Untying the Knots in Buddhism: Selected Essays.

• Author: McDermott, James P.
• Position: Review

By ALEX WAYMAN. Buddhist Tradition Series, vol. 2g. Delhi: MOTILAL BANARSIDASS, 1997. Pp. xiv + 617. Rs 495.

Together with his earlier collection of essays, edited by George E. Elder, Buddhist Insight: Essays by Alex Wayman (Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1984), the present volume constitutes a record of a long and distinguished scholarly career. Untying the Knots in Buddhism brings together twenty-four of Wayman's essays, which are grouped under five rubrics: (i) Heroes of the System, (it) Theory of the Heroes, (iii) Buddhist Doctrine, (iv) Buddhist Practices, and (v) Hindu-Buddhist Studies. Of the twenty-four essays, thirteen have been previously published, having appeared between 1959 and 1989. Six of these are taken from the Studia Missionalia (Rome). Four additional essays have previously appeared in part, but are included here with significant additions. Essays on "Aniconic and Iconic Art of the Buddha," "Asanga's Three Pratyekabuddha Paths," "Prophecy for Persons in Buddhism," "Core Teachings: Suffering, Karma, Seed Consciousness, Dharma," and "The 'No-self' of Buddhism within Indian Culture" appear here in print for the first time. Two additional papers were originally prepared for this volume, but may have appeared elsewhere. [Wayman himself is uncertain of their possible past publication history, and I have been unable to track down evidence of their previous existence in print.] In the present volume these two papers are entitled "Date and Era of the Buddha" and "The Buddhist Theory of Virtue Consignment (Parinamana)."

In his essay on the "Date and Era of the Buddha," Wayman offers a perspective on the dating of the historical Buddha that stands in opposition to the arguments of Heinz Bechert. Although Wayman brings to bear a wide variety of material relevant to the issue, ultimately this writer finds Bechert's...