- Buddhist Studies, Textual Scholarship, Buddhist Philosophy, Japanese Buddhism, Contemporary Japanese Literature, Yogacara, and 25 moreKorean cinema, Japanese Religions, Japanese Popular Culture, Buddhism, Kukai, Old Chinese, Tantric Studies, Abhidhamma, Yogacara Buddhism, Buddhist Meditation, Buddhist Logic, Religion and Popular Culture, Japanese Literature, Manga and Anime Studies, Religion and Film, Film Studies, Mikkyo, Shinto Studies, Shingon, Shugendo, Buddhist Philology, Esoteric Buddhism, Chinese Buddhism, Tantra, and Pure Land Buddhismedit
- I study the history and philosophy of Japanese Buddhism, especially late Nara through early Heian. My research intere... moreI study the history and philosophy of Japanese Buddhism, especially late Nara through early Heian. My research interests, translations and writings include Gomyo's Daijō hossō kenjinshō 大乗法相研神章序, Kūkai's Ten Abodes of Mind 秘密十住心論, Buddhism in film, and Buddhism in contemporary Japanese Literature. I am researching and translating Kuiji's "Essays on the Forest of Meanings in the Mahayana Dharma Garden" 大乘法苑義林章. I'm the co-editor of the journal ASIANetwork Exchange (please submit your best works). Recent publications include Shintō in the History and Culture of Japan (http://cup.columbia.edu/book/shinto-in-the-history-and-culture-of-japan/9780924304910) and a translation and reevaluation of Gyonen’s Transmission of the Buddha Dharma in Three Countries along with Venerable Seongwon, Dr. Chanju Mun (https://brill.com/view/title/38364). I also published Buddhism Goes to the Movies (http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415841481/).
I completed the 1,200-kilometer (750-mile) Shikoku Pilgrimage on foot (mostly 野宿) and returned many times to study sections of it. I translated Santoka's Shikoku, the Shikoku dairies and poems of the Buddhist monk Taneda Santoka. I'm working on a project to digitize the pilgrimage in a gaming environment.edit
Book description with Table of Contents. This is a translation and assessment of Gyōnen’s (1240-1321) famous Sangoku buppō denzū engi (The Narrative History of the Transmission of the Buddha Dharma in Three Countries), hereafter... more
Book description with Table of Contents.
This is a translation and assessment of Gyōnen’s (1240-1321) famous Sangoku buppō denzū engi (The Narrative History of the Transmission of the Buddha Dharma in Three Countries), hereafter referred to as Transmission of the Buddha Dharma. It is the first translation of that influential text into English. The three countries referred to in the title are India, China and Japan. The text describes the transmission of Indian Buddhism to China, Chinese Buddhism to Japan, and the subsequent development of a select number of the native Buddhist schools in China and Japan.
This is a translation and assessment of Gyōnen’s (1240-1321) famous Sangoku buppō denzū engi (The Narrative History of the Transmission of the Buddha Dharma in Three Countries), hereafter referred to as Transmission of the Buddha Dharma. It is the first translation of that influential text into English. The three countries referred to in the title are India, China and Japan. The text describes the transmission of Indian Buddhism to China, Chinese Buddhism to Japan, and the subsequent development of a select number of the native Buddhist schools in China and Japan.
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Buddhism Goes to the Movies: Introduction to Buddhist Thought and Practice explains the basics of Buddhist philosophy and practice through a number of dramatic films from around the world. This book introduces readers in a dynamic way to... more
Buddhism Goes to the Movies: Introduction to Buddhist Thought and Practice explains the basics of Buddhist philosophy and practice through a number of dramatic films from around the world. This book introduces readers in a dynamic way to the major traditions of Buddhism: the Theravāda, and various interrelated Mahāyāna divisions including Zen, Pure Land and Tantric Buddhism. Students can use Ronald Green’s book to gain insights into classic Buddhist themes, including Buddhist awakening, the importance of the theory of dependent origination, the notion of no-self, and Buddhist ideas about life, death and why we are here. Contemporary developments are also explored, including the Socially Engaged Buddhism demonstrated by such figures as the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other Buddhist activists. Finally, comparisons between filmic expressions of Buddhism and more traditional artistic expressions of Buddhism—such as mandala drawings—are also drawn.
This file is a sample from the book. It includes the cover, title page, table of contents, and list of movies that feature representations of Buddhism.
This file is a sample from the book. It includes the cover, title page, table of contents, and list of movies that feature representations of Buddhism.
