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What is the Mayans book?

banned_crabbanned_crab Veteran
in Arts & Writings
I want to read their "bible"

Does anybody know what its called or if it even exists?

Comments

  • BhikkhuJayasaraBhikkhuJayasara Bhikkhu Veteran
    Archaeology has an extremely limited amount of knowledge on the maya with regards to ancient writings due to the missionaires destroying it, there was one missionary who did try to preserve some stuff, cant remember much of the specifics.
  • matthewmartinmatthewmartin Amateur Bodhisattva Suburbs of Mt Meru Veteran
    Popol Vuh comes to mind. I read about a modern Mayan who was fortunate to get his hands on a copy and he was able to read it (it must have had a Latin transliteration).. I think, it was years ago I read the story. Anyhow, the author was illustrating how amazing it was that any modern mayan recognized the ancient texts & stories after 100s of years of repression.

    What ever you read, read the recent stuff, something like A forest of Kings-- http://www.amazon.com/Forest-Kings-Untold-Story-Ancient/dp/0688112048/ref=cm_lmf_tit_3 There has been a massive revolution in the understanding of Mayan writing recently. For a while archeologists incorrectly thought the wall writings were all about calendars. Mayans *do* care about calenders, in fact more than you'd expect. But is written on their walls is only partly about calenders. The rest is magic, politics and a real fierce, blood thirsty society.

    Source material: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_religion#Sources_of_traditional_Mayan_religion

    Oh, boy, I tried to find a suitable book on Amazon... it's like overrun with pseudo science. Watch out for that, too.
  • anatamananataman Who needs a title? Where am I? Veteran
    I don't think they had a bible per se that has survived. Not sure how it would help you.
  • DakiniDakini Veteran
    edited December 2013
    The Popol Vuh isn't really a Mayan "Bible". It's basically the Mayan creation myth. It's available in English translation.
  • matthewmartinmatthewmartin Amateur Bodhisattva Suburbs of Mt Meru Veteran
    Dakini said:

    The Popol Vuh isn't really a Mayan "Bible". It's basically the Mayan creation myth.

    I concur, its just a story that has survived and is well known. It sort of has the same role of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which got translated and arrived in the west first, and if that was all you knew of Buddhism, it would be a pretty peculiar looking corner of the elephant.

  • banned_crabbanned_crab Veteran
    matthewmartin said:

    Dakini said:

    The Popol Vuh isn't really a Mayan "Bible". It's basically the Mayan creation myth.

    I concur, its just a story that has survived and is well known. It sort of has the same role of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, which got translated and arrived in the west first, and if that was all you knew of Buddhism, it would be a pretty peculiar looking corner of the elephant.

    exactly what imlooking for, something similar to the tibetan book of the dead, thanks guys.
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