Please join us for an invited talk by Prof. Joseph A. Marino, III, generously co-sponsored by the Departments of Asian Studies, History and Philosophy; the South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Religious Studies Programs; and the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly. The event is open to all interested, and special accommodations can be made for access upon request.
This talk examines the metaphor of hell as a place of burning in early Buddhist literature. Taking a Gandhari manuscript about the "Great Conflagration Hell” as our starting place, we explore foundational Buddhist hell texts and contemporaneous non-Buddhist Sanskrit literature to understand the Buddhist “hot hell” as a combination of two fire metaphors used widely elsewhere: the notion of desire as a fire that must be extinguished, and that of tapas as a purifying fire generated through austerity. Along the way, we see how “hot hell” descriptions develop from and build upon the volatile and violent depictions of a blacksmith’s forge.

Joe Marino is Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Washington, where he teaches Sanskrit and courses on Buddhist history and literature. His research specialty is Buddhist manuscripts from Gandhāra, which he edits, translates, and studies in the comparative context of early Buddhist literature in Indic and Chinese languages. He also writes about the pedagogical and literary functions of metaphor and simile in early Buddhist sutras. Joe received a BA and MA in Comparative Studies from Ohio State University, and an MA in Comparative Religion and PhD in Buddhist Studies from the University of Washington.

Due to COVID-era regulations, all attendees are required to register for this event here: http://cglink.me/2ee/r992968

Upon registration you should receive an automated email with the Zoom link. If for any reason you do not receive this email, please contact Bruno at bms297@cornell.edu.