Les Fonctions sociales de la symbolique religieuse chez les Bouddhistes à Sri Lanka / Social Functions of Religions Symbolism in Sri Lanka Buddhists - article ; n°1 ; vol.37, pg 23-41

François Houtart.

Description

Archives des sciences sociales des religions - Année 1974 - Volume 37 - Numéro 1 - Pages 23-41
This article is an excerpt from larger piece of research on the rela tions between the religious and political fields in Singhalese society It studies symbolic Buddhist expressions in three areas rural regions cities and political surroundings Recourse to religious symbolism is intense in rural areas both in daily life and or the major events in life Yet there is clear distinction of rites places and performers between what is provided by Buddhism whose function is the accumulation of merit and what is provided by religions of other origins Hinduism animism directed towards temporal functions unique structure however is found in the pantheon allowing us to speak of single reli gious system An evolution is being felt in the symbolic value of the religious system which is losing its collective expressive function in order to become more exclusively set of means for group or individual protection The adaptation of rites to the modernization of agriculture is striking Certain devotions tend to disappear in the same process whereas others make new progress Devotions and pilgrimage tend to become more individual The stability of the religious system is such that double system of symbolic practices co-exists today Recourse to the religious is inscribed in the context of assistance to be given to the performing person In urban surroundings one witnesses process of rationalization of religious practices visible expressions of the dominant place Bud dhism has in the society once again public statues) changes in the pantheon progress the hierarchy of Skända the god of success in temporal affairs The religious also plays his role in political action since Buddhism has been closely associated with the political history of the country Political leaders perform religious acts which express search for legiti macy Moreover when an insurrection of youth occurred in 1971 the religious institution was called upon to maintain social order Religion has an important function from various viewpoints the gods have become individual beings more the projection of social construction endowed with power and meeting with chance in daily life This hope of effectiveness reinforces the individualistic ethos sustained by the dominant social and political system tends to reinforce the atomization of society and diminish its capacity for collective reaction
19 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Archives-des-sciences-sociales-des-religions
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1974
• Nombre de lectures: 104
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

