The THE DEFEAT OF MĀRA AND THE EUROPEAN NINETEENTH-CENTURY GAZE ON THE LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

Abstract

This article analyzes nineteenth-century European interpretations of the Buddhisms, seeking to demonstrate how they contributed to consolidating readings that reinforced the hegemony of textual sources and the notion of degeneration among different traditions. Such approaches marked the emergence of the field of Buddhist Studies, linking categories such as “purity” and “simplicity” to the hierarchization of Buddhist traditions. Finally, the article discusses the episode of Māra’s Defeat in the life of the Buddha as an example of the limitations and implications of these perspectives. Methodologically, the study is based on a bibliographical and historical analysis, addressing these issues through Roger Chartier’s concept of representations and practices, articulated with a decolonial perspective. The main goal is to show how the European gaze constructed a specific approach to the life of the Buddha, focusing on fantastic narratives that helped reinforce such hierarchies. To this end, the article examines the episode of Māra’s Defeat as a key to understanding the tensions between history, religion, and Eurocentrism