A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism: 1 (Wiley-Blackwell Guides to Buddhism) - Hardcover

Deal, William E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1405167009 ISBN 13: 9781405167000

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2015

Synopsis

A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism offers a comprehensive, nuanced, and chronological account of the evolution of Buddhist religion in Japan from the sixth century to the present day. * Traces each period of Japanese history to reveal the complex and often controversial histories of Japanese Buddhists and their unfolding narratives * Examines relevant social, political, and transcultural contexts, and places an emphasis on Japanese Buddhist discourses and material culture * Addresses the increasing competition between Buddhist, Shinto, and Neo-Confucian world-views through to the mid-nineteenth century * Informed by the most recent research, including the latest Japanese and Western scholarship * Illustrates the richness and complexity of Japanese Buddhism as a lived religion, offering readers a glimpse into the development of this complex and often misunderstood tradition

About this title

Review:

"In short, this study is a welcome contribution to the field and will make an excellent textbook for the classroom." (Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, 1 October 2015)

"The great value of the book is to direct readers to approaches and theories perhaps overlooked by more general histories of Buddhism. Each chapter includes its own bibliography and notes, making the book useful for study of narrow sections of Japan's history." (Buddhist Art News 2016)

From the Back Cover:

A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism presents a vivid, nuanced, and chronological account of Buddhist religion in Japan, from its emergence in the sixth century right through to the present day. Authors William Deal and Brian Ruppert, both experts on Japanese religions, explore each period of Japanese history to reveal the complex and often controversial histories of Japanese Buddhists and their unfolding narratives.

Incorporating the most recent Japanese and Western scholarship, the book explores the contexts that made possible the introduction of Buddhist texts and images in the sixth century; traces their development through the Nara and early Heian eras; and reveals the increasing influence of Buddhism into the Kamakura Era. It addresses the increasing competition between Buddhist, Shinto, and Neo-Confucian world-views through to the mid-19th century, and following Japan's emergence as a world power, explores Buddhist thought and practice from World War II through to the present day. Offering readers more than a simple historical review, the authors also reveal the seemingly contradictory ways that Japanese people are able to draw upon Buddhist ideas to help create a more meaningful world, whilst at the same time justifying multiple and competing perspectives. With scholarly precision, A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism offers an illuminating glimpse into the evolution of a complex and often misunderstood religious tradition.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 1405167009
• ISBN 13: 9781405167000
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 313