Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of JapanPraying for practical benefits (genze riyaku) is a common religious activity in Japan. Despite its widespread nature and the vast numbers of people who pray and purchase amulets and talismans for everything from traffic safety and education success to business prosperity and protection from disease, the practice has been virtually ignored in academic studies or relegated to the margins as a uh_product of superstition or an aberration from the true dynamics of religion. Basing their work on a fusion of textual, ethnographic, historical, and contemporary studies, the authors of this volume demonstrate the fallacy of such views, showing that, far from being marginal, the concepts and practices surrounding genze riyaku lie at the very heart of the Japanese religious world. They thrive not only as popular religious expression but are supported by the doctrinal structures of most Buddhist sects, are ordained in religious scriptures, and are promoted by monastic training centers, shrines, and temples. |
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... theme in Japanese religious culture that is strongly articulated in the present day by many of the new religions ) , 43 so does the expression of inner thoughts reflect an important part of the process of actualization 16 INTRODUCTION.
... expressed as such in their petitions . To " explain " the practice of seeking benefits as really centered on peace of mind is to downplay the crucial importance of practical circumstances as essential ele- ments , for most people , in ...
... expressed by a priest at the temple Ichibata Yakushi in Shimane prefecture in outlining the temple's foundation legend ( engi ) , which affirms the importance of faith as a producer of benefits . The temple's foundation story , which ...
... expressed in the ma- jor scriptural traditions that have shaped Japanese religious history— notably Buddhism , its textual traditions , and the doctrinal formula- tions they have imparted but also Shinto and the mythic structures and ...
... expressed among ordinary and not - so - ordinary people . To take but one example : people petitioning the buddhas for grace and favors frequently use Buddhist scriptures and liturgies in this process . Common Buddhist texts such as the ...
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Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader,George J. Tanabe No preview available - 1998 |