Buddhism Transformed

A highly readable and immensely important book... One of the most interesting marriages of analyses of religion and society (and, at times, history and politics) to emerge in South Asian studies (and, I suspect, beyond) for many years. -- James Manor, University of Sussex This is beyond doubt one of the most important books on contemporary Buddhism to have appeared during this decade. -- Per Kvaerne, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (Copenhagen) / University of Oslo

As the Sinhalas themselves perceive it, Buddhism proper has always shared the religious arena with a spirit religion. While Buddhism concerns salvation, the spirit religion focuses on worldly welfare. This work describes and analyzes the changes that have profoundly altered the character of Sinhala religion in both areas.In this study a social and cultural anthropologist and a specialist in the study of religion pool their talents to examine recent changes in popular religion in Sri Lanka. As the Sinhalas themselves perceive it, Buddhism proper has always shared the religious arena with a spirit religion. While Buddhism concerns salvation, the spirit religion focuses on worldly welfare. Buddhism Transformed describes and analyzes the changes that have profoundly altered the character of Sinhala religion in both areas.