But that’s Not Buddhism! Possession as a Path Towards an Anthropology of Buddhism

Abstract

This article explores the often-overlooked phenomenon of spirit possession in the Kathmandu Valley among Newar Buddhist women, known as dyaḥmāṃ. Despite their integral role in local Buddhist practices, their practices, like those of other spirit mediums in the Buddhist world, often find themselves at the margins of what counts as Buddhism. Drawing on ethnographic data, this article challenges the dichotomy between possession and Buddhism, arguing that possession is a vital aspect of Buddhist practice rather than its other. By examining the Buddhist framework of the possession rituals of the dyaḥmāṃ, the paper demonstrates how possession traditions are deeply intertwined with Buddhist norms.