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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... Promises : The Lotus Sutra Benefits in Early Buddhist Teachings Benefits as Divine Blessings : The Flower Garland Sutra Benefits as Windfall : Fujii Masao Benefits as Objectives : Iijima Yoshiharu Benefits as Concession and Mystery ...
... promise of practical benefits can thus be justified as one of these expedient tricks used to lead people to the higher objective of renunciation and transcendental wisdom : by af- firming the powers of Buddhism , and of the buddhas , to ...
... promise and pursuit of this - worldly benefits are not limited to the new religions . Thus critiques accusing new religions of being focused on this - worldly benefits are themselves unreasonable : while new religions are , in general ...
... promise of salvation and entry into the Pure Land after death.40 While one can argue that such practices them- selves contain a this - worldly orientation ( by venerating and ritualiz- ing ancestors , the living are seeking their ...
... promise of this - worldly sal- vation is not a prerogative of the new religions alone , however , for it can be ... promises in texts and stories associated with Kannon that they could attain this - worldly salvation through journeying ...
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Practically Religious: Worldly Benefits and the Common Religion of Japan Ian Reader,George J. Tanabe No preview available - 1998 |