Naomi Appleton Knihy

This book explores how multi-life stories served to construct, communicate, and challenge ideas about karma and rebirth within early South Asia.

Many Buddhas, One Buddha introduces a significant section of the important early Indian Buddhist text known as the Avadanasataka, or One Hundred Stories, and explores some of its perspectives on buddhahood.

Exploring the Jataka stories, this book highlights their significance in Theravada Buddhist culture, where they serve various roles in sermons, children's literature, and artistic expressions. It examines how these tales illustrate the Buddha's journey towards perfection in his previous lives as a bodhisatta. By analyzing the evolving role of these narratives within Buddhist doctrine and practice, the book aims to reintegrate this essential genre into the broader scholarly discourse on Buddhism.