan sebagai keyakinan dalam hidupnya yang diwujudkan melalui tindakan. Di antaranya pada waktu tertentu pergi atau berkunjung ke tempat-tempat keramat, misalnya makam-makam para leluhur yang dianggap keramat atau tempat-tempat yang dianggap mempunyai tuah dan sebagainya.Tempat-tempat keramat banyak ditemukan di semua daerah di Indonesia. Di tempat-tempat inilah masyarakat pendukung suatu kebudayaan mengekspresikan dirinya secara religius dengan beranekaragaman cara dan laku. Hal tersebut bisa dimengerti karena kepercayaan sebagai salah satu unsur kebudayaan, terdiri atas pola-pola sistematis dari keyakinan anggota masyarakat. Pola-pola tersebut sistematis karena manifestasinya teratur dalam kejadian maupun ekspresinya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi tempat-tempat keramat  serta mengungkap fungsi dan maknanya, agar masyarakat terutama generasi muda bisa  mengetahui dan memelihara tinggalan leluhur. Penelitian ini bersifat deskriptif dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif yang melihat pada aspek nilai dan konsep berpikir pada masyarakat tersebut, serta penggalian data melalui observasi dan wawancara. AbstractToday the Indonesian nation was in the midst of a culture that is growing and changing in accordance with the development of science and technology.  While in the midst of rapid growth in all aspects of life, it appears that there are still people who still hold on to the customs and mentality of their ancestors of faith as belief in life created by the action. Among them at a certain time to go or visiting sacred places, such as the tombs of the ancestors that are considered sacred or places that are considered to have good luck and so on.  Sacred places are found in all regions in Indonesia. In places it is public support for a culture to express themselves religiously with various manner and behavior.  This is understandable, given the trust as one of the cultural elements, consisting of systematic patterns of society belief-pattern.The patterns are systematic, as a regular in the incidence of manifestations and expressions.  The purpose of this study was to identify sacred sites and reveals the function and meaning, so that people, especially younger generations can know and preserve the remains of ancestors.  This is a descriptive study using a qualitative approach that looks at the aspects of value and the concept of thinking in the community, as well as extracting data through observation and interviews.

Practicing Catholic “Place”—The Eucharist

Horizons ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip F. Sheldrake
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Place ◽  
Entry Point ◽  
The Other ◽  
Ritual Practice ◽  
Human Identity ◽  
Ethical Perspectives

ABSTRACTA sense of place is critical to human identity. The Eucharist is a ritual practice that “places” us within a narrative wider than our individual and exclusive stories. The Eucharist breaks open private identities to embrace the oikumenē of all times, places and people. This article explores ways in which the Eucharist may be thought of as “the practice of Catholic place.” It does this by integrating sacramental and ethical perspectives. The eucharistic narrative in a radical way makes a place for stories of suffering and exclusion that demand redress. It is a place of reconciliation that makes space for memories that refuse to remain silent. The Eucharist draws believers into the all-embracing catholicity of God. It thus engages a power beyond the ritual enactments themselves that makes an entry point for “the other,” not least for the oppressed, the marginalized and the excluded.

The Buddhist Style in Consumer Culture: From Aesthetics to Emotional Patterns

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 28-54
Author(s):  
Zuzana Bártová
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Middle Class ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Consumer Culture ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Identity Style ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract This paper contributes to the sociological theorization of religious lifestyles in consumer culture, analyzing one of its most important identity markers: style. Based on a three-year comparative ethnographic research project into five convert Buddhist organizations in France and the Czech Republic, it finds that style is expressed through aesthetics with its adornment practices apparent in everyday life materializations of Buddhist symbols. The stylistic dimension is also found in practitioners’ attitudes towards Buddhism, as they may use the discourse of taste. Moreover, Buddhist style stands for the collective, coherent, and systematic emotional patterns expressed in Buddhist symbols, individual and collective experiences, and the ethics and behavior they display in everyday life. The paper also explores how this style is adapted to the educated, middle-class, city-dweller practitioners and how it respects dynamics of consumer culture with its emphasis on identity, style, and values of well-being, authenticity, and personal development.

