Buddhist Precept and Practice

The Times Literary Supplement wrote: When this book was published for the first time in 1971 under the title Buddhist Precepts and Practice, it marked a significant shift in direction and appreciation. Dr. Gombrich is interested in religious change in belief, and practice, both in modern times and over the two-and-a-half millennia of Buddhism’s existence. He concludes that Sinhalese Buddhism is remarkably conservative. He also questions the assumption that it has degenerated from a high standard. It would be difficult to offer a combination such as the one found in Dr. Gombrich’s book, which is a landmark in the field of religious studies. The book was out of print for many years and is now available in a corrected, but substantial update. Since 1976, Richard Gombrich is the Oxford University’s Boden Professor of Sanskrit and Professor Fellow at Balliol College. His publications include 8 books and 40 articles, mainly on Buddhism. His most recent books include Theravada Buddhism: a social History from Ancient Benares and Modern Colombo, and Buddhism Transformed. Religious Change in Sri Lanka is the latter’s aim to do for modern Sinhalese Buddhism within cities what precepts and practices did for the traditional form in the countryside.