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The seventh in the series on Buddhism and peace published by Blue Pine Books. The series collects academically sound essays on the topic. It is hoped that the collection will shed light on various movements in Buddhism and peace, and... more
The seventh in the series on Buddhism and peace published by Blue Pine Books. The series collects academically sound essays on the topic. It is hoped that the collection will shed light on various movements in Buddhism and peace, and provide grounds for thinking about the issues involved.The series has published articles by Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926), who founded the Plum Village in France, by A. T. Ariyaratne (b. 1931), who started the Sarvodaya practice of conflict management in Sri Lanka, and the writings of numerous other Buddhist activists and scholars of Buddhist Studies. The seventh volume continues in this vein by offering fourteen admirable essays toward our continuing goal of sharing the spirit of compassion and thereby transforming conflict.For this volume, the editors chose articles that reflect Buddhist peace activism around the world, that characterize their regional activities, and that are presented from a variety of perspectives. Included are those about Korean Buddhism and peace (Mun and Koo), Japanese Buddhism and peace (Ogi, Satōand the Shōgyō-ji Archives Committee), Chinese Buddhism and peace (Lee),Indian Buddhism and peace (Huynh), and Myanmar Buddhism and peace(Long). Readers will also find the topic approached from a variety of perspectives including literary (Holt), comparative (Powell), political (Huynh),philosophical (Thompson), doctrinal (Varghese), and from perspectives of Socially Engaged Buddhism (Long). There are articles that describe actions of ecumenicists (Mun and Powell) and those that reflect the actions of specific Buddhist traditions (Long).
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Religious communities are among the largest social networks in the world. With billions of people across the globe aligning themselves with these communities, the world's religions hold a great potential for spreading peace and justice... more
Religious communities are among the largest social networks in the world. With billions of people across the globe aligning themselves with these communities, the world's religions hold a great potential for spreading peace and justice throughout the planet. Unfortunately, religions have too often pitted their affiliates in wars against those of other world religions and we continue to suffer from those conflicts today. In contrast, most major religions propagate messages of peace, loving kindness, and an end to afflictions around the world. In the modern era of easy global travel and communication, it is clear that such goals can only be realized when people come to respect religious differences and celebrate common human values. This book is a resource for understanding the peace philosophies and activities of world religions. It is hoped that readers might gain an understanding of the potentials religions hold for uniting large numbers of people in order to curtail violence and suffering.
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This paper examines the rich and complex cosmological views held during the late Nara and early Heian periods in Japan, focusing on the contributions of two eminent Buddhist scholars, Gomyō (758-843) and Kūkai (774-835). Through an... more
This paper examines the rich and complex cosmological views held during the late Nara and early Heian periods in Japan, focusing on the contributions of two eminent Buddhist scholars, Gomyō (758-843) and Kūkai (774-835). Through an in-depth analysis of their writings, we explore the multifaceted Buddhist understanding of the universe and multiverse, encompassing its evolutionary cycles, structural organization, and the intricate geography of its worlds. As shown in other studies, knowledge of medicine, civil engineering, architecture, and other areas were often spread from other countries to Japan by Buddhist travelers and Indian Buddhist texts. 2 Gomyō's writing containing the description of the geography of the earth and beyond is Chapters Providing a Brief Study of the Mahāyāna Yogācāra (Daijō hossō kenjenshō, Taishō 2309) and Kūkai's is the Mysterious Maṇḍala of the Ten Abodes of Mind (Himitsu mandara jūjūshinron, Taishō 2425). Both of these writing are believed to have been composed in response to an imperial order around the year 830. They are considered to by a part of the Tenchō era Writings of Six Schools (Tenchō rokuhon shūsho).
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Using various media, Kūkai's biographies over the centuries have represented events in his life in ways the correspond to his semiotic theory, which we are also doing in our project. The paper describes how Kūkai's view of simulacra,... more
Using various media, Kūkai's biographies over the centuries have represented events in his life in ways the correspond to his semiotic theory, which we are also doing in our project. The paper describes how Kūkai's view of simulacra, including that found in maṇḍala, are important to Kūkai's version of Shingon in relation to awakening.
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This paper examines the influence of writings by Silla Yogācāra Buddhists on the formation of orthodox interpretations within the Hossō tradition, Japanese Yogācāra. Part One, considers the frequency of citations of Silla masters and... more
This paper examines the influence of writings by Silla Yogācāra Buddhists on the formation of orthodox interpretations within the Hossō tradition, Japanese Yogācāra. Part One, considers the frequency of citations of Silla masters and their texts in principal Hossō writings and suggests several implications of this. Some of the Silla writings used by Hossō thinkers in support of their views were specifically condemned by the Chinese Faxiang tradition. This contradicts descriptions by Gyōnen and other historians of Hossō as an imported copy of Faxiang. Part Two of the paper assesses four points of argument that persisted for centuries in Japanese Yogācāra and the relationship of these arguments to Silla interpretations. These arguments challenge Faxiang understandings of epistemology, ontology, and logic.
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PowerPoint on Nosatsu and Pilgrimage Signs along Shikoku Henro (750 miles / 1,200 kilometers). Includes discussion of recent allegations of discrimination against Korean pilgrims in Shikoku and Shikoku's bid for recognition as a UNESCO... more
PowerPoint on Nosatsu and Pilgrimage Signs along Shikoku Henro (750 miles / 1,200 kilometers). Includes discussion of recent allegations of discrimination against Korean pilgrims in Shikoku and Shikoku's bid for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Presented at the 2017 Asian Studies on the Pacific Coast (ASPAC) conference, Salem, Oregon.
