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Malleable Mara: Transformations of a Buddhist Symbol of Evil

Author:Michael D. Nichols
ISBN:9788195293124
Binding:Hardcover
Year:2025
Pages:268 with 4 b/w illustrations
Size:16 x 24 x 3 cm
Weight:572 grams
Price:INR19951796.00

About the Book
This is the first book to examine the development of the figure of Mara, who appears across Buddhist traditions as a personification of death and desire. Portrayed as a combination of god and demon, Mara serves as a key antagonist to the Buddha, his followers, and Buddhist teaching in general. From ancient India to later Buddhist thought in East Asia to more recent representations in Western culture and media, Mara has been used to satirize Hindu divinities, taken the form of wrathful Tibetan gods, communicated psychoanalytic tropes, and appeared as a villain in episodes of Doctor Who. Michael D. Nichols details and surveys the historical transformations of the Mara figure and demonstrates how different Buddhist communities at different times have used this symbol to react to changing social and historical circumstances. Employing literary and cultural theory, Nichols argues that the representation of Mara closely parallels and reflects the social concerns and anxieties of the particular Buddhist community producing it.
About the Author
Michael D. Nichols

Michael D. Nichols is Professor of Religious Studies at Martin University. He received his PhD in Religious Studies from Northwestern University. His research focuses on the religious traditions of South Asia, particularly Buddhism and Hinduism, with special interests in mythology, narrative, Buddhist-Hindu interactions, and the historical transformation of religious symbols. He is the author of Malleable Māra: Transformations of a Buddhist Symbol of Evil; Religion and Myth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and numerous studies on Buddhist mythology, Indian religious literature, and the figure of Māra in South Asian and comparative contexts.
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