Romantic Dharma - (Nineteenth-Century Major Lives and Letters) by M Lussier (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Romantic Dharma" charts the emergence of Buddhism into European consciousness during the nineteenth century. Mark S. Lussier probes the shared ethical and intellectual commitments embedded in Buddhist and Romantic thought, and proposes potential ways by which those insights translate into contemporary critical and pedagogical practices. Mapping the movement of European colonial institutions and individuals across the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, and Tibet and the reverse flow of textual materials to Europe, this enlightening study identifies shared strategies for alleviating the suffering of all sentient beings. Ultimately, "Romantic Dharma" reveals an engaged Romanticism, integral to historical encounters, textual intersections, and current concerns."

Book Synopsis

Romantic Dharma maps the emergence of Buddhism into European consciousness during the first half of the nineteenth century, probes the shared ethical and intellectual commitments embedded in Buddhist and Romantic thought, and proposes potential ways by which those insights translate into contemporary critical and pedagogical practices.

Review Quotes

"Buddhology has long endured debates over the status of the Buddhist scholar/practitioner. Here, in a different academic context, we can see the results of a Buddhist view of reality allied to thorough western scholarship. Read this book. It may just reflect the future direction of the humanities." - Relegere

"Lussier brings a unique combination of wide-ranging, original scholarship and intimate knowledge of Buddhist texts and practices to bear on this rich and demanding topic. Those looking for a reliable, stimulating, and inspiring introduction to the study of Buddhism and Romantic culture will find it in Romantic Dharma." - Alan Richardson, Professor of English, Boston College and author of The Neural Sublime

"This meticulously researched, personally poignant, and profoundly engaging book does two things at once. First, Lussier makes it impossible to read 'The West' as a monolith impervious to outside influences; Lussier does a fine job showing just how much Buddhism flowed into Western channels in early modernity. Secondly, through painstaking close readings of several Romantic authors, Lussier shows how deeply engrained are the affinities between Romanticism and Buddhism." - Timothy Morton, Professor of Literature and Environment, University of California, Davis

About the Author

MARK LUSSIER Professor of English at Arizona State University, USA.