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Presented at the annual meeting of American Academy of Religion San Francisco, November 19-22, 2011 This paper suggests that the early portrayals of the social work activities of the Japanese Buddhist Gyōki (668–749 CE) could have been... more
Presented at the annual meeting of American Academy of Religion
San Francisco, November 19-22, 2011
This paper suggests that the early portrayals of the social work activities of the Japanese Buddhist Gyōki (668–749 CE) could have been based on, or related to, the Bodhisattva-bhūmi section of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. The paper does not presume to know what Gyōki was thinking or if he really did any of the things attributed to him, but only addresses how he is represented in the official imperial history of the time, the Shoku Nihongi. It responds to a number of scholars who have opposed the possibility that Gyōki was influenced by the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra and who have offered commentary related to this topic.
San Francisco, November 19-22, 2011
This paper suggests that the early portrayals of the social work activities of the Japanese Buddhist Gyōki (668–749 CE) could have been based on, or related to, the Bodhisattva-bhūmi section of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra. The paper does not presume to know what Gyōki was thinking or if he really did any of the things attributed to him, but only addresses how he is represented in the official imperial history of the time, the Shoku Nihongi. It responds to a number of scholars who have opposed the possibility that Gyōki was influenced by the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra and who have offered commentary related to this topic.
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This is an annotated translation of selections from Shinzai’s Introduction to Kūkai’s Collected Prose and Poetry and Kūkai’s poem “Interest in Going to the Mountains”. Kūkai’s collected prose and poetry is titled Henjō Hakki Shōryōsyū... more
This is an annotated translation of selections from Shinzai’s Introduction to Kūkai’s Collected Prose and Poetry and Kūkai’s poem “Interest in Going to the Mountains”. Kūkai’s collected prose and poetry is titled Henjō Hakki Shōryōsyū also called Henjō Hakki Seireishū (遍照発揮性霊集 Collection Divining the Spiritual Nature of Henjō), Henjō being Kūkai’s esoteric transformation name. Shinzai was one of Kūkai’s followers. The classical Chinese text used for these translations are found in the Kōbō Daishi Kūkai Zenshū, Volume 6. This paper also includes translations of the Japanese footnotes from those texts. “Interest in Going to the Mountains” is the third poem in Henjō Hakki Shōryōsyū / Seireishū.
That paper was present at the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies. The footnotes were discussed as a part of the examination of Confucian and Daoist motifs.
Keywords:
Buddhist Literature, Buddhist Studies, Kūkai ( Kukai ), Kōbō Daishi, Buddhist Poetry
空海の詩, 性霊集弘法大師, 弘法大師空海全集
That paper was present at the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies. The footnotes were discussed as a part of the examination of Confucian and Daoist motifs.
Keywords:
Buddhist Literature, Buddhist Studies, Kūkai ( Kukai ), Kōbō Daishi, Buddhist Poetry
空海の詩, 性霊集弘法大師, 弘法大師空海全集
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A study of Japanese Shingon Buddhist Cosmology, particular as it is represented in the Pilgrimage to 88 Temples in Shikoku. The paper describes the relationship of Shingon and the pilgrimage to Six Element theory, the Dual Mandala, the... more
A study of Japanese Shingon Buddhist Cosmology, particular as it is represented in the Pilgrimage to 88 Temples in Shikoku. The paper describes the relationship of Shingon and the pilgrimage to Six Element theory, the Dual Mandala, the Three Mysteries, and Sokushin jōbutsu.
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This paper looks at how Masanobu Fukuoka adopts Chan Buddhist philosophy in relation to his Zen natural farming method. To understand this, it examines the development in Chinese Buddhism that allowed and required Buddhist to farm,... more
This paper looks at how Masanobu Fukuoka adopts Chan Buddhist philosophy in relation to his Zen natural farming method. To understand this, it examines the development in Chinese Buddhism that allowed and required Buddhist to farm, defining farming as Buddhist practice. The paper is organized as follows.
I. Seeds in the Mahāyāna
II. Roots in Chan monastic regulations
III. Farming satori, Fukuoka’s writing on awakening.
I. Seeds in the Mahāyāna
II. Roots in Chan monastic regulations
III. Farming satori, Fukuoka’s writing on awakening.
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This is a draft translation of the first fascicle of Kukai's Himitsu Mandala Jujushinron, Treatise on the Mysterious Mandala of the Ten Abodes of Mind.
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This paper examines what has been described as the most basic and essential element of Kūkai’s (774-835) religio-philosophical system (Yamasaki 1988:190), meditation on the Sanskrit syllable ‘A’. According to Shingon Buddhist tradition,... more
This paper examines what has been described as the most basic and essential element of Kūkai’s (774-835) religio-philosophical system (Yamasaki 1988:190), meditation on the Sanskrit syllable ‘A’. According to Shingon Buddhist tradition, Kūkai introduced the meditation on the
syllable ‘A’ (hereafter referred to as the Ajikan) into Japan in the early 9th century, at the time he transmitted the Shingon Dharma to that country from China. Materials clearly showing the origin and development of the Ajikan before Kūkai’s time have either not been discovered or have not
been analyzed in relationship to the Ajikan. Indeed, some researchers have argued that the use of ‘A’ as a device for meditation arose as either a Chinese or a Japanese mistranslation of the Mahavairocana-sūtra. The present paper is an attempt to contribute to research on the
development of the Ajikan by pointing to related references in writings typically associated with earlier traditions.
