The Oxford Handbook of Lived Buddhism

Attention to lived religion has significantly shaped religious studies and has only recently impacted the field of Buddhism. Rather than asserting a separation between "real" religion happening within official organizations on the one hand, and "folk" traditions practiced by everyday adherents on the other, the lived religion model understands the religious experience as an ongoing negotiation of personal practice and belief. Given the relative fluidity of Buddhism, a lived religion approach decenters the most significant authorities, while valuing the varied perspectives of ordinary practitioners. As the field develops, The Oxford Handbook of Lived Buddhism fills a major gap in the scholarship, offering insight into the practices, social interactions, sacred spaces, and outward expressions of the religion. As such, the Handbook will be a timely contribution, opening new possibilities for study alongside texts and institutions.