scholarly journals PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS FOR SENSE OF PLACE AND PERSONAL SPACE IN PUBLIC AREA

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-83
Author(s):  
P.Meena Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Sense Of Place ◽  
Personal Space ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Behavioral Pattern ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
The People ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Public Area ◽  
And Behavior

Environmental phycology and behavior in built environment is the field that interests the social scientists and environmental designers for many years. In-depth study and research finding are conducted and have discussed in detail the philosophy and the abstract theories on concept of privacy, personal space, sense of place by the people in a given built environment. As per Roger Barker (1951) statement, the paper proposes that the ecological environment does not demand much but permits some behavioral pattern to take place naturally and elucidate that the built environment tends to act as a catalyst in providing space for the users to perform but also act as a despot in making the users to alter their needs and behavior to the built setting. The paper also touches on the important issues in understanding, and translation of these psychological and behavioral theories and concepts into the real tangible substantial world that the architects and designers can imply upon. The fundamental primal need of people to have personal space and a sense of place in public area is reviewed in this paper and concludes for a cohesive way to achieve this ,by means of participation, cooperation and understanding among designers and environmental psychologists with the people.

Moving by the Spirit

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi Haynes
Keyword(s):  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
Ritual Practice ◽  
Gender Dynamics ◽  
Local Character ◽  
Zambian Copperbelt

Drawing on two years of ethnographic research, this book explores Pentecostal Christianity in the kind of community where it often flourishes: a densely populated neighborhood in the heart of an extraction economy. On the Zambian Copperbelt, Pentecostal adherence embeds believers in relationships that help them to “move” and progress in life. These efforts give Copperbelt Pentecostalism its particular local character, shaping ritual practice, gender dynamics, and church economics. Focusing on the promises and problems that Pentecostalism presents, the book highlights this religion's role in making life possible in structurally adjusted Africa.

scholarly journals Distribution and utilization of homestead windbreak Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica Merr.) trees: An ethnobotanical approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bixia Chen ◽  
Hikaru Akamine
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Coastal Forests ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Shared Identity ◽  
Large Trees

Abstract Background: Garcinia subelliptica (Fukugi in Japanese) is an evergreen tropical tree, first identified in Batanes, the Philippines, which has been planted as a homestead windbreak and in coastal forests extensively on the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. This article focuses on the traditional uses and cultural values of Fukugi trees and provides ethnobotanical information for the conservation scheme of this important tree species.Methods: A combination of ecological and ethnobotanical approaches was applied in this study. Extensive field surveys were conducted to collect dimensions of relatively large trees, and in-depth interviews with the village leaders and knowledgeable persons were conducted to collect ethnobotanical data. Results: Fukugi trees have been primarily planted as homestead or farmland windbreaks. Timber was harvested during difficult times, for example, after WWII, and used for recreational purposes for children or farmers. The fruits were also eaten on some remote islands. Old-growth Fukugi trees are widely found in sacred sites, within cities, and as symbolic trees. The older generations respect Fukugi trees; however, the cultural significance valued by older generation seems to be lacking in the younger generation. We argue that Fukugi is a cultural keystone species in Okinawa, which underpins Ryukyu culture and has transformed islands into a pleasant land, a unique place, and shared identity for the community.Conclusions: Fukugi windbreaks provide significant ecosystem services, such as biodiversity in the forest, reducing soil erosion, and spiritual and cultural values. A combination of biophysical environment, as well as tradition and custom, has played an essential role in tree species selection for windbreaks. The positive impacts that anthropogenic activities have had on the sustainability of woody species, namely, the active utilization of tree species, may have enabled the species to sustain. Strategies for protecting old-growth Fukugi trees, in addition to restoration of damaged trees, are needed to improve the sustainable management of Fukugi trees in Okinawa.