syllable ‘A’ (hereafter referred to as the Ajikan) into Japan in the early 9th century, at the time he transmitted the Shingon Dharma to that country from China. Materials clearly showing the origin and development of the Ajikan before Kūkai’s time have either not been discovered or have not
been analyzed in relationship to the Ajikan. Indeed, some researchers have argued that the use of ‘A’ as a device for meditation arose as either a Chinese or a Japanese mistranslation of the Mahavairocana-sūtra. The present paper is an attempt to contribute to research on the
development of the Ajikan by pointing to related references in writings typically associated with earlier traditions.
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This paper describes Kuiji’s detailed analysis of individual capacities, which is the philosophical basis of his entire system of enlightenment. Our treatment of his scheme includes a description of his breakdown of (1) Two aspects of... more
This paper describes Kuiji’s detailed analysis of individual capacities, which is the philosophical basis of his entire system of enlightenment. Our treatment of his scheme includes a description of his breakdown of (1) Two aspects of Buddha-Nature, (2) Three Steps in the Process of Transformation (3) Two Divisions of the Basis (4) Five Gotras, and (5) Three types of icchantika. We begin by describing the background to Kuiji’s understanding.
Draft prepared for presentation at the 2017 meeting of the South Carolina Society for Philosophy.
Draft prepared for presentation at the 2017 meeting of the South Carolina Society for Philosophy.
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This is an annotated translation of the 103rd entry in the Henjō hokki shōryōshū (or seireishū), which is the second entry in scroll 10 of that document: "Dedication of the memorial image commemorating the late Venerable Master Gonzō,... more
This is an annotated translation of the 103rd entry in the Henjō hokki shōryōshū (or seireishū), which is the second entry in scroll 10 of that document: "Dedication of the memorial image commemorating the late Venerable Master Gonzō, with preface (故贈僧正勤操大徳影讚并序)."
The translation is based on the classical Chinese text found on pages 772-3 in Volume 6 of the Kōbō Daishi Kūkai Zenshū (KKZ) with reference to the Japanese translations on pages 651-8 and the endnotes on pages 701-7 in that collection.
The translation is based on the classical Chinese text found on pages 772-3 in Volume 6 of the Kōbō Daishi Kūkai Zenshū (KKZ) with reference to the Japanese translations on pages 651-8 and the endnotes on pages 701-7 in that collection.
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Ceremony for the establishment of the Shugei Shuchiin School, with preface (綜藝種智 院式幷序). "Shugei Shuchiin" is the Institution for Cultivating Knowledge of a Broad Weaving of Arts. This an annotated translation entry 102 in the Henjō Hakki... more
Ceremony for the establishment of the Shugei Shuchiin School, with preface (綜藝種智 院式幷序). "Shugei Shuchiin" is the Institution for Cultivating Knowledge of a Broad Weaving of Arts. This an annotated translation entry 102 in the Henjō Hakki Shōryōshu, the 1st entry in Scroll Number 10 of that document found in Volume 6 of the Kōbō Daishi Kūkai Zenshū. In this talk, Kūkai explains his idea and solicits funds to help establish Shugei Shuchiin, which became one of the first non-governmental and non-aristocratic schools in Japan. It was a school open to all people and encouraged education in a broad array of arts and sciences. Shugei Shuchiin became a long-enduring school in Heian (Kyoto) and its location is still commemorated there today.
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This translates the 112 classical Chinese titles in the 10-scroll collection of Kūkai’s poems, works of prose, prayers, dedications, birthday wishes, appeals for funding, etc., gathered by his disciple Shinzai under the title Henjō Hakki... more
This translates the 112 classical Chinese titles in the 10-scroll collection of Kūkai’s poems, works of prose, prayers, dedications, birthday wishes, appeals for funding, etc., gathered by his disciple Shinzai under the title Henjō Hakki Shōryōshu (“Divining the Spiritual Nature of The Everywhere-illuminating”, i.e., Kūkai.). Whereas most of the other writings in the Complete Works of Kōbō Daishi Kūkai expound Shingon doctrine, these are largely either poetic renderings or matters of practical business. Because Kūkai was interested in special uses of language, his poems are of particular importance. The practical writings can inform us of the actual early history of the Japanese Shingon tradition.
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An introduction to and translation of the opening sections of the Shikoku Henro Diary of Japanese free-verse haiku poet and itinerant Buddhist priest Taneda Santōka (1882-1940).
