Diamantmeister und Hausvater: Buddhistisches Gemeindeleben in Nepal

This work is a study of Buddhism in the Valley of Kathmandu. This variation of Buddhism, which still flourishes among the Newar people, may rightly be termed 'Newar Buddhism'. Together with Lamaism, Newar Buddhism is the most important form of Vajrayana, the third of the three great schools of the Buddhist Doctrine. By nature, it is mainly esoteric, ritualistic and magic. The book, based on field research and philological investigations, centres on contemporary community life as well as the caste life of the Buddhist Newars which, being extremely diversified, confront individual members of each group with a number of duties which steadily increase during their life time. The author also provides many traces into past history. Eighty beautiful colour photos, a number of which are unique, accompany the various sections of the book.