Kate Crosby on 'Esoteric' Buddhism

When a Buddhist hears the phrase "esoteric Buddhism," they will most likely think of Tibetan Buddhism, or perhaps Japanese Shingon. Yet a new book uncovers a little known tradition of esotericism within the Theravada tradition, a lineage usually thought to eschew such practices. In Esoteric Theravada (Shambhala; December 22, 2020) Kate Crosby, a professor of Buddhist studies at King's College, London, looks at a nearly forgotten Buddhist tradition in the Theravada world of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.