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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... Magic 126 Prayer and Purchase 136 4 The Providers of Benefits : Gods , Saints , and Wizards 140 Personalization and Purchase 143 Ninomiya's Pill and the Gathering of Gods and Buddhas 146 Intensifying Assimilation : The Impact of Meiji ...
... magical , and focused on this - worldly benefits . " " Generally they portray the new religions and their adherents as interested in little other than material benefits obtained through magic rather than ra- tional effort . This ...
... magical efficacy are central to its dynamic rather than ephemeral or expedient . The doctrine of skillful means , rather than being a truly central dynamic that leads people to , and legitimates , the practice of seeking practical ...
... Magic , 61 for example , is that Thomas pays virtually no attention to the liturgy's role in forming the religious ... magical spells or incantations used to call for spiritual grace and to petition for benefits . And Buddhist temples ...
... magical practices . As we shall see in subsequent chapters , such divi- sions are themselves inadequate and fictitious . We have already indi- cated that " popular " practices related to genze riyaku may be doctrines in Buddhist sects ...
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Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader,George J. Tanabe No preview available - 1998 |