Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Genre: Religious Studies / History / Sri Lankan Studies / Colonial Studies

Book Review:
Anne Blackburn's Locations of Buddhism is a masterful, deeply humane, and groundbreaking study that transforms our understanding of Buddhism under colonial rule. Focusing on the life of Hikkaduve Sumangala—one of the most important and influential monks of 19th-century Sri Lanka—Blackburn reveals a world far more complex than previous accounts have suggested. Where earlier studies emphasized innovation and invention in response to colonialism, Blackburn finds fascinating continuities with precolonial Buddhist traditions, in Sri Lanka and across Southeast Asia. She shows how Sumangala and his circle drew on deep intellectual heritage while also engaging with colonial technologies and discourses, creating new institutions and forms of association. This is not just a biography of one man; it's a window into how colonized societies navigate change, how tradition and modernity intertwine, and how religious life persists and adapts under foreign rule. The praise from leading scholars is extraordinary: Gananath Obeyesekera calls it ''a must-read''; Indrani Chatterjee describes it as ''an intricately choreographed dance across two scholarly minefields''; Steve Collins says it's ''the best study of Buddhism and colonialism in Sri Lanka to have appeared in more than twenty years... delightful as well as very important.'' Essential reading for anyone interested in Buddhism, colonialism, or the rich history of Sri Lanka.