| A History of Japanese Buddhism Contributor(s): Matsuo (Author) |
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ISBN: 1905246412 ISBN-13: 9781905246410 Publisher: Brill OUR PRICE: $122.55 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: May 2008 Annotation: This first major study in English on Japanese Buddhism by one of Japan's most distinguished scholars in the field of religious studies is to be widely welcomed. The main focus of the work is on the tradition of the monk (o-bō -san) as the main agent of Buddhism, together with the historical processes by which monks have developed Japanese Buddhism as it appears in the present day. Uniquely, Japanese Buddhist monks are allowed to marry (1872), thereby rejecting the traditional precepts; they are preoccupied, almost to the exclusion of other "community" activities, with performing funeral rites, and for centuries Buddhism was institutionalized and politicized as a national religion, thereby marking it out as a distinctive sect within the Buddhist traditions worldwide. In more recent times, Japanese Buddhism has also engendered the birth of numerous new religious movements. In conclusion, the author reviews the future direction of Japanese Buddhism and the role of monks in society. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Religion | Buddhism - General (see Also Philosophy - Buddhist) |
| Dewey: 294.365 |
| Physical Information: 0.84" H x 6" W x 8.75" (1.07 lbs) 294 pages |
| Themes: - Religious Orientation - Buddhist |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: This first major study in English on Japanese Buddhism by one of Japan's most distinguished scholars in the field of Religious Studies is to be widely welcomed.The main focus of the work is on the tradition of the monk (o-bo-san) as the main agent of Buddhism, together with the historical processes by which monks have developed Japanese Buddhism as it appears in the present day. |