Researchers at Bristol Buddhist Studies have undertaken a wide range of projects that have contributed significantly to the field. Below is a selection of past projects that reflect the diversity of topics explored:
- Bile, Arsenic, and Gall Stones: The Healing Substances of Japanese Esoteric Buddhism
Supported by the Japan Foundation, this project allowed Benedetta Lomi to carry out research on the role of realgar in Buddhist and medical practices of premodern Japan. Her work emphasised therapeutic efficacy, symbolic meanings, and socio-cultural contexts, thereby offering new insights into the healing practices within Esoteric Buddhism. The project ran from August 2019 to May 2020. - Madness, Mental Health, and Buddhism: An Examination of smyo nad (‘madness’) in the Tibetan Context
Supported by a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017–2020), this project explored the interplay of spiritual and medical interpretations of mental health. Susannah Deane (UWE) examined the concept of madness in Tibetan Buddhism, combining fieldwork in Qinghai, China, and carry out in-depth textual research. - Abhidharma and the Analysis of Mind
This study by Rupert Gethin, funded by the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Research Fellowship (2016–2017), offered a comparative analysis of Buddhist thought on the workings of the mind, using sources in Sanskrit, Pali, and Chinese. - Feeding Humans and Non-Humans in Theravada Buddhism
Supported by a BA Small Grant in 2014, this project used mini-documentaries to study the relationship between humans and non-humans in Theravada Buddhism, focusing on food offerings in Southeast Asia. - The Explanation of the Auspicious (Maṅgalatthadīpanī)
Conducted by Gregory Kourilsky (EFEO) and supported by a Marie Curie Fellowship, this project examined a major work of the Buddhist literature of Southeast Asia, the Maṅgalatthadīpanī of Sirimaṅgala, composed in Chiang Mai at the beginning of 16th century. The research ran from October 2013 to October 2014. - Controversies over Causation in Candrakirti’s Prasannapada
In this project Goran Kardas (University of Zagreb), examined the philosophical debates on causation in Candrakirti’s Prasannapada. The research ran from November 2011 to May 2012. - Abhidharma: the Buddhist Model of the Mind
Conducted by Rupert Gethin, this project examined the Abhidharma’s conceptualisation of the mind within Buddhist thought. The research spanned from September 2011 to September 2012. - Preacher and Ritualist: The Role of the Theravada Buddhist Monk
This research project, led by Rita Langer, investigated the dual roles of the Theravada monk as both preacher and ritualist. The project took place from March 2010 to July 2010. - Buddhist Death Rituals of South East Asia and China
A collaborative project involving Paul Williams, John Kieschnick, along with Patrice Ladwig, Rita Langer, and A. Laxton. This comprehensive study of Buddhist death rituals ran from January 2007 to April 2010. - The Problem of Early Buddhist Theories of Meditation: One Path or Many?
In this project, Rupert Gethin explored early Buddhist meditation theories, questioning whether there is one path or multiple paths within the tradition. The research was conducted from October 2004 to July 2005.
These projects represent just a snapshot of the depth and breadth of research conducted by our staff, advancing understanding of Buddhist philosophy, ritual, and practice across various traditions and historical periods.