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Podcast: New Books in Buddhist Studies
Episode: Sam van Schaik, "Buddhist Magic: Divination, Healing, and Enchantment through the Ages" (Shambala Publications, 2020)
Description: As far back as we can see in the historical record, Buddhist monks and nuns have offered services including healing, divination, rain making, aggressive magic, and love magic to local clients. Studying this history, scholar Sam van Schaik concludes that magic and healing have played a key role in Buddhism’s flourishing, yet they have rarely been studied in academic circles or by Western practitioners. The exclusion of magical practices and powers from most discussions of Buddhism in the modern era can be seen as part of the appropriation of Buddhism by Westerners, as well as an effect of mo...