Print and Internet Resources for the Study of Sri Lankan Buddhism



Print Resources
General bibliography:
H. A. I. Goonetileke, A Bibliography of Ceylon (Zug, Switzerland: Inter Documentation Co., [1970- ])
Bailey Howe Reference Z3211 .G65, vols. 1-5
a comprehensive bibliography of scholarship on Sri Lanka in Western languages from the 16th century through the 1970s

Mahinda Deegalle, "A Bibliography on Sinhala Buddhism," Journal of Buddhist Ethics 4 (1997)
an extensive on-line bibliography of books and articles on Sri Lankan Buddhism

Encyclopedias:
Encyclopedia of Buddhism, ed. Robert Buswell, Jr. (New York: Macmillan Reference, 2004)
Bailey Howe Reference BQ128 .E62 2004
the most comprehensive and up to date encyclopedia of Buddhism

Encyclopaedia of Buddhism, ed. G. P. Malalasekera (Colombo: Government of Sri Lanka, 1961- )
Bailey Howe Reference BL1403 .E5
an encyclopedia of Buddhism written mostly by Sri Lankan scholars with very good coverage of Buddhist textual sources, especially those in Pali; entries end in middle of the alphabet

Dictionaries:

Pali-English Dictionary, ed. T. W. Rhys Davids and William Stede (London: Pali Text Society, 1959)
Bailey Howe Reference PK1091 .P33 1959
the standard Pali-English dictionary, gradually being superceded by the Critical Pali Dictionary (Copenhagan: Munksgaard, 1970- ) which now covers words beginning with vowels and the first few consonants;
an on-line version of the Pali Text Society dictionary can be found on the Digital Dictionaries of South Asia Web site at the University of Chicago

G. P. Malalasekera, Dictionary of Pali Proper Names (London: Pali Text Society, 1961)
Bailey Howe Reference PK4501.A3 M3
a comprehensive dictionary of proper names found in canonical and commentarial Pali texts with extensive textual references; this is a gold mine of information and references; for an on-line version, see the Buddhist Dictionary of Pali Proper Names

Pali Canon:
Nearly the entire Theravada Pali canon (Tipitaka) has been translated into English and published by the Pali Text Society, and much of it is shelved on the second floor of Bailey-Howe Library in the series, Sacred Books of the Buddhists (BQ1138 .S23); generally reliable translations of many texts from this collection can be found on the Access to Insight Web site (see below), including a very helpful overview of the Pali canon


Internet Resources
Sites listing numerous Internet resources for the study of religion:
Bailey-Howe Library Religion Subject Guide
a good list of reference works in the UVM library, as well as useful research databases and on-line resources

Wabash Center Guide to Internet Resources for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion
very extensive list of Internet links for the study of religion

University of Virginia Religious Movements Web Site
probably the best on-line resource for contemporary religious movements

University of Florida Religion Religions Religious Studies Site
another excellent set of links to sites devoted to the study of religion, including undergraduate and graduate departments of religion

General resources for the study of Buddhism:
Buddhist Studies WWW Virtual Library
one of the most comprehensive collections of resources on Buddhism available on the Internet; based at Australian National University

BuddhaNet
an extensive collection of educational materials on Buddhism compiled by the Buddhist Information and Education Network in Australia

Journal of Buddhist Ethics
a pioneering electronic journal with a focus on Buddhist ethics, though the collection of links (see the link to "Global Resources for Buddhist Studies" which is accessed from the "Resources" link on the left of the home page) extends well beyond ethics; good for access both to communities of practicing Buddhists and to academic organizations and databases concerned with Buddhist studies

Buddhism Depot
this is a good entry-point for resources generated by North American Buddhists, including discussion lists and chat rooms

Access to Insight
the most comprehensive Internet collection of translated Theravada Buddhist texts, including the work of contemporary Theravadins; provides helpful resources for the close reading of canonical texts

Electronic Resources for the Study of Buddhist Texts
comprehensive set of links to on-line Buddhist texts from various schools of Buddhism

General Sri Lankan-related Internet sites:
WWW Virtual Library—Sri Lanka
a major collection of diverse links to information on Sri Lanka

MettaNet Foundation Web site
a site dedicated to Sri Lankan and Theravada Buddhist material, including Buddhist texts

Sri Lankan Buddhist temples in the U.S. and Canada

TamilEelam Web site
official Web site of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam


On-line Sri Lankan English-language newspapers:
LankaPage
a Web site providing links to current on-line English-language newspaper articles on events in Sri Lanka

Women in Buddhism:
Resources on Women's Ordination
information on women in the Sangha collected by Women Active in Buddhism

Sakyadhita
Web site of an international organization of Buddhist women

Women in the Theravada Tradition
set of links by and about women in Theravada Buddhism, including numerous texts in translation

Feminism in Sri Lanka
a collection of material on feminism and women's groups in Sri Lanka, including bibliographical references, hosted by the Feminist Theory Web site

Meditation:
Vipassana.com Web site
good collection of material on the Theravada-based form of meditation know as vipassana or "insight" meditation

Bhavana Society Web site
collection of material on vipassana meditation compiled by the Bhavana Society, a meditation organization founded by the Ven. Henepola Gunaratana, a Sri Lankan-born Buddhist monk who has helped popularize Theravada-based forms of meditation in North America


Pilgrimage:
Sri Lankan pilgrimage sites

Sacred Sites of Sri Lanka Web site
links to many of the major Sri Lankan pilgrimage sites, including several important Buddhist temples

Sixteen Places of Veneration
Web page with historical information on the traditional sixteen Buddhist pilgrimage sites

Sri Pada (Adam's Peak)
Sri Pada Web site
extensive set of links on the Sri Pada pilgrimage
Kataragama

Kataragama Web site
extensive set of links on Kataragama

Relics:
The Stupa Information Page
a Web site devoted to the construction of Buddhist stupas (relic monuments)

Ritual:
Buddhist Ceremonies and Rituals of Sri Lanka
a good introduction to Sri Lankan Buddhist rituals by A.G.S. Kariyawasam

Monasticism:
Buddhist Studies: Monastic Community
collection of Web pages at BuddhaNet covering many aspects of Buddhist monastic life


Copyright 2009 Kevin Trainor                                                               Last updated: 1/29/09