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This paper examines what has been described as the most basic and essential element of Kūkai's (774-835) religio-philosophical system (Yamasaki 1988:190), meditation on the Sanskrit syllable 'A'. According to Shingon Buddhist... more
This paper examines what has been described as the most basic and essential element of Kūkai's (774-835) religio-philosophical system (Yamasaki 1988:190), meditation on the Sanskrit syllable 'A'. According to Shingon Buddhist tradition, Kūkai introduced the meditation on the syllable 'A' (hereafter referred to as the Ajikan) into Japan in the early 9th century, at the time he transmitted the Shingon Dharma to that country from China. Materials clearly showing the origin and development of the Ajikan before Kūkai's time have either not been discovered or have not been analyzed in relationship to the Ajikan. Indeed, some researchers have argued that the use of 'A' as a device for meditation arose as either a Chinese or a Japanese mistranslation of the <i>Mahavairocana-sūtra</i>. The present paper is an attempt to contribute to research on the development of the Ajikan by pointing to related references in writings typically associated with ea...
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There are very many Buddhist traditions throughout the world, often varying in doctrine, beliefs and practices. Perhaps remarkably, those involved in the multitudes of Buddhist traditions worldwide generally agree the Buddhist teachings... more
There are very many Buddhist traditions throughout the world, often varying in doctrine, beliefs and practices. Perhaps remarkably, those involved in the multitudes of Buddhist traditions worldwide generally agree the Buddhist teachings (i.e., the Dharma) may be classified into three major divisions known as baskets (Sanskrit, pi aka). These three baskets (Sanskrit, tripi aka) or collections are (1) the sūtra (Pāli, sutta) collection (Sanskrit, Sūtra Pi aka), (2) the vinaya collection (Sanskrit, Vinaya Pi aka) and (3) the Abhidhamma collection (Pāli, Abhidhamma pi aka; Sanskrit, Abhidharma pi aka). Not surprisingly, those of the various Buddhist traditions are sometimes in disagreement about what constitutes the specific contents of one or more of these three baskets. According to traditions, the sūtra collection contains a variety of scriptures purporting to record the words of the Buddha and may include certain commentaries on the sūtras by patriarchs or learned adherents to the v...
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"The Buddha Dharma gradually became popular so that all the peo-ple took refuge in it. During that time, although the Great Minister Mononobe no Moriya (d. 587) attempted to destroy the Buddha Dharma, because Prince Shōtoku utilized... more
"The Buddha Dharma gradually became popular so that all the peo-ple took refuge in it. During that time, although the Great Minister Mononobe no Moriya (d. 587) attempted to destroy the Buddha Dharma, because Prince Shōtoku utilized skillful means, all the people took refuge in it, the Buddha’s halls and pagodas became very prosperous, and the temples and buildings were extensively constructed. During the reign of Empress Suiko (r. 592-628), the Buddha Dharma and the number of monks became especially abundant. Thus, various schools gradually came to be transmitted and various teachings became very prosperous"
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Because of the close ties between Baekje and Japanese courts, the Buddhism of Baekje was the first to be transmitted to Japan. Only after the first transmission of Buddhism from Baekje to Japan did Japan have contact with the influential... more
Because of the close ties between Baekje and Japanese courts, the Buddhism of Baekje was the first to be transmitted to Japan. Only after the first transmission of Buddhism from Baekje to Japan did Japan have contact with the influential Buddhists of Goguryeo, who are also overlooked by Gyōnen and earlier historians. The Buddhism that was revered by the Soga clan was primarily that of Baekje. Additionally, the Buddhist tradition of Silla entered Japan during the reign of Empress Suiko. During the same century, Buddhism from China entered Japan through monks who returned after having been sent to study abroad during the Sui dynasty
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We have readily assumed that, within Muslim countries, fundamentalists will most oppose American influence and policies, but Lisa Blaydes and Drew A. Linzer find a striking and perhaps surprising regularity: Anti-Americanism is most... more
We have readily assumed that, within Muslim countries, fundamentalists will most oppose American influence and policies, but Lisa Blaydes and Drew A. Linzer find a striking and perhaps surprising regularity: Anti-Americanism is most pronounced in the least observant Islamic countries. Moreover, opposition to the United States does not seem to be related to any particular American policies or to American culture generally. Anti-Americanism arises instead, they argue in “Elite Competition, Religiosity, and Anti-Americanism in the Islamic World,” from elite strategy, in which fundamentalist political factions fan anti-American sentiments to compete with more secular groups. That competition is most intense, and hence the anti-American strategy most frequently employed, in Islamic countries in which divisions between secular and religious forces are most pronounced. Employing a mix of statistical and case study methods, Blaydes and Linzer find that,within countries, observant Muslims ar...
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This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the Philosophy & Religious Studies at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Philosophy Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital... more
This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the Philosophy & Religious Studies at ODU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Philosophy Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of ODU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@odu.edu. Repository Citation Green, Ronald S. and Wittkower, D. E., "The Case of the Dangerous Detective" (2011). Philosophy Faculty Publications. Paper 25. http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/philosophy_fac_pubs/25
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This paper examines the influence of writings by Silla Yogācāra Buddhists on the formation of orthodox interpretations within the Hossō tradition, Japanese Yogācāra. Part One con- siders the frequency of citations of Silla masters... more
This paper examines the influence of writings by Silla Yogācāra Buddhists on the formation of orthodox interpretations within the Hossō tradition, Japanese Yogācāra. Part One con- siders the frequency of citations of Silla masters and their texts in principal Hossō writings and suggests several implications of this. Some of the Silla writings used by Hossō thinkers in support of their views were specifically condemned by the Chinese Faxiang tradition. This contradicts descriptions by Gyōnen and other historians of Hossō as an imported copy of Faxiang. Part Two of the article assesses four points of argument between the Nara Hossō Northern Temple (Kōfukuji) tradition and Nara Hossō Southern Temple (Gangōji) tradition. It is shown that these disputes persisted for centuries in Japanese Yogācāra and that the two traditions used Silla interpretations in opposing ways. Many prominent Hossō authorities relied on Silla texts that challenge Faxiang understandings of epistemology, ontology, and logic.
