Buch, Englisch, 792 Seiten, Hardback, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 231 mm, Gewicht: 1016 g
Buddhism and Deathbed Practices in Early Medieval Japan
Buch, Englisch, 792 Seiten, Hardback, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 231 mm, Gewicht: 1016 g
Reihe: Studies in East Asian Buddhism
ISBN: 978-0-8248-5643-4
Verlag: Cornell University (Ceas)
Practice for one’s last hours occupied the intersections of multiple, often disparate approaches that Buddhism offered for coping with death. Because they crossed sectarian lines and eventually permeated all social levels, deathbed practices afford insights into broader issues in medieval Japanese religion, including intellectual developments, devotional practices, pollution concerns, ritual performance, and divisions of labor among religious professionals. They also allow us to see beyond the categories of “old” versus “new” Buddhism, or establishment Buddhism versus marginal heterodoxies, which have characterized much scholarship to date. Enlivened by cogent examples, this study draws on a wealth of sources including ritual instructions, hagiographies, doctrinal writings, didactic tales, courtier diaries, historical records, letters, and relevant art historical material to explore the interplay of doctrinal ideals and on-the-ground practice.