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Document Details : Title: On the Magical Power of Writing Subtitle: Form and Function of Early Buddhist Textual Amulets Author(s): HOLZ, Kathrin Journal: Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies Volume: 47 Date: 2024 Pages: 71-103 DOI: 10.2143/JIABS.47.0.3294221 Abstract : This article explores the magical power of writing in the context of early Buddhist textual amulets. In various Buddhist traditions, protective texts, known as rakṣā texts, were inscribed on amulets to safeguard the wearer from illness, danger, and misfortune. These apotropaic manuscripts were written on materials such as birch bark, cloth, or paper, then rolled or folded and enclosed in containers to be carried. Particularly in early Buddhism, they played a crucial role in the daily lives of monks, laypeople, and travellers. Research indicates that these amulets were not only preserved but actively used. Epigraphic and archaeological findings from Central Asia, India, and China provide evidence of their widespread application and ritual use. The article further examines the interplay between text, form, and function, as well as the production and ritual practice surrounding these protective scriptures. |
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