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This is a translation of the epitaph as it appears in the collection of Kukai's prose, poems, and prayers known as the Henjō hakki seireishū (or shōryōshū), (遍照発揮性霊集, Collected Works Divining the Spiritual Nature of Henjō, i.e., Kūkai),... more
This is a translation of the epitaph as it appears in the collection
of Kukai's prose, poems, and prayers known as the Henjō hakki seireishū (or shōryōshū), (遍照発揮性霊集, Collected Works Divining the Spiritual Nature of Henjō, i.e., Kūkai), preserved in the sixth volume of the Kōbō Daishi Kūkai zenshū (KKZ, 弘法大師空海全集, Complete Works of Kōbō Daishi Kūkai. It begins with Kūkai's explanatory prose, which he added after returning to Japan.
When translating Kūkai 's Chinese, we consulted the Japanese translation and commentary notes included in the Volume 6 of the KKZ as well as other dictionaries and encyclopedias. We also referred to other writings by Kūkai in the KKZ.
Kūkai described his knowledge of esoteric Buddhism as coming directly from Huiguo. Therefore, his portrayal of the master is particularly useful for understanding the early development of Shingon as well as Kūkai himself.
of Kukai's prose, poems, and prayers known as the Henjō hakki seireishū (or shōryōshū), (遍照発揮性霊集, Collected Works Divining the Spiritual Nature of Henjō, i.e., Kūkai), preserved in the sixth volume of the Kōbō Daishi Kūkai zenshū (KKZ, 弘法大師空海全集, Complete Works of Kōbō Daishi Kūkai. It begins with Kūkai's explanatory prose, which he added after returning to Japan.
When translating Kūkai 's Chinese, we consulted the Japanese translation and commentary notes included in the Volume 6 of the KKZ as well as other dictionaries and encyclopedias. We also referred to other writings by Kūkai in the KKZ.
Kūkai described his knowledge of esoteric Buddhism as coming directly from Huiguo. Therefore, his portrayal of the master is particularly useful for understanding the early development of Shingon as well as Kūkai himself.
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Thai Buddhism preserves and propagates many vital features of Theravāda Buddhism. These include traditions of forest monks, mindfulness meditation practices, and in-depth phenomenological analysis of the Buddhist Abhidhamma. Generally,... more
Thai Buddhism preserves and propagates many vital features of Theravāda Buddhism. These include traditions of forest monks, mindfulness meditation practices, and in-depth phenomenological analysis of the Buddhist Abhidhamma. Generally, Thai horror films have focused instead on the sensational aspects of popular Buddhism associated with superstitions in the country. Nang Nak (Nonzee Nimibutr, Thailand, 1999) and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethaku, Thailand, 2010) represent two treatments of these aspects.
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This is the first English translation of the Text of Bodhisattva Precepts by Xuanzang (602-664). Xuanzang's text is one of the two major Chinese Yogācāra writings of this type, the other bing the Text of Bodhisattva Precepts by... more
This is the first English translation of the Text of Bodhisattva Precepts by Xuanzang (602-664). Xuanzang's text is one of the two major Chinese Yogācāra writings of this type, the other bing the Text of Bodhisattva Precepts by Dharmakṣema (385-443). English versions of the latter exist in print and in online versions.
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This is a translation of the Manual on the Procedures for Conferring the Bodhisattva Precepts (T.241499.1104c19-1106b27) by Xuanzang (602-664), and preface to it written by the monk Jingmai (T.24.1499.1106c3.29).
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This article outlines and critically discusses South Korean Buddhist films made during the time of the Roh Tae-woo government (1988-1993), which can be called a semi-democratic and semi-dictatorial regime. This was a period of transition... more
This article outlines and critically discusses South Korean Buddhist films made during the time of the Roh Tae-woo government (1988-1993), which can be called a semi-democratic and semi-dictatorial regime. This was a period of transition in film policy from the censorship of the earlier dictatorial regimes to the freedom of expression offered to directors by the later democratic administrations, unprecedented in Korean film history. During this period the technical skill of directors improved bringing about a corresponding improvement in the quality of Korean Buddhist films and thus international attention. Although the government allowed filmmakers considerably more freedom to express ideas about sensitive political and social issues during the Roh regime, because of individual and institutional pressures, filmmakers could not freely and critically portray monastic lives and religious issues. For example, conservative Buddhists protested the release of films that depicted Korean Buddhism in a negative light, calling for a form of private censorship. These pressure led filmmakers to use abstruse dialogues, metaphors, stories, images, and technical terms in their Buddhist films, particularly those about Zen Buddhism, that likely baffled audiences.