Buddhism and Biography

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Van Overmeire
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Ritual Practice ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Textual Data ◽  
Literary Characters ◽  
Narrative Worlds ◽  
Buddhist Ritual ◽  
Literary Transformations

The Buddhist religion has a long and rich tradition of biographical literature. This literature has functioned to unify distinct and often contradictory elements of Buddhist ritual, practice, and doctrine, adjusting these elements to specific historical situations. Scholarship on the function of literary characters in making narrative worlds coherent supports this argument: when readers engage characters, they draw together textual and non-textual data to construct beings that are similar to themselves. This connection of a specific situation with a larger whole, a connection that is at the same time an organization, can be observed in how Buddhist biographies are built. Biographies of Shakyamuni, for example, contain many traces of changes motivated by local conditions. The body of Shakyamuni is used to authorize these changes: the local is situated at the heart of Buddhism. Biographies of Chinese Buddhist saints attest to the same process, as can be seen in the shifting representation of Indian saints in China or the literary transformations of the Patriarchs of the Chan school. While these changing representations reflect changes in historical Buddhist communities, they can also produce attitudes and regulate behaviors. The debate on the portrayal and effects of women and animals in Indian Buddhist texts provides an illustration of this, as does scholarship on how saintly ideals regulate behavior. The case of Buddhist autobiography, a genre at times so closely connected to biography that it is nearly indistinguishable from it, provides a final example of how identity is structured in Buddhist biography.

Ethnography to Define Requirements and Data Model

2011 ◽  
pp. 459-463
Author(s):  
Gary J. DeLorenzo
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Data Model ◽  
Cultural Knowledge ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Behavior Patterns ◽  
Ethnographic Research ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Social Setting ◽  
Research Techniques ◽  
And Behavior

Ethnographic research offers an orientation to understand the process and structure of a social setting and employs research techniques consistent with this orientation. The ethnographic study is rooted in gaining an understanding of cultural knowledge used to interpret the experience and behavior patterns of the researched participants. The ethnographic method aids the researcher in identifying descriptions and in interpreting language, terms, and meanings as the basis of defining user requirements for information systems.

scholarly journals Distribution and utilization of homestead windbreak Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica Merr.) trees: an ethnobotanical approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bixia Chen ◽  
Hikaru Akamine
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Coastal Forests ◽  
Sacred Sites ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Shared Identity ◽  
Large Trees

Abstract Background Garcinia subelliptica (Fukugi in Japanese) is an evergreen tropical tree, first identified in Batanes, the Philippines, which has been planted as a homestead windbreak and in coastal forests extensively on the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. This article focuses on the traditional uses and cultural values of Fukugi trees and provides ethnobotanical information for the conservation scheme of this important tree species. Methods A combination of ecological and ethnobotanical approaches was applied in this study. Extensive field surveys were conducted to collect dimensions of relatively large trees, and in-depth interviews with the village leaders and knowledgeable persons were conducted to collect ethnobotanical data. Results Fukugi trees have been primarily planted as homestead or farmland windbreaks. Timber was harvested during difficult times, for example, after WWII, and used for recreational purposes for children or farmers. The fruits were also eaten on some remote islands. Old-growth Fukugi trees are widely found in sacred sites, within cities, and as symbolic trees. The older generations respect Fukugi trees; however, the cultural significance valued by older generation seems to be lacking in the younger generation. We argue that Fukugi is a cultural keystone species in Okinawa, which underpins Ryukyu culture and has transformed islands into a pleasant land, a unique place, and shared identity for the community. Conclusions Fukugi windbreaks provide significant ecosystem services, such as biodiversity in the forest, reducing soil erosion, and spiritual and cultural values. A combination of biophysical environment, as well as tradition and custom, has played an essential role in tree species selection for windbreaks. The positive impacts that anthropogenic activities have had on the sustainability of woody species, namely, the active utilization of tree species, may have enabled the species to sustain. Strategies for protecting old-growth Fukugi trees, in addition to restoration of damaged trees, are needed to improve the sustainable management of Fukugi trees in Okinawa.

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