Encountering Newar Buddhism: An Introduction through its Rituals and Stories

Todd Lewis is one of a small group of scholars who have quietly been carrying out a revolution in our understanding of Mah?y?na Buddhism. We still find it stated that the Buddhism of Nepal is 'inauthentic', 'corrupt' and 'unworthy of consideration by those wanting a better understanding of Buddhism because of its syncretistic nature with Hinduism'. Yet scholars like Todd Lewis have taught us to see the Buddhism of Nepal as a perfectly 'orthodox' expression of Mah?y?na Buddhism 'in a place', Buddhism which has to be understood - as Buddhism always should be - located in its authentic cultural situation rather than relying for our understanding of Buddhism mainly on elite doctrinal and philosophical texts torn from their historical context in real Buddhist life and usage. Not only this, but Todd Lewis and others have shown us that the Buddhism of Nepal, which was historically often esteemed by other Mah?y?na Buddhists for its purity and vigour, is capable of giving us an important insigh