François Houtart
Les Fonctions sociales de la symbolique religieuse chez les
Bouddhistes à Sri Lanka / Social Functions of Religions
Symbolism in Sri Lanka Buddhists
In: Archives des sciences sociales des religions. N. 37, 1974. pp. 23-41.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Houtart François. Les Fonctions sociales de la symbolique religieuse chez les Bouddhistes à Sri Lanka / Social Functions of
Religions Symbolism in Sri Lanka Buddhists. In: Archives des sciences sociales des religions. N. 37, 1974. pp. 23-41.
doi : 10.3406/assr.1974.1902
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/assr_0335-5985_1974_num_37_1_1902Abstract
This article is an excerpt from larger piece of research on the rela tions between the religious and
political fields in Singhalese society It studies symbolic Buddhist expressions in three areas rural
regions cities and political surroundings Recourse to religious symbolism is intense in rural areas both in
daily life and or the major events in life Yet there is clear distinction of rites places and performers
between what is provided by Buddhism whose function is the accumulation of merit and what is
provided by religions of other origins Hinduism animism directed towards temporal functions unique
structure however is found in the pantheon allowing us to speak of single reli gious system An evolution
is being felt in the symbolic value of the religious system which is losing its collective expressive
function in order to become more exclusively set of means for group or individual protection The
adaptation of rites to the modernization of agriculture is striking Certain devotions tend to disappear in
the same process whereas others make new progress Devotions and pilgrimage tend to become more
individual The stability of the religious system is such that double system of symbolic practices co-exists
today Recourse to the religious is inscribed in the context of assistance to be given to the performing
person In urban surroundings one witnesses process of rationalization of religious practices visible
expressions of the dominant place Bud dhism has in the society once again public statues) changes in
the pantheon progress the hierarchy of Skända the god of success in temporal affairs The religious also
plays his role in political action since Buddhism has been closely associated with the political history of
the country Political leaders perform religious acts which express search for legiti macy Moreover when
an insurrection of youth occurred in 1971 the religious institution was called upon to maintain social
order Religion has an important function from various viewpoints the gods have become individual
beings more the projection of social construction endowed with power and meeting with chance in daily
life This hope of effectiveness reinforces the individualistic ethos sustained by the dominant social and
political system tends to reinforce the atomization of society and diminish its capacity for collective
reactionArch Sc soc des Rel. 37 1974 23-41
Fran ois HouTART
LES FONCTIONS SOCIALES
DE LA SYMBOLIQUE RELIGIEUSE
CHEZ LES BOUDDHISTES SRI LANKA
what merit intense tions pantheon Yet adaptation animism cities religious more new studies devotions in The of macy temporal symbolic however system Political dhism has gious the there progress This In An The been stability is exclusively between and system context which Moreover has in symbolic provided urban evolution is affairs religious leaders practices institution tend article rural closely of political directed progress what found in is rites of the Devotions to clear surroundings losing areas assistance is perform the religious Buddhist when by associated disappear in to also co-exists is set society an towards provided was the distinction Buddhism being its of excerpt both plays visible the an and modernization pantheon called means religious collective to once and insurrection in hierarchy today expressions felt pilgrimage in with be temporal his one by from daily upon system political whose given of for again the role in religions witnesses acts expressive allowing Recourse the rites life same group to in larger of is political which functions public maintain function symbolic and tend the of in places fields Skända such agriculture process of or youth us three performing to piece function to or express individual other the to that in statues) become and history the religious action is social speak value of areas occurred the dominant Singhalese whereas major origins the research performers is in unique god of double more striking person search order accumulation since of changes protection rationalization rural symbolism events of in the others is place individual single Hinduism on Buddhism success society system for to structure 1971 inscribed religious country regions the between Certain in become legiti make Bud rela reli The life the in of is It
Religion has an important function from various viewpoints
the gods have become individual beings more the projection of social
construction endowed with power and meeting with chance in daily
life This hope of effectiveness reinforces the individualistic ethos
sustained by the dominant social and political system tends to reinforce
the atomization of society and diminish its capacity for collective reaction
23 ARCHIVES DE SCIENCES SOCIALES DES RELIGIONS
TUDE de la religion peut avoir pour le sociologue divers points de départ
Le nôtre fut au cours une recherche sur la société singhalaise celui
de ses fonctions sociales Après les avoir étudiées certains moments de histoire
notamment introduction du bouddhisme dans le premier royaume singhalais
Anuradhapura dans le royaume de Kandy du xvine siècle au cours des deux
types de colonisation portugaise et britannique nous avons été amenés poser le
problème dans époque contemporaine Tout de suite après indépendance
un conflit religieux entre bouddhistes et catholiques fit jouer aux deux confes
sions religieuses un rôle majeur identification sociale et politique Après les années
1960 alors que le pays orientait vers des préoccupations plus économiques sans
cependant entrer dans une phase de réformes sociales importantes de nouvelles
fonctions sociales pouvaient être décelées la fois pour le catholicisme et pour le
bouddhisme
Une enquête sur la population catholique pu être réalisée 2) et dans le
cas du bouddhisme nous nous sommes appuyés sur un certain nombre de travaux
existants monographies études anthropologiques et aussi sur quelques obser
vations directes mais non systématisées en enquêtes Ce travail est situé dans une
perspective ensemble préoccupée de retrouver les relations entre le champ poli
tique et le champ religieux et se repla ant dans la tradition wébérienne On en
trouvera le cadre théorique détaillé dans une publication faite dans Social
Compass 3)
Les expressions symboliques serviront indicateurs principaux parce il
semblé que par ce biais nous pouvions le plus adéquatement étudier la fois
la persistance de significations sociales et politiques du système religieux et ses
adaptations éventuelles Par ailleurs des études ayant été menées dans les milieux
urbains comme ruraux cela permettait aussi de différencier ces deux aspects de
la réalité et comme le bouddhisme ne dispose pas une organisation centrale
destinée orienter son système de significations les tendances doctrinales sont
plus difficilement perceptibles et demanderaient une étude élaborée des contenus
et des producteurs Enfin sur le plan politique utilisation du symbolisme
religieux est aisé relever Les expressions symboliques serviront donc de base
la réflexion sociologique au même titre que les données récoltées par les enquêtes
sur le groupe catholique
Si dans ces enquêtes nous avions pu pousser assez loin étude des strates
sociales différentes nous devrons nous contenter ici de traits beaucoup plus
généraux est pourquoi trois distinctions seulement seront faites les milieux
ruraux en prenant essentiellement les masses paysannes les milieux urbains ce
qui correspondra principalement aux classes occidentalisées intermédiaires et le
pouvoir politique est-à-dire le groupe élitique actuellement au pouvoir La
situation socio-politique dont nous partons est celle de introduction des masses
comme objectif du développement mais sans que celles-ci en soient le sujet et
sans que de sérieuses transformations de structures sociales existent dans la
Ce fut objet une thèse de doctorat présentée Université Catholique de Louvain
et intitulée Champ religieux et champ politique leurs interrelations dans la société singhalaise
Louvain 1978 publiée en anglais Religion and Ideology Sri Lanka Bangalole T.P.I. 1974
HouTAKT et LEMEBCINIEK Modèles culturels socio-religieux des groupes éliti-
ques catholiques Sri-Lanka Social Compass XX 1973) pp 303-320
HouTAB.T Les interrelations entre champ religieux et champ politique dans la société
singhalaise Social Compass 1973) pp 105-138
D