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Available at http://www.asianetworkexchange.org/articles/10.16995/ane.131/ This paper describes how to teach Zen’s famous Ten Oxherding Pictures through Leonard Cohen’s song “Ballad of the Absent Mare.” It also explains how instructors... more
Available at http://www.asianetworkexchange.org/articles/10.16995/ane.131/
This paper describes how to teach Zen’s famous Ten Oxherding Pictures through Leonard Cohen’s song “Ballad of the Absent Mare.” It also explains how instructors can contextualize these pictures within the history of Buddhist visual culture and thereby frame Cohen’s adoption of them as a cowboy ballad motif. The essay begins by describing the metaphor of the ox. It then reviews three theories about the origin of the pictures, contextualizing them within the history of Buddhist visual culture. Finally, it provides a PowerPoint presentation that connects each of the Ten Oxherding Pictures to verses of Cohen’s song and offers comments for instructors’ use in class.
This paper describes how to teach Zen’s famous Ten Oxherding Pictures through Leonard Cohen’s song “Ballad of the Absent Mare.” It also explains how instructors can contextualize these pictures within the history of Buddhist visual culture and thereby frame Cohen’s adoption of them as a cowboy ballad motif. The essay begins by describing the metaphor of the ox. It then reviews three theories about the origin of the pictures, contextualizing them within the history of Buddhist visual culture. Finally, it provides a PowerPoint presentation that connects each of the Ten Oxherding Pictures to verses of Cohen’s song and offers comments for instructors’ use in class.
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Sakamura Shimin (坂村真民 1909 - 2006) was the pen name of a Japanese Buddhist poet whose given name was Takashi. His poems speak of a universal way of living in harmony and giving sympathy to ones fellow beings. He is said to have been a... more
Sakamura Shimin (坂村真民 1909 - 2006) was the pen name of a Japanese Buddhist poet whose given name was Takashi. His poems speak of a universal way of living in harmony and giving sympathy to ones fellow beings. He is said to have been a healing poet. Sakamura was born in Arao City in the Kumamoto Prefecture of Japan. After going to Kumamoto Prefecture Tamana Junior High School, he graduated from Kogakkan University, a private school connected with Shintō in Ise, Mie prefecture, Japan.
He moved to Tobe, a town located in Iyo District, Ehime Prefecture, Japan and set up a residence he called "Tanpopodo" (Dandilion Hall). It was his daily routine to get up at 1 o'clock every morning to offer an early prayer at the nearby Shigenobu River. Many of his poems are easy to understand and everyone from elementary school students to business workers loved them. His poem “If you pray, flowers will bloom” is particularly well loved and it has been translated into many languages.
He moved to Tobe, a town located in Iyo District, Ehime Prefecture, Japan and set up a residence he called "Tanpopodo" (Dandilion Hall). It was his daily routine to get up at 1 o'clock every morning to offer an early prayer at the nearby Shigenobu River. Many of his poems are easy to understand and everyone from elementary school students to business workers loved them. His poem “If you pray, flowers will bloom” is particularly well loved and it has been translated into many languages.
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This paper examines Tezuka Osamu’s (1928-89) retelling of the biography of the Buddha to appeal to readers of the shōnen genre of manga. Tezuka is a well-known Japanese manga writer and artist, cartoonist, animator, film producer, and... more
This paper examines Tezuka Osamu’s (1928-89) retelling of the biography of the Buddha to appeal to readers of the shōnen genre of manga. Tezuka is a well-known Japanese manga writer and artist, cartoonist, animator, film producer, and activist. In 1972, he began a series of manga adventures in Japan titled Buddha (ブッダ). The series ran to 14 editions in that country, ending in 1983. Subsequently, it was translated and reproduced in eight editions worldwide. This critically acclaimed series, which won the Eisner Award in 2004 and 2005 and Harvey Awards the same years, is considered the last great work in Tezuka’s life. It has spawned two animated movies so far: Buddha: The Great Departure (Tezuka Osamu no budda: Akai sabaku yo! Utsukushiku, 2011) and Buddha 2: The Endless Journey (Tezuka Osamu no Budda: Owarinaki tabi, 2014). A third film is scheduled to be produced.
While Astro Boy is Tezuka’s best known work in America, he equally portrays Buddha as an innocent boy who rejects the political intrigues and imperialism drawn around him. In this way, Tezuka’s Buddha retains an original purity in his heart, a Japanese post-war ideal and optimistic portrayal of the future potential of the country and the world. With reference to some of his other works, the paper describes how Buddha represents Tezuka’s own ideas as much as the canonical Buddhist telling of the life story.
While Astro Boy is Tezuka’s best known work in America, he equally portrays Buddha as an innocent boy who rejects the political intrigues and imperialism drawn around him. In this way, Tezuka’s Buddha retains an original purity in his heart, a Japanese post-war ideal and optimistic portrayal of the future potential of the country and the world. With reference to some of his other works, the paper describes how Buddha represents Tezuka’s own ideas as much as the canonical Buddhist telling of the life story.
