De-Centering Capitalism Within Theravada Buddhism Through a Benjaminian Ethics of Merit-Making

In this chapter, I attempt to go beyond Max Weber’s reading of Theravada Buddhism that often pits an irrational Primitive Buddhism against a capitalist rationale. I turn to Walter Benjamin who challenges the use of reason and breaks from this dichotomy. I point to instances where the ethical dimension not only appears in Theravada Buddhism but can also disrupt the tempo and logic of capitalism.