Nirvana for Sale by Rachelle M. Scott is an anthropological investigation of the intersection of wealth and piety in Thai Theravada Buddhism. Through ethnographic methods, the book seeks to describe this relationship in a historically situated context. Therefore, the book is concerned with cultural praxis in the context of religious discourses on wealth and piety. As a piece of ethnography, the work is competent, but draws little attention to the classic anthropological methodology of participant observation, characterized by long-term commitment. with local cultural practices. The claims made are instead gathered through an analysis of publications and dialogues within the Thai Buddhist community, mostly centered on a controversy over fundraising methods for the construction of the Dhammakaya Temple and situated in the socio-historical context of the changing climate Thailand's economy over the past few years. mid-twentieth century. This socio-historical situation is suitable for work that seeks to illuminate and elucidate the discursive tradition of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand. This is achieved by examining Thai Theravada Buddhism through different analytical frameworks. First, Scott examines “discourses of wealth and piety” within “specific historical and cultural contexts” in order to demonstrate “the dynamic character of Buddhist renunciation” (17). He then gives us a history of the Dhammakaya temple spanning from its origins in Thailand's growing economy to the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s. Following this historical situation, Scott then examines how the Dhammakaya temple used discourses on the creation of merit within Buddhism to create a situation where “…… middle of paper … or de-essentialize and de-orientalize the religious system of Islam, and place it instead as part of a historical discursive tradition in which practices were contested and continually changing. This challenges notions of what authentic religious practices are in Theravada Buddhism and, in doing so, broadens understanding of what forms they can take. For this reason, the work is useful and highly recommended for an aspiring religious or anthropological scholar. Works Cited Johnson, Jordan. “A Review of Nirvana for Sale?: Buddhism, Wealth, and the Dhammakāya Temple in Contemporary Thailand.” Journal of Buddhist Ethics. 20. (2013): 105-109. Network. December 19, 2013. Scott, Rachelle M. Nirvana for Sale?: Buddhism, Wealth, and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. New York: SUNY Press, 2009. Print.