Buddhism under Capitalism

Abstract

F of us can deny the daily effects of global capitalism on our lives, for better or worse. That we live in a condition of global-interdependency is a Durkheimian social fact. Scholars of Buddhist histories, in any of their historical conditions, for the most part intuitively understand this—given how Buddhist doctrine works. That is, we are all empty of independent existence and conversely full of interdependent existence. We learn this in the Heart Sutra and so many other canonic teachings. In this edited volume, two highly regarded scholars in the field of Buddhist studies, Richard Payne and Fabio Rambelli, bring together a collection of essays, which, though diverse in goal and aim, all reflect this interdependency.