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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... Importance of Plurality 188 Rituals , Intimacy , and the Role of Priests 190 Actions , Amulets , and Obligations 192 Return and Renewal : The Cycle of Purchase and Gratitude 195 Leaving Messages : The Use of Votive Tablets 197 ...
... i , and also to the audience at the talk for their responses and questions . We acknowledge the help of Abe Ryuichi of Columbia University , who arranged an important field visit , and Robert Sharf of the University of Michigan xi.
... importance of the concept of skillful means in Mahāyāna Bud- dhism is widely recognized . Explained in texts such as the Lotus Sutra , the concept asserts that Buddhism , in its drive toward universal truth and the establishment of the ...
... importance of this - worldly benefits in their doctrinal structures and teachings . This is usually done within the context of emphasizing the importance of worshiping the partic- ular kami venerated within the particular Shinto ...
... important in Japan as activities related to the ancestors and to rituals and practices centered on the deceased and ... important element in the de- velopment of this - worldly peace of mind ) , one must also consider the importance of ...
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Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader,George J. Tanabe No preview available - 1998 |