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A review of Altered States: Buddhism and Psychedelic Spirituality in America by Douglas Osto. New York: Columbia University Press, 2016, 328 pages, ISBN 9780231177306.
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This book is a collection of 105 short reflections and poems by Takamure Itsue (1894–1964) on her travels to and around Shikoku in 1918, when she was twenty-three years old. Each piece was published individually during her pilgrimage as a... more
This book is a collection of 105 short reflections and poems by Takamure Itsue (1894–1964) on her travels to and around Shikoku in 1918, when she was twenty-three years old. Each piece was published individually during her pilgrimage as a serial column in a Kyushu newspaper. They were compiled after her death and published as Musume Junreiki (1979). Although best known as a historian and feminist concerned with the education of women, she also wrote Gohenro (1938) and Henro to jinsei (1939), two additional books about her 1918 Shikoku pilgrimage.
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Review of Buddhist Responses to Globalization edited by Leah Kalmanson and James Mark Shields. Published in the Journal of Global Buddhism Vol. 17 (2016): 32-37.
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A review of the book Silver Screen Buddha: Buddhism in Asian and Western Film by Sharon A. Suh. Published in the Journal of Religion & Film, Volume 19,
Issue 2 Fall 2015 Article 4.
Issue 2 Fall 2015 Article 4.
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The strength of this volume is in the number of articles that (1) describe the orientalism inherent in certain representations of Buddhism and (2) critique the alarming trend to pass off violence as " Buddhism " in American cinema. The... more
The strength of this volume is in the number of articles that (1) describe the orientalism inherent in certain representations of Buddhism and (2) critique the alarming trend to pass off violence as " Buddhism " in American cinema. The weakness of the volume is in the number of articles that (3) are possibly orientalist in their representations of Buddhism and (4) have a tendency to pass off immoral action as " Buddhism " in American cinema. The tension between these four types of articles is nothing if not curious, but may be attributable to the differing methodologies of the various authors. This review treats examples of these four types of articles. It also offers suggestions for understanding this incongruity and, at times, offers alternative interpretations to those of the authors.
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A 45-page Shingon bibliography compiled for "Kūkai, Founder of Japanese Shingon Buddhism: Portraits of his Life" 2003 PhD dissertation by Ronald S. Green, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Thesis submitted to the Department of Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for of the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, 1987. The thesis begins... more
Thesis submitted to the Department of Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for of the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia, 1987.
The thesis begins with a critical review of the Sociology of Time literature. It them proposes an organizational scheme for what the author sees as distinctive and sometimes incompatible subdivisions within the Sociology of Time. These include areas of study as disparate as the subjective passing of duration (studies in ethnomethodology that use theories by Husserl and Heidegger) to the social impact of the organization timetable of train schedules and time zones in America.
The thesis concludes by applying Karl Mannheim's theory of religious views of time found in Ideology and Utopia to a content analysis of public statements made by members to the the West German Green Party (Die Grünen) in the 1980s.
The thesis begins with a critical review of the Sociology of Time literature. It them proposes an organizational scheme for what the author sees as distinctive and sometimes incompatible subdivisions within the Sociology of Time. These include areas of study as disparate as the subjective passing of duration (studies in ethnomethodology that use theories by Husserl and Heidegger) to the social impact of the organization timetable of train schedules and time zones in America.
The thesis concludes by applying Karl Mannheim's theory of religious views of time found in Ideology and Utopia to a content analysis of public statements made by members to the the West German Green Party (Die Grünen) in the 1980s.
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This course surveys Japan's rich history of ghosts, monsters, and supernatural creatures (yōkai). We will encounter literary, theatrical, and visual depictions of them in contexts ranging from the horrific to the humorous. We will analyze... more
This course surveys Japan's rich history of ghosts, monsters, and supernatural creatures (yōkai). We will encounter literary, theatrical, and visual depictions of them in contexts ranging from the horrific to the humorous. We will analyze these depictions for what they can tell us about premodern thinking on gender, the body, the afterlife, morality, and other important topics. We will also consider how traditional conceptions of the monstrous have shaped contemporary Japanese culture. This course uses selected examples of premodern, early modern, and modern yōkai stories to frame an in-depth examination of the way yōkai have been imagined and depicted over time. The course thus covers the 15th through the 20th centuries, and offers students the opportunity to interpret contemporary manifestations of yōkai culture in a broader historical context.
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Social engagement is one of the most prominent trends in modern Buddhism. This course examines some of the doctrinal justifications for social activism by monastics and laity offered by clerics and scholars. While Socially Engaged... more
Social engagement is one of the most prominent trends in modern Buddhism. This course examines some of the doctrinal justifications for social activism by monastics and laity offered by clerics and scholars. While Socially Engaged Buddhism has taken many forms in various time periods and regions of the world, this course focuses on those activities of Tibetan nuns since 1950, seeking to understand in what whys their actions correspond to the doctrinal justifications. Based on students’ course backgrounds, they will additionally be asked to compare doctrinal justifications for socially engaged Buddhism with public declarations of principles and intents by American activists.