The Kathmandu Valley as a Water Pot - Abstracts of Research Papers on Newar Buddhism in Nepal

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This book is a collection of abstracts of my papers on Newer Buddhism in Nepal, which I have published over these past 25 years. I am aware that it would be desirable to completely rewrite these papers in light of the latest scholarship throughout the world. But I’m afraid that it would Become too bulky a volume. I didn’t wish to publish anything too larhe in size, so I restricted my citations of the latest studies to minimum. In fact, I omitted many important worksin orders to summarize my papers. I hope they will be reffered to in the development of discussion.

I visited the Valley of Kathmandu for the first time in 1985 to research the Newer Buddhist Manuscripts. Everything that I saw there fascinated me at once. I was surprised by their festivals, manners and customs, and especially their Buddhist rituals. Many questions rushed at me one after another. I asked my self,”what is the real aim of their performance?” My papers were produced to help me arrive at my own answers, although some questions remains insoluble. I know that my papers are lacking in certain consideration, and I alone am responsible for any error of fact, interpreatation, or omission. I believe that they will make good their arrangements. I will be happy if my struggle to interpret the Newer Buddhish rituals is any help in baering fresh fruit.

My fieldwork in Valley was carried out from Febuary 1985 to Januray 1989. Of these four years, two years were supported by educational Ministry of Japan. Since then, I’ve had some subsequent opportunities to revisit the Valley. During my stay in the Valley, I was lucky enough to ask for a lot of invaluable to ask for a lot of invaluable advice from Gurus and friends of the Newers. I couldn’t make up my mind in grappling with my questions about Newer Buddhism without their support. I would also like to thank the late Pandit Asa Kaji Vajracarya, the late Ratna kaji Vajracayra, and the late Prem bahadur Kansakar for their expert help. They talked to me as if I were their real son, and they taught me repeatedly the importance of studying Newer Buddhism and its cultural heritage. I pray whole-heartedly for the repose of their souls.

Guru Yajnaman pati Vajracayra and Dr. Bhadara ratna Vajracayra gave me good counsels for my research, when I visited the Valley in 2011. Dr. Shankar Thapa kindly showed me his academic achievements on Buddhist Sanskrit Literature of Nepal. He also recommended my am most grateful to them for their kind advice to publish this book. Finally, I express my hearty thanks to Mr. Iain Sinclair. He corrected my English, and he Gave me many suggestions. I cannot thank him too much. But it is impossible even for him to correct all of my poor English. Readers are still required to perceive what I meant.