Mystical Buddhism: From a Sibylline Perspective

This work is a critical study of sibylline lore in Buddhism based on a survey of the Yogadhyaya. It breaks new ground by explaining for the first time over three hundred mystical terms in Buddhist literature and their literally miraculous sibylline import within that literature; its extensive examples trace such miracles and mystical elements from the time of the Buddha's birth in the sixth century B.C. to the tenth century A.D., when Buddhism had shed its light beyond the borders of its homeland.

Beginning in the prehistoric period, Dr. Kargupta discusses the origins and development of this occult knowledge. He specifically focuses on the history of the Bhrgu Samhita and its contents throughout four major historical periods of India, from the advent of its apocryphal author in prehistory and legend to the final compilation of this body of literature in the twelfth century.

This work is indeed an insightful guide to those interested in miracles and mysticism in Buddhism, as well as to those curious about the extensive scope of the predictive arts and science in India's past eras. It significantly notes Buddha's own personal interest in, discussion of, and experiences with sibylline lore as a storehouse of supernatural knowledge, as well as explaining the Bodhisattva's ambivalent relationship with a subject that offered both practical utility and potential spiritual dangers to its regular practitioners.

About the Author:

Dr. Satadal Kargupta was born in Kolkata, India. Before he shifted his sights to academia, he was most noted for being the inter-school boxing champion and a leader of the local football team. He passed his M.A. (India), Ph. D. (India), Ph. D. (Arizona), and D. Lit. (India). Pursuing his postgraduate studies at Calcutta University, he completed Chinese lessons under Dr. Prabodh Chandra Bagchi and Prof. Fa Chou and studied Tibetan under Mahamahopadhyaya Pandit Vidhusechar Sastri. He also assisted Dr. B. M. Barua on the elder doctor's cultural mission to Sri Lanka.

He was admitted as a corporate member of American Oriental Society and is a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society and is a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, the International Biographical Center (Cambridge), and the Theosophical Society. He has been honoured as a Sahitya Bhushan (Sinthee Vaishnav Sammilani, Kolkata), Jyotisha-Martanda (Astrologica Research Project, Kolkata), Jyotisha-Ratna (Bally Pandit Samaj, Howrah), Jyotisha-Samrat (Bangiya Pandit Sabha, Tarakeswer). Dr. Kargupta has been awarded the ISCLO prize for research in Vedic Jyotisha (U. P.) and a prize from the Critics' Circle of India for his astro-dermatoglyphic studies (New Delhi). His biographical references are included in the International Book of Honor (U. S. A), Who's Who in the Commonwealth (Cambridge U.K.), Men of Achievements (IBA, England) , Dictionary of International Biography, Palmistry International (Melbourne, Australia), and Jyotish Sandesh Astrological Directory (Chandigarh, India).

He has served as an editor of Samadhan Weekly (Hooghly), Traveller's Air Guide (Kolkata), and Puspanjali (Kolkata). He has been a visiting guest lecturer at Ramakrishna Mission International Cultural Center (Golpark, Kolkata), The Asiatic Society (Kolkata), Mount St. Mary's College (Los Angeles), Glendale Community College (California), Pasadena City College (California), and Ananda Ashrama (La Crescenta, California), as well as discussing the ancient methods of astrology on talk shows on Rogers TV (Anaheim, California) and Santa Monica Cable (Los Angeles). He has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. Dr. Kargupta has over ninety papers to his credit, Published in a wide variety of magazines and international journals over the last fifty years.

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