Spreading the Dhamma

By Daniel M. Veidlinger

Book Description

In the sacred valleys of northern Thailand, a fascinating story unfolds about how Buddhist wisdom traveled from voice to page across four transformative centuries. Daniel M. Veidlinger takes readers on an illuminating journey through the kingdom of Lan Na, where monks and laypeople navigated the delicate balance between ancient oral traditions and emerging written texts.

This scholarly exploration reveals how early Buddhist communities actually engaged with their most treasured teachings. Through meticulous research into indigenous chronicles, foreign visitor accounts, stone inscriptions, and precious palm-leaf manuscripts, Veidlinger reconstructs a world where sacred knowledge lived primarily in memory and speech, yet gradually found new expression in written form.

For modern spiritual seekers, this work offers profound insights into how religious wisdom transmits across generations and cultures. The book examines the attitudes and practices of both monastic communities and ordinary believers as they encountered Pali Buddhist texts in their daily spiritual lives. Rather than simply documenting historical facts, this study illuminates the dynamic relationship between oral and written traditions that shaped Buddhist practice in Southeast Asia.

Readers interested in Buddhist history, the preservation of spiritual teachings, or the evolution of religious communication will discover how sacred texts functioned within living communities of faith. This pioneering research opens a window into understanding how timeless dharma teachings adapted to changing times while maintaining